Department Head: Karen Purcell (drkaren11@gmail.com)
The entire art show staff deserves every honor and award that doesn't exist for the work they put in this weekend. We all pulled 8-12 hour days for the weekend, and maintained a decent art show despite the upsets.
Staff Den was far more sensitive to our needs than in the past. The dinner for the set up crews on Thursday night was very much appreciated, it was very thoughtful of Crystal. Tamar sent up cookies and grapes all weekend, which helped to keep us going.
This was by far the most responsive hotel banquet crew I've ever dealt with. I've already pointed out the particular people that should be honored. I was especially happy with the speed at which my requests were dealt with , and the fact that the hotel folk checked in with me frequently to make sure my requests were handled as I had asked.
Thanks to the concomm for frequent check ins as well.
Thanks to Joell for having breakfast sent up on Sunday - it definitely raised spirits.
Student art show was cancelled due to lack of interest. This is a corporate event whose future needs to be discussed at the next corporate meeting.
Juried art show did not happen due to a lack of interest on the part of the artists as well as any member of the art show crew to take it on. If this is the happen, someone outside the art show crew needs to own it.
AGOH move in and move out - with a dedicated small crew and many vehicles, it was done with minimal fuss. Thanks for my crew and also to Jill Eastlake and Kat Hannon for loaning the moving blankets.
The art show itself experience the smoothest shortest set up it has had in my history. The entire display was set up, re-engineered to work with the space, and in place lights and all by 9:30pm on Thursday. The load in crew was fantastic getting everything upstairs (thank ghu the pipe carts fit in the elevators) and my crew was equally fantastic getting it all in place. This left us ready to hang art at opening on Friday morning.
This was the first year for art show boot camp, with a written and spoken orientation for staff members to avoid problems we have seen in the past. This worked well and should be continued.
Suggestion: Rewrite artist check out, quick sale instructions for sales folk as well as print shop. Must make sure Quick Sale space has a price or NFS marked!
Need to add comment re: peace bonding for weapons on display
Despite the elevator situation, artist check in went well on Friday and we opened on time. We were able to be open later with the removal of the reception from our schedule.
We needed better signage re: lack of bag check on 16.
Suggestion: Bag check on 16 next year, no programming.
Suggestion: Better signage for use of East stairwell to art show.
Suggestion: have open hours for concomm and other upper level staff after hours with limited art show crew, so they can see the art show.
Saturday was a clusterfuck. Staff and non-staff were able to get upstairs without my having officially opened the elevators. Con-goers were stridently demanding to be allowed on the elevators to 16 before the art show opened. The thefts upset the artists and the staff - thank you for the police detail for the rest of the weekend. My staff re-opened the show as fast as possible, this did not prevent the congoers from being extremely rude to staff and artists outside the main room.
The Saturday night event was entirely the fault of someone panicking - calling my cell phone would have made far more sense than an announcement in the masquerade.
Due to the new set up, we were able to open the art show early, before the auction started, so some of the ops crew could come through and see the art. Very few pieces in the auction this year, so it went quick. Sales went well, only 4 people failed to pick up their art. Tear down was also pretty painless, except for load out in the elevators - no way to avoid the delays, just dealt with it.
Suggestion: have posted in Saturday newsletter that all art bid on must be picked up on Sunday by the bidder or a designated agent.
All late pick up folks contacted to send money so art could be mailed/delivered. Art show reconciliation done, artist letters and checks have already gone out. I've received several emails from artists thanking us for being so prompt. Quick sale was particularly popular this year, and some artists only sold art via Quick Sale. The art show sold $9,500 worth of art. This compares to 2006 when we sold $10,400, but had 40 more panels of art on display.
Suggestion: put up 'place holders' for quick sold art
Any comments or suggestions re: the art show - please let me know, I'm compiling a list for the 2008 brainstorming session and the next art show director. BTW, this position took 250-300 hours over the course of the year, for future reference.
Suggestion: have a police detail through all open art show hours.
Suggestion: take digital pics of all layouts at artist check in, to keep in the event of another theft.
Suggestions: Hotel needs to understand that a floor lockdown includes their employees. Any hotel staff going on that floor when it is closed need to be accompanied by con security or art show staff.
Suggestion: Art Show will have a designated sleeper on the floor overnight. This sleeper will not be allowed to open the floor to other staff or congoers until a time designated by the director.
Suggestion: Pre-con Clear Ether handed out at Registration with food availability, art show hours and access (we will have a bag check, but the hours will be limited), shuttle stops and schedules, care and feeding of elevators
Suggestion: hand out instructions sheets for care and feeding of radios for the uninitiated.
Back to the 2007 Fixed Functions Debrief Report