bpkpenguin

I help organize our local annual show in "very rural" FL panhandle. We charge $3 admission to view and it is free to display even though we give prizes for the top 3 in Viewer's Choice. I get the prizes donated by our local shoppes as well as goodies for a "quilter's" raffle basket. It is held in the old gym at the Pioneer Settlement so all proceeds go back to them. We have a fabric vendor every year, as well as a few local crafter's with items for sale. We have people come from central Georgia, Mobile, AL and Tallahassee. I am kinda fussy about supporting Quilt Guilds, when not guilds a very generous in giving back to their community. To me, as a quilter and former guild president and member of several, it should be about giving back to our community. With the right members, it doesn't cost alot, if anything, to meet, so why do they think they need such big budgets? They shouldn't expect "me" to pay for their teachers and expenses throughout the year.....

ghquilter53

Our guild charges $6 for a 200 quilt show. The cost needs to cover almost $3200 in building rental, $900 in publicity, $1,300 in judging costs, and other miscellaneous costs. We generally have 15 vendors.

LindaR

Its our guilds only money maker for the year...I gladly pay it...goes for all the nice teachers we get

Lucky Lindy

Our guild just did a show in Nov. 2011. We rented the hall in our Convention Center, the rent included the poles and drapes used in hanging the quilts, it also included a second room that was devoted to education and demonstrations and 2 bed turnings. The grand total rent....OVER $6,000.00! We had approximately 350 quilts, 17 vendors, an area for silent auction and a country store. We charged $6.00 admission and did not make any profits off the admission and were happy that admissions just about covered our expenses. It's expensive to do a large quilt show.
So, while you may think that $5, $6 or even $10 seems extreme it may be just covering expenses to give the quilting community an opportunity to see beautiful quilts and to be inspired. I hope that the next time you get to go to a quilt show you will enjoy it and keep in the back of your mind that that cost to put on a show can add up.

Dianemarie

There is alot to consider with the admission of the quilt show; how much do you pay to go to the movies ? I consider it a movie day -- I don't go to movies. So I can indulge in a quilt show and when I'm there I usually buy a new pattern or book that is my splurge besides all the eye candy ! To each their own.

maryfrang

Our Guild quilt show has free entry. We do have a big jug for donations. The show is in a church hall and they do charge for the space. We do not look at the quilt show as a money raiser. It is to share quilting with the community.

mar32428

Sidebar: How about the raise in membership for the American Sewing Guild to $50? They've got to be kidding. I live in Florida where so many residents are older and on fixed incomes

newbiequilter

This is an on-going subject in our guild. Because of the layout of the area in which we hold our quilt show, it is practically impossible to charge admission. The show is inside and outside and people are able to access the entire area. We would literally have to put up barriers (another expense) and have the "quilt police" manning (or personing) them. There is another large quilt show in our area and they charge, I believe, $6 for admission. I think that is a fair amount for viewing the wares of approx. 25 vendors and viewing over 300 quilts. When it gets into the $10 category, I would think about it.....however, each of us generally knows that when we attend a quilt show the only money spent is not at the door for admission - we purchase a drink &/or food, buy raffle tickets and sometimes, even fabric! But as one previous poster said - what a great way to get out for a few hours, enjoy the company of others and not have to worry about day-to-day activities AND see wonderful quilts and some works of art.

sewbizgirl

Pardon my ignorance but what is a "bed turning"?

This sounds like a fantastic show, btw...

kathdavis

Our guild show is free. We have over 100 members in our guild and over 200 quilts in our show. We rent a church gym for two days and they just doubled our rent this year to $1500. We do an opportunity quilt which we raffle to help offset some of our cost. Our mission is to inspire others.

That said, I have paid up to $3.00 for other quilt show around here that don't begin to compete with ours, but it is nice to see what others are doing. I don't mind the $3.00 if I can walk away with at least one or two new ideas or techniques. Ten dollars is a bit much.