Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair: A Custom Platform for Art Fair Management

The Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair (BCAF) is a vibrant and inclusive event that brings together local artists, providing them with a platform to showcase their work to art enthusiasts, collectors and the broader community.

As a champion of creativity, BCAF needed a digital solution that reflected their dynamic and collaborative spirit while simplifying event management and artist participation.

The Challenge

BCAF faced several challenges with their existing approach:

• Limited online presence: Their current digital setup lacked the functionality to effectively promote their events or facilitate artist engagement.
• Complex vendor management: Managing multiple artists and exhibitors required significant manual effort.
• Streamlined event processes: From registrations to attendee communication, they needed automation to save time and resources.

We approached them to design and build a website that would address these challenges while remaining user-friendly and visually aligned with their creative identity.

The Solution

We partnered closely with BCAF to understand their unique needs, goals and audience. This collaboration informed every step of the design and development process, ensuring the final product met their requirements.

Key features of the solution included:

• CMS Driven Platform: A WordPress CMS that allowed BCAF to update their site with minimal technical expertise.
• Multi-Vendor Functionality: A custom built system enabling artists to register, manage their stores and upload their work seamlessly.
• Automation Features: Streamlined processes for exhibitor registration, attendee communication and event updates, reducing administrative overhead.
• Responsive and Intuitive Design: A user-friendly interface that ensured a seamless experience across devices for both artists and attendees.

Implementation

The development process was guided by BCAF’s core values and future aspirations.

Our approach included:

1. Research and Discovery: Conducting stakeholder interviews to identify pain points and aspirations.
2. Design: Creating a visually engaging and responsive design that captured BCAF’s artistic ethos.
3. Development: Building the site with scalability in mind, integrating multi-vendor capabilities and automated workflows.
4. Testing and Launch: Rigorous testing to ensure the site was robust and ready for public use, followed by a smooth launch.

The Outcome

The new website delivered on all fronts, providing BCAF with a powerful digital platform to support their events.

Results

• 220% increase in artist applications within the first year
• 100%+ rise in visitor numbers due to improved artwork quality and fair visibility
• 90% reduction in artist onboarding time through automated and simplified processes
• Around 500 artists showcased on the platform
• 150 original works spanning 15+ mediums
• 1000+ monthly visitors from 22 countries

This project not only addressed BCAF’s immediate needs but also positioned them for future growth and expansion.

Building for the Future

Partnering with BCAF has been an enriching experience that underscored the importance of aligning digital solutions with organisational values. The multi-vendor art fair website is designed to evolve with BCAF, ensuring it remains a valuable tool for years to come.

If you’re looking for a tailored digital solution to support your creative or event-focused initiative, get in touch with us to explore how we can help.