Has anyone had any experience with this publication? Apparently they
‘juried’ people from the Internet, and then invited them to submit
three pictures and $30.00, with a guarantee of getting at least one
picture into the book. They promise that there are no additional
charges, They have a pretty impressive website – http://www.bestofartists.com. It seems to be legit, and perhaps
useful as a ‘credential,’ however it also seems to be too easy and
too inexpensive. I need to decide very soon if I want to participate,
and would appreciate any anything you could tell me about it.
I asked about this very same organization about a year ago (though I
see they have redesigned their website since then) and received very
little feedback. I also had some correspondence with a representative
from Kennedy Promotions which I never found very convincing.
Ultimately I did not participate.
At the time, they advertised that their books were or would be
available via Amazon.com but I was unable to find any there. As far
as I can see, they don’t make that claim any more (though I didn’t
read every page on the website) but just for the hell of it, I
searched Amazon.com for “Best of New York Artists and Artisans 2005”
and came up empty.
On the Prizes page, it says…
And we are finalizing the following:
The book will be for sale in a number of art museums around
the country. A number of Galleries from around the country will
receive an online copy.
In other words, at this point in time, the books are not being
nationally distributed, though the Virginia book is available at
Borders… IF you happen to be able to get to the Borders in Newport
News, VA, that is. And that same book “will be” carried by the
Chrysler Museum shop in Norfolk but apparently isn’t yet. So,
basically, the books are available through the BestofArtists.com
website.
On the other hand, I looked at the list of winners/artists for the
NY and CA books and recognized the names of a couple of prominent
jewelers: Sergey Jivetin (NY) and Christine Dhein (CA). The CA book
isn’t out yet but you might want to contact Sergey to see what his
experience has been.
Here’s my take on this: Kennedy Promotions has come up with a great
way to make money! It’s not a scam: they seem to do what they say
they’re going to do (eventually). If you look at their books as just
another way to advertise your work, then your $30 might be well
spent, but that’s how I think you have to look at it.
I have received the same mailer. The following text is the response
I got to a question as to whether of not everyone gets the same offer,
ie: you’ve already been juried in, no need to apply, just send your
$$ and images. Guess this answers my question…
Your work has already been juried in, We do a mail in call to
entry then an online juring process Deadline for submission is
june 1st if you counld comfirm whether or not you Want ot
participate asap it would be appriciated
Has anyone had any experience with this publication? Apparently
they 'juried' people from the Internet, and then invited them to
submit three pictures and $30.00, with a guarantee of getting at
least one picture into the book
I don’t know, Sandra. Are you sure you want to be “excepted” in this
publication, given the level of their language skills?
(From the “Welcome” page)
NOW EXCEPTING ARTISTS FOR OUR BEST OF online competition,
Artists can submit 3 images of their work to be judged by
visitors to the best of artists website. The artist with the
most votes will win a publishing contract for a twenty page
book through Kennedy Publishing! Artists submit to
bestofexhibit@yahoo.com submissions excepted through June 1st
2006. Voting will run through August 1st 2006.
www.kennedypublishing.biz.
I didn’t see any guarantee on the site that you’d get any picture in
a book unless you were a “winner”, or that you’d get a refund if you
didn’t win. Was that in the entry form available by request only?
There was also nothing about the number of books that were actually
going to be printed, and no distribution arrangement except a vague
plan to offer them in some (unnamed) art museum bookshops. I did
notice that they planned to send copies to some (unspecified)
galleries “in online form”, which indicates that there won’t be too
many of them. These days, you can print books in editions as small
as one each, and then print on demand. That might be what is intended
here.
The “winning” artists on the site appear as names only; there’s no
link to images when one clicks their names, although they do promise
“Preview pages comming soon”. And even if you “win”, that doesn’t get
you a free copy of the book, just a $6 discount on one copy. It seems
like they’re hoping for multiple sales at full price to participating
artists for their families and friends. To me, this looks like a way
to separate a lot of hopeful artists from $30 each or more, which can
add up to a tidy sum if it’s done on a national scale. I don’t have
any direct experience with this venture, but I have been scammed
before, and this gives off a familiar odor…
I have a friend publishing a magazine, and from what I understand,
if a photograph is going to be published, the photographer is not
assessed any amount by the publisher, it is the other way around. She
has to get consent to release form filled out and signed for every
picture, and has to pay the submitters. At the moment, her magazine
is new, and has yet to release an issue, so every picture not
submitted by her is “reimbursed” with a photo credit in the magazine,
which she does anyway. She looks forward to the time when she can pay
for all of the submissions, as that would mean that she is turning a
profit. =)
Is there any author who is willing to pay their publisher?
It looks to me like they want the people providing the service to
pay them too! IMHO I am going to have to unequivocally say SCAM.
And no I don’t think that that is too harsh. In fact I would use a
bigger font if I could
There exists what may be a similar deal with unpublished poets. A
"publisher" contacts you and offers to include your work in their
latest compilation of Great American Poetry or some such, and of
course provide you with a copy of the book. There is a generous fee
for this.
The punch line is, you will never see that book of poetry at Barnes
and Noble or anywhere else. The company makes their money off those
who are willing to pay to see their work in print.
Haven’t read these posts carefully, but I have to say each time I’ve
seen this name, it’s looked like Besto fartists. I couldn’t resist
passing that on.
I have a friend whose name is James Besto. My thoughts are the same
as yours in regards to that website. I think I’d change that name,
but maybe not!!! It certainly will stick in my memory, although
probably not as planned.
I was at the International Machine Show in Chicago last year and
there was a small company specializing in huge fans for cooling.
These fans were like 25-30 feet across. Their company name is
Big-Ass Fans, Inc. There might be a few retentive types who are
offended by such, but I think it’s a good laugh. And not any more
off-topic than some of the recent blather.
Haven't read these posts carefully, but I have to say each time
I've seen this name, it's looked like Besto fartists. I couldn't
resist passing that on.
It happens. I download music from what probably seemed a good
business name when they called it “MP3s Hits dot Com” but when I look
at the URL “mp3shits.com” it cracks me up every time.
There exists what may be a similar deal with unpublished poets. A
"publisher" contacts you and offers to include your work in their
latest compilation of Great American Poetry or some such, and of
course provide you with a copy of the book.
It happens. I download music from what probably seemed a good
business name when they called it "MP3s Hits dot Com" but when I
look at the URL "mp3shits.com" it cracks me up every time.
I used to drive past a nail salon called “Facials & Nails”. They had
a home-painted sign, I guess, and the spacing was a little off, and
the “&” wasn’t quite right… Always looked like “Facial Snails” to
me. Needless to say, I never stopped there…
