was asked to paint at a event

SO I was asked to facepaint at a event. She said that my busniss card will be added to the program. However EVERYTHING that I make will be donated. What do you think? Is it worth it? I am on a super budget on buying paints. I can waste alot of my paints on this event but it can also help me get business. Im so torn on what to do.

Hi smiley ....I just painted at an 'event' - an art exhibition on Saturday where I painted 3-4 hrs for free but the thing is I didn't have a line - people kinda just started dropping in one by one so I didn't make a huge dent on my supplies. I too am on a budget so I wasn't keen on doing it for free but I know the people who were doing the art exhibition and I DID get to meet a lot of potential party customers - I gave out a lot of business cards BUT I made a mental note that this was the LAST time I was ever going to do a 'FREE' event .....so bottom line I don't totally regret doing the 'free event' I just won't ever be doing something like that again. sorry if i've confused u even more....

How about you tell her that you're unable to cover the cost of paint, but are happy to donate your time, so you'll have to either charge them a reduced hourly rate to reflect this, or keep X% of your sales to cover costs and donate the rest to them. ??

I would try and negotiate giving a percentage back to them. Especially as they have asked you to be there.
Otherwise I would offer donating any PROFIT that is made. I would work out a rough estimate per hour that would cover your own costs.

is this a charity that you care about? Then it's up to you... if it isn't near and dear to your heart, then NO. Plain and simple, never count on any particular thing or event to bring you business. If it does, great, but never count on it to be "worth it." You can die from exposure.

I have ONE charity that I do things for and that it all. The rest of them get a discounted rate or a percentage back. I don't count on anything coming from my activities with the leukemia events that I do, but I do them because I want to and that is the ONLY time that I give 100%... and you'd better believe I advertise the crap out of everything I do for them, yes... BUT I don't count on getting any business from it and business-wise, no it isn't even close to worth it... charity-wise, that is my personal donation because I don't have money to donate and I care about leukemia.

I've got a charity "policy" that first: I only donate to 501c3 charities that I can declare on taxes; second: I want a letterhead letter thanking me for my donation for my records; third: I will do it for half rate, never free. If they want to have a donation bowl out there to make back my rate and maybe more then that's okay with me. There is only one charity in town I would love to do for exposure but that's because it would be FUN for me and very nice people...but they have painters already.

I've been asked weekly to do free events and many of them are private groups that are trying to raise money for a worthy cause...but I can't "paint the world" and take care of every worthy person...any more than I can give cash to every worthy cause. I, of course, would do it if I had a cause that was close to my heart or to help out a close friend but I'd probably still ask for a small paint reimbursement depending on the crowd.

I haven't had many takers. They usually look for other painters that will do it for free. Perry is right..."die from exposure" LOL!

D.

I usually keep a percentage of what I make or do a reduced hourly (negotiated up front). That's everywhere except my church. I do those events 100% free because it's like painting my very large extended family. I LOVE my church!

THank you all sooo much. THats why I love this forum. everyone is so helpful and honest.

Also if you do it can you take photos? have some release forms with you then you can add to your portfolio and your boards with some new designs, ideas , and variations that you may do.

I keep a note of where I get most of my business enquiries from. The majority have seen me painting at an event or party and taken my card, be it a PPF festival or a paid per hour private party. Occasionally (mostly henna) I get someone that just found me on google.

To date I have done a few charities (I still require $30 minimum per hour to cover paint costs and explain that this is me donating my time and travel expenses, except Relay for Life that I just do free. And that's for me not for them.) To date even when they have really plugged me over the loud speaker the only follow up jobs I've had from charity jobs have been offers for me to do more free work. I only do cancer ones and that is cause it is close to me. I look it as goodwill and good karma but honestly I don't think it's good business.

Free gets more people asking for free, as it has been said one can die from exposure. As well I 'd like to point out that if every painter who was asked to paint for free, did so, no one would make a living , and it would just perpetuate the notion that what we do has no value.

I received a call today to paint at a fundraiser for a local animal rescue, very near and dear to my heart so I am glad to be a part, but I was asked to be a booth sponser and my contribution is the 50$ booth fee and I can charge and keep the rest. Is this a normal way things are done? This is the second invite I've had to paint at a community event, the other was not a fundraiser but I was still expected to pay a booth fee even though they sought me out.... Reasonable? I guess I should be thankful I'm getting work and I don't mind the 50$ fee for the animal rescue fundraiser, I just hope advertising a face painter will help bring in more people, and I hope I break even, it'd be nice to donate more and still cover costs and maybe a helper for glitter tattoos...

I think a booth fee and lettIng YOU keep the money you make is very fair! I wish more fundraisers in my area did that. I have a fundraiser I'm painting for this weekend for the second year in a row, and next year, I may need to renegotiate my terms. They are making out like bandits for what they are paying me!

for the fundraisers around here, I wouldn't pay that much, because I never make that much at a fundraiser event.... but if it's going to be a big enough event, maybe it will work out for you.

"booth sponser". lol! That sounds like a term invented by a very clever marketing director to me. If you get to keep everything you make, how is it a fundraiser for them? Sounds like a regular vendor deal. Fundraisers generally depend on the goodwill of the attendees... not the goodwill of the vendors at your event.

A few weekends ago, I did an event for free. It was 6 hours long and I put out a tip jar.

I was supposed to be accompanied by another group of face painters, but they never showed up.

I had a line of 20+ people for the entire day, never got a chance to take a break. People were stingy with tips too, I think I made under 60 bucks the whole day.

AND I went through half my paint supplies! I had to put an order in to replace them, which cost me $160.

So after working my butt off all day, all I accomplished was LOSING $100.

No more working free for me!

People really don't tip at free events. They just don't.

It was so frustrating, because at the beginning almost every person was leaving a $5-$10 tip... then an hour later the word "free" began circulating around and the tips basically stopped.

What made it even more annoying, is that it was a cultural event with tons of vendors. Everyone had to buy tickets to use for buying samples of food and the vendors were keeping the profits... so why the heck was I painting for free!?

Lesson learned for sure.

It's the first year the're doing this event and I don't think they really have any idea how many will show up so maybe they're trying to gather money where they can? The organization rescues and spay/neuters then puts them into foster homes until they can be adopted...it's a great thing and really necessary in my town so I don't mind 50$ for this event even if I don't do great. I was just curious if it was a normal way to do things because it definatly surprised me!

Lindsey, good luck!! Put out a jar that says "tips", then a sign that states "all tip proceeds will go toward the event" or something to that effect. Then, if you make $50 in tips... it covers your "sponsership fee". If you make more.. you can donate more!

Kat, that's a really good idea!

Btw, I loved your monster mask from a few weeks ago, I altered it slightly because I dont have stencils so I used daubers for scales, but it's sitting proudly on the face of a super cute 7 yr old on my display board! It's a truely terrific monster mask. Thanks for sharing it, and I hope you don't mind

I think you my be confusing me with Whitney?

Oh, i'm sorry, it's possible! The pretty girl in the pic did have monster paint covering her face. I downloaded the pic from the forum so theres no telling