Jillbeans
New Member
This is usually the time of year when I post about the upcoming World of Wheels show in Pittsburgh.
While it will still be on tap this year at the usual time, the group of artists to which I belong, The High Scrollers, will not be attending.
Last year we brought in $23,000 for the Pittsburgh Autism Society, a record for us. At the end of the show, when we were breaking it all down, our auctioneer/event organizer was called in to the office and told that next year (2016) the charity would be charged a fee for the use of the floor space.
We later found out that this fee was going to be $7,000.
After we protested, the show promoter said they would waive the fee, but our organizer was presented with a contract asking for a slightly smaller fee. (I think $5,000) While the Autism Society would have been willing to pay this, most of the artists, including me, did not feel much enthusiasm for working the show. So even if the auction proceeded, there is a chance that it would have not raised enough to cover the $5,000.
As a result, the High Scrollers are sitting this one out.
We had pretty much become the entertainment for the venue, which has gotten smaller every year. I think they are cobbling together some sort of artist's alley, where they waive the normal $500 fee but are requesting a few pieces be donated to the show by any artist who decides to do this.
No charities will benefit.
So if anyone was making plans to attend, either as an artist or spectator, I just thought I should let it be known.
Sad to see such a good cause fall victim to corporate greed.
I do think we will be doing another show later in the year, but it is still in the planning stages.
Thanks!
Love....Jill
While it will still be on tap this year at the usual time, the group of artists to which I belong, The High Scrollers, will not be attending.
Last year we brought in $23,000 for the Pittsburgh Autism Society, a record for us. At the end of the show, when we were breaking it all down, our auctioneer/event organizer was called in to the office and told that next year (2016) the charity would be charged a fee for the use of the floor space.
We later found out that this fee was going to be $7,000.
After we protested, the show promoter said they would waive the fee, but our organizer was presented with a contract asking for a slightly smaller fee. (I think $5,000) While the Autism Society would have been willing to pay this, most of the artists, including me, did not feel much enthusiasm for working the show. So even if the auction proceeded, there is a chance that it would have not raised enough to cover the $5,000.
As a result, the High Scrollers are sitting this one out.
We had pretty much become the entertainment for the venue, which has gotten smaller every year. I think they are cobbling together some sort of artist's alley, where they waive the normal $500 fee but are requesting a few pieces be donated to the show by any artist who decides to do this.
No charities will benefit.
So if anyone was making plans to attend, either as an artist or spectator, I just thought I should let it be known.
Sad to see such a good cause fall victim to corporate greed.
I do think we will be doing another show later in the year, but it is still in the planning stages.
Thanks!
Love....Jill
