working but can only solicit for donations????

I painted at an event last month and had some parents and kids ask if I even painted at our local farmers market....I said I would look into it.
So I contacted the person and they said this:
"Our current appearance policy requires a $250 fee per day and restricts the selling of products or services. However, you can solicit donations for face painting and generate funds in that manner."

What is that supposed to mean? That I would only be working for donations?
What would you do??

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks

They want you to PAY them $250, and then not be allowed to sell?? WTF?

1) if they want you to pay them $250 to set-up then you should be allowed to sell your services for whatever YOU want to.

2) if they will only allow you to solicit "donations" which I assume means tips, then they should NOT charge you to set-up!

That's my opinion for what it is worth.

I would pass if they insist on their terms.

Do the farmers have to solicit donations for their produce & meats?

I'll echo Shannon's WTF?

I read it as you could solicit donations from outside (prior to to the farmer's market) to earn money to pay the vendor fee and possibly make a profit. Basically, suggesting to the potential "donors" (businesses and farmers?) that having face painting present will draw more people leading to more money in the farmers' pockets??? Almost like how Shannon will solicit sponsors rather then paint for free? I may be totally off though.

I don't solicit sponsors... I suggest that if they want me there THEY find a sponsor to pay my fee. I still have a contract to be paid.

Nope, sounds like they are saying she can't have a fee but must "solicit donations" Big PASS! You'd probably lose on that one.

ABSOLUTELY not. That's crazy!

Shannon - that's not your opinion that's fact.
To me it sounds like they are treating you like a busker or magician... you pay to be there and then put out your guitar case or proverbial 'hat' and collect cash all day..... time for a re-education I say!
These people need it totally broken down for them so they can get their head around it.... like 1. I am a combination service and entertainment, just my presence will not only increase your clientle but will also add to the whole enjoyment of the markets as a whole.
2. I am limited to how much I can make in a day by how many faces I can paint. Just because at certain times the markets may get busy does not equate to me making more money. If I charge $5 per face and can paint 12 faces an hour - that's $60. I would have to paint for 4 hours just to come close to recouping your "appearance fee".
3. People book and pay me by the hour to be at their events, I will be saying no to regular bookings to be at your markets therefore potencially losing money.
I could go on and on and on - in fact I have numerous times to numerous organizers - I don't know if it's because I beat them into submission with my words but I have a 99% turn around convince rate... if they don't hire me or let me into that event they call me for the next one or when they realize their mistake.
If it's local to you and you think you would benefit from being there then you have nothing to lose.... otherwise walk away and find another market that will appreciate your fine art

Well said Tash.

Very good advice from everyone and I love how Tash broke it down. That is useful in so many situations.

I would not pay and then just accept tips. You would never recoup that money. People really don't understand that there is a finite amount you can make in an hour. $5 per face, to make $60 an hour that is assuming there are 12 people willing to wait in line and pay. I just don't see it happening at a farmers market.

Every place is different and Good luck on your encounters.... However I would like to share my experience--
Did a farmer's market 4 weeks in a row.... Had a bad experience..
---had my tip jar and not very busy.
However hope came by with a family of 5.. Did 2 kids, the mom and even the aunt jumped in on it for a design ...
--- family- how much do u charge...
Me - "work for tips "
Family- ok , nice....
--- did cute eye designs on the adults and forehead Designs on children, really cool designs for their movie avengers night they were attending after the farmers market....
---- me- ok all done
--- Family- "we love it and you do beautiful work!!!!"
---
** awkward silence, ...
--- wife walks over to husband.....

---- get a thankyou and bye!

--- this is what working for tips got me one night......

Exactly.

boo

.

I think what I read was, "NO RUN AWAY!!!!!"

I've not had a lot of great success w/ Farmer's Markets & Flea markets. I've found most people are looking for cheap stuff (something I just can'r offer).

First of all, I don't fault the place at all. She went to them and asked. If they had come to her and said that, then they are at fault. This is their "normal" business.
Farmer's Markets are pretty different when it comes to these things and it gets them around paperwork to say "Don't charge". We have several towns in the area that have a fee for space use but you can not vend.

In fact, friends of mine just had a day long concert/band show and this was the case:
They paid for the space for the day but could not sell anything. Not cd's. Not t-shirts.
They also couldn't charge for the show.
HOWEVER, donations could be accepted.

I painted at it. The loop-hole is the sign and wording. Ever go somewhere that has an entry for a "donation" of a certain amount? Same thing.
You post a sign, or have a hawker, that every design is a $5 donation towards the recoup of supplies and materials. Then only put out your $5 designs. (I'm using $5 as the example, btw.)
It fits within the loophole and it isn't "tips". You still get paid because people understand up front that it's not free AND they actually come to appreciate the fact that it actually costs money to do this stuff.

In doing this, the guys were able to sell cd's, t-shirts and I was able to decorate people but were able to work within the rules.

That said, I still wouldn't do your farm market because the "appearance fee" is absolutely ridiculous.

Though I have never done a farmers marked, I have often worked for donations. (Sometimes this is required when painting for non-profit organization's events.) I just have a sign that states the expected donation for the various designs. The key seemed to be including the word donation on my pricing signs. Before I put my expectations on what the donation should be, I would only get $1 but once I used my regular pricing and just added the word donation, I started receiving that amount, no questions, no complaints.

Thank you for all of your responses thus far......I, too, believe that $250 is outrageous.....

I like the tips on wording.......makes sense

now, to tell him he's nuts....but in nicer words.....lol

We work at a farmers market some times but it's $10 for the space per year and $12 city vender fee. When you don't have a booking it's better to sit there for a few dollars then sit home for none. Only worked for tips one time and made very big sign "The more you tip the more you get."

There is no way I would pay that fee and only get tips. I only pay $10 for my all day Saturday booth in an open air market (right now it is free because I am helping to get vendors in there to a new market) and I can charge whatever I want. So I would say no thank you and explain why so that maybe you can educate them for the next person who inquires.

So I heard back from him and what most of us thought is correct.

He wants me to pay him $250 a day for a spot and I cannot charge people for face painting, I can only accept donations..........

I think I'm passing on this one....lol.....absolutely ridiculous....I will word it as you all have advised.....maybe he'll see the error of his ways.....lol

Is the spot a table or booth? How is your setup? Is it possible to paint in a small area? I use a FatMax and don't use a table. My setup is about 4X4 space. I could easily fit in a corner or by the door Maybe you could explain your setup to them?

Nope- he wouldn't budge one bit......so it is obviously not worth any more of my time.

Thank you all again for your words of advice and wisdom!!!!!!