On the Bright Side

Jayne Utter, Summerfair managing director, with 2024 “Best in Show”
winner Alex Lanier.

Sunshine Artist magazine recently announced its 2024 “200 Best,” with a familiar fair taking a top spot.

“What an honor to be #4 on this prestigious list again this year,” says Jayne Utter, Summerfair Cincinnati’s managing director. “Artists from all over the county are asked which shows are most profitable and how they are treated. Thanks to our volunteers and patrons, we have landed in the top 10 for over 20 years. Of course, my wish is to one day make #1!”

Launched in 1993, Sunshine Artist’s “200 Best” is split into two categories: Fine Art & Design for events that focus on unique, fine-art pieces and Classic & Contemporary Craft for events that focus on traditional or modern craft and production work. 

Summerfair Cincinnati is ranked at #4 in the Fine Art & Design category on the list.

Artists cast their votes for the list from February through April 2023, nominating their highest money-making shows from the previous year. The ballot asks artists to list the 10 most profitable art and/or craft shows where they exhibited, indicate their level of gross sales at each event, and note whether they considered themselves fine artists or craftspeople for each event.  

The results were tabulated using a weighted scale based on four sales levels to ensure all events competed against each other fairly. 

Sunshine Artist’s “200 Best” focuses solely on artists’ show revenue because that is the most objective indicator of a show’s future success. Subjective attributes, such as artist treatment, amenities, attendance levels, management, and overall quality, can impact sales but are harder to gauge and have no direct bearing on the rankings. 

If you’re interested in being part of one of the best art shows in the country, Summerfair is always looking for volunteers! Find out more at summerfair.org/volunteer.