Inviting people to a ticketed event

[kitchcat]

BG: I'm going to be part of an art show in a couple months that is organized by a non-profit organization aimed at helping young artists get exposure. This is a great opportunity as I would never have the financial means to do this sort of thing on my own. The organization takes on the costs of the show (renting the space, marketing, cost of refreshments, etc.) and in return, asks that the artists being featured sell a certain number of tickets ($10 each) to the event. If an artists does not sell X amount of tickets, they are asked to pay the balance on those tickets themselves. The tickets are sold through the organization's website and there is an option to choose the artist you are "supporting" by attending, or just "general admission". This is how they track how many tickets you have sold. There is no difference in the ticket if you do or do not select a name. It's just for record keeping. /BG

I need to sell X amount of tickets, but I feel strange asking my friends (who I would have invited anyway) to pay for a ticket to come see me at the show. I also wanted to invite some of my art professors, so the same awkward issue is there as well.

What do I do? Do I let them know I have to sell a certain number of tickets? Do I not mention that  fact and just ask that they select my name from the options when they purchase? Should I not ask them to purchase tickets and just eat the cost myself? I'm already putting about $250 into the cost of framing my artworks, so another large chunk of cash on top of my student's budget is obviously pretty worrisome. Any help would be appreciated!

[Yvaine]

Is this standard procedure in the art world? It seems off to me. Is it normal for art shows to charge artists to be in them? Someone with more experience with this, please chime in!

As for the etiquette question, I don't think you should tell your friends that you'll get charged for any shortfall in ticket sales. It could sound like a guilt trip. I think you're stuck etiquette-wise with selling the amount of tickets that people genuinely want to buy and then making up the difference.

But it's still giving me a niggling feeling.

[kitchcat]

Is this standard procedure in the art world? It seems off to me. Is it normal for art shows to charge artists to be in them? Someone with more experience with this, please chime in!

I'm not being charged to be in it per say, I'm being held responsible to sell tickets. There are lots of other things the organization does for us that I did not mention (professional photos, video interviews, etc.) in addition to the costs of hosting the show. Most art shows do require you pay entry fees to even apply to be part of the show (like college application fees), and fees tend to start around $50-75 at the low end. So being "charged" is not unusual.

[Aeris]

I'm not at all familiar with how the art world works internally, but in the theatre/dance/music world, it's extremely common to be in a performance that requires people pay to see it. Standard procedure among my friends is to send out mass mailings, facebook invites, etc, with all the details of the show (including ticket price details).

You're not inviting people to a social event, you're inviting people to attend a show you're in. It's not expected that you pick up the cost of everyone's ticket yourself. That would be insane. But don't tell them you're on the hook for X tickets, I agree with Yvaine that that will definitely read as a guilt trip.

[Hmmmmm]

I think it's fine to send an email out to friends and professor you think would be interested.

Dear Friends,
I am very excited that I have the opportunity to exhibit my work at the xxx art show on April X. The Art Show is being hosted by XXX, a non-profit organization, with the aim of helping young artists get exposure.  Tickets to the show are $10 per person and can be purchased via xxx website.  To assist in off-setting the cost of the event, each exhibiting artist is being asked to sell a minimum number of tickets. If you do decide to attend, when purchasing your ticket please select the option to indicate you are attending in support of me so that I will receive credit for your attendance.

Thank you for your support.

[WillyNilly]

If it were me, I'd just promote the show for myself.  Post it on your Facebook page "Come see my art at New Gala Art Show March 9! Tickets are only $10, click here!" and send out emails stating the same, maybe make some flyers to give out/snail mail/hang on bulletin boards.  Don't mention you have to sell a certain number of tickets, just give people the info and trust your friends and family and supporters will click off your name as the artist they are supporting.  At most maybe add "Please be sure to mark my name as the artist you are supporting for tracking purposes".

[Aeris]

<snip>
 At most maybe add "Please be sure to mark my name as the artist you are supporting for tracking purposes".

I like this phrasing.

[Marbles]

<snip>
 At most maybe add "Please be sure to mark my name as the artist you are supporting for tracking purposes".

I like this phrasing.

Me, too.

[Acadianna]

I think this is very similar to people who perform in plays.  You'd let your family and friends know that you were performing, but nobody would expect you to pay for their tickets.  It's up to each of them as to whether they want to buy a ticket and attend the play.

[Surianne]

If it were me, I'd just promote the show for myself.  Post it on your Facebook page "Come see my art at New Gala Art Show March 9! Tickets are only $10, click here!" and send out emails stating the same, maybe make some flyers to give out/snail mail/hang on bulletin boards.  Don't mention you have to sell a certain number of tickets, just give people the info and trust your friends and family and supporters will click off your name as the artist they are supporting.  At most maybe add "Please be sure to mark my name as the artist you are supporting for tracking purposes".

I agree, and I like this phrasing a lot.  Invite them as if you weren't required to sell a certain number of tickets, and don't mention the minimum, so they don't feel guilted into it. 

It's sort of like doing theatre at a Fringe Festival where you pay a set fee up front for the space and to be included in the festival, and then you recoup the money by selling tickets.  But this is sort of backward, where if you *don't* recoup the money, you pay the free afterward. 

So I'd treat it similarly -- promote it to people you think would like to go, but don't involve them in your financial matters.

[JenJay]

I think it's fine to send an email out to friends and professor you think would be interested.

Dear Friends,
I am very excited that I have the opportunity to exhibit my work at the xxx art show on April X. The Art Show is being hosted by XXX, a non-profit organization, with the aim of helping young artists get exposure.  Tickets to the show are $10 per person and can be purchased via xxx website.  To assist in off-setting the cost of the event, each exhibiting artist is being asked to sell a minimum number of tickets. If you do decide to attend, when purchasing your ticket please select the option to indicate you are attending in support of me so that I will receive credit for your attendance.

Thank you for your support.

I really like this!

[Yvaine]

I'm not at all familiar with how the art world works internally, but in the theatre/dance/music world, it's extremely common to be in a performance that requires people pay to see it. Standard procedure among my friends is to send out mass mailings, facebook invites, etc, with all the details of the show (including ticket price details).

You're not inviting people to a social event, you're inviting people to attend a show you're in. It's not expected that you pick up the cost of everyone's ticket yourself. That would be insane. But don't tell them you're on the hook for X tickets, I agree with Yvaine that that will definitely read as a guilt trip.

Oh, it's not the selling of tickets that bothers me--it's that it's really an entry fee for Kitchcat that she can then offset by selling tickets. It felt to me like paying to act in the play, to extend the metaphor. I mean, if you're in a play, yeah, it will cost your friends to attend, but they don't have a quota of tickets you have to sell or else you as the actor owe them money. As far as I know, anyway. It's not the admission fee for attendees that bugged me. It was the entry fee for artists; it seemed weird.

But if this is normal, then I'll shut up now.

Edited to add: I like PPs' wording for letting them know about indicating you without laying on a guilt trip.

[bah12]

I'm a little confused.  I get that you are responsible for selling tickets, but the friends that you invite need tickets to attend right?  So, if you're asking if you should pay for their tickets, just because you are inviting them and then maybe get stuck with the costs of the tickets you don't sell on top of that, I would say that you aren't required to do this.

I think it's perfectly acceptable to send out an email or whatever other means of communication to your friends and say "I'm going to be in Art Show on X day at Y time.  Tickets cost Z dollars.  If you'd like to attend, the link below has all the information.  When you purchase the tickets, please select me as the Artist from the drop down list."  Then maybe you can suggest meeting up before or after for drinks or something so that it's them hanging out with you vs. just going to an art show and then home.

[katycoo]

Let them know you're participating in the event and you can sell them tickets if they'd like to attend.  Tell them if they wish to purchase directly from the gallery please select your name when they do as there may be a benefit for you if you reach a certain number.  Stay silent on what the benefit is - even if asked, I'd white lie and say you aren't sure but you'd like a shot at finding out.

[amandaelizabeth]

Don't forget to include your wider family even if you know they cannot attend.  I have a niece who is a photographer and has been promoted in shows in a similar fashion.  There is no way most of her extended family can attend, but we all like to buy tickets to support her work.  I know some of us gift the tickets back to her so that she can invite some of her fellow students to the show, when they cannot afford the ticket themselves.  You get a sort of double glow of thankingness that way a double helping of paying it forward.