So I try to not talk about conventions and what I do for a living or any of my personal stuff on here like...ever. But I just felt awful from what happened to me at this last convention I was at. At this last convention that was advertised for having more than 2K attendance, and that artists were going to get a 6x6 space. Instead we were met with less than 200 attendance, and a 4ft table that was smooshed together with another person’s table so that it was just rows of benches.
Needless to say, I barely made back the table and expenses. If it wasn’t for an angel that stopped by my booth at the last minute to buy a couple prints I would have felt awful. I still feel awful because this is what I’m doing for a living and I relied on my brother to pay for our meal (granted it was what he wanted kind of thing and he was being nice) but no that is never alright. I pay for my helpers because they help me so much at conventions. But that was just...extra.
What is actually bothering me and still bothering me, is that when I asked for a refund because the contract that I signed and what I thought I signed up for was not what I bought for. He told me that he was going to take me to court if I don’t back down, and then said that it is not the convention’s fault for not having the best of sales (granted some of my artist friends who I know do well at conventions got $30) and that. That is what makes me feel like shit.
Saying that it is my fault for the sales. That it wasn’t that the convention did not advertise and did hiked up the prices for their tables. I would have been happy for the person to have just said, ‘I’m sorry. We will try to do better next time, but we can not give you a refund.’ That would have been fine. But for him to just lie and say that it was my fault for my sales.