Getting your creative work out into the world is exciting. If you’re venturing into the “show” stage of your artistic journey, you may be wondering about the risks of attending events — and how they differ if held indoors or outdoors.
Here’s what you need to know: No matter what kind of event you’ve got on the books, you need liability insurance. The requirements can be confusing, but in about 10 minutes, you’ll have the clarity and confidence you need to attend shows, markets, and expos worry-free.
First, meet Liza.
Liza has been painting for years and recently started selling her designs as mini prints and stickers. When she signed up for her first indoor art fair, she was surprised to hear the organizer ask for proof of $1 million liability insurance coverage to reserve her spot. Sound familiar? Her reaction: “I thought the event’s insurance would cover me! Why do I need my own insurance just to sell my art?”
Why Venues Require You to Have Insurance
The reason event organizers and venues require you to carry your own insurance is to make it less risky for them to work with you. If something bad were to happen — say an attendee got hurt because of your display — your insurance could pick up the bill to take care of the situation.
After speaking with the fair organizer, Liza understood that the vendor insurance requirement was common in the arts and crafts world. She bought one-day event coverage through ACT Go and sent her proof of insurance right from her phone.
Indoor Liability Insurance Risks and Requirements
- General liability insurance: Protects you if your booth injures someone or damages their property
- At least $1 million in coverage per claim (or “occurrence”): It might seem like a high amount, but it’s the industry standard to ensure accidents can be covered adequately
- Event listed as an additional insured: Adding the event to your policy extends your coverage to them in case they get dragged into a claim, too
- Certificate of insurance (COI): Proof that you’re insured and that all of the above checks out!
Trip Hazards
Attendees are milling about, focusing mainly on enjoying all the art around them. It doesn’t take much to cause a slip, trip, or fall. If you run extension cords across your booth or lay down accent rugs, someone can easily snag their foot and blame your business for the injury.
Unsafe Displays
If your art juts out into a walkway, isn’t mounted properly, has sharp edges, or is large or heavy, it can hurt a customer. Even if you take all the precautions to secure your display safely, you can’t guarantee it will stay put.
For example, another vendor’s booth could collapse and fall into yours, causing one of your art pieces to injure a passerby, who could potentially demand that you pay for their ER bill.
Electrical Fires
Many artists rely on lighting to display their work or on electrical equipment to accept payments. If a faulty cord sparks and causes a fire at your booth, it can cause damage to the venue and other businesses’ products.
Plus, if a sprinkler system were to go off in response to the fire, this could ruin even more of your fellow vendors’ inventory across the entire venue! Can you afford to replace all that work on your own?
Property Damage
There are other ways you can damage the venue property, too. For example, a heavy sculpture could crash into a wall, leaving a gaping hole you’d need to pay for. Or, if you do art demos and accidentally spill paint on the floor, the venue can hold you responsible for the damage.
Crowded Aisles
Even if the venue does a great job of managing capacity, sometimes aisles get crowded. With lots of people moving around, a passerby could be pushed into your booth. If they get hurt from the contact — even if your business was indirectly involved — you could still face a lawsuit.
It may sound far-fetched, but that’s why insurance is so crucial. There’s simply no way to protect your business completely from all the what-ifs, so having the right indoor liability insurance acts as your safety net when you need it.
Liza’s first craft fair inside a convention center was a success in her book! But she actually saw an attendee trip over a cord at a neighboring vendor’s booth, and it dawned on her that liability insurance could save her new business if it came down to it.
Outdoor Liability Insurance Risks and Requirements
Organizers typically require the same elements of public liability insurance for outdoor events as indoor venues do:
- General liability insurance
- At least $1 million in coverage per claim
- Event listed as an additional insured
- COI, or proof of insurance
Some unique requirements include:
- Specific tent safety standards, like fire-retardant material, side panels, or tent weights
- Signed waiver for weather cancellation (acknowledging that the organizer isn’t responsible if the weather cancels the event)
- Adding the city or municipality as an additional insured, as well
Many of the risks associated with indoor events also apply to outdoor events, but if you’re selling your work in the open air, say hello to even more possibilities for mishaps. Organizers tend to be stricter because of how unpredictable the great outdoors can be.
Unexpected Weather
You probably guessed it, but weather is the number-one risk at outdoor markets, fairs, and festivals. Tents flying away due to strong winds is a common occurrence. If this happens, your tent or artwork can injure people or damage other vendors’ booths.
Whether a summer storm or unexpected hail, weather changes can cause your creative business to unintentionally wrong others — and you can be liable for the costs!
$8,000 in damages because of a tornado? It’s happened. See real ACT claims.
Uneven Grounds
Outdoor events can be held on uneven grass or pavement, which means more opportunity for wobbly display tables or customers tripping and falling at your booth. It’s crucial to scope out your assigned space for any spots that could be potential tripping hazards and redirect traffic accordingly.
Unsafe Tent Setup
Safe tent setup at outdoor events is everything! This includes following the organizer’s rules for tent material, type of tent, side walls, and weights or stakes. A flimsy tent can collapse and injure an attendee, not to mention damage your own inventory.
Learn more with 18 vendor safety tips that can save your business.
Crowd Management
With bigger events come larger, less controlled crowds. Of course, you want more eyes on your one-of-a-kind pieces, but not at the expense of safety! It’s essential to be aware of high traffic, whether there are too many people at your booth, since this can increase the chances of theft or injury.
Liza signed up for a coastal art fair, which went smoothly until a sudden gust of wind blew her tent frame into her neighboring vendor’s booth. It damaged a bunch of their ceramic vases — luckily, Liza’s insurance kicked in to pay to make things right.
With outdoor fairs, the weather is the biggest variable and main risk to plan around. Rain damages displays, heat wears people down, and strong winds can pull up tents if they’re not secured. Another risk is the crowds. With outdoor fairs, the crowds are larger and harder to manage. We’ve had inventory destroyed at outdoor fairs where alcohol was served, adding a layer of complexity to the event. With indoor fairs, you don’t deal with weather, but you face tighter rules on fire safety, materials, and booth setup.”
– Ben Kuhl, Owner of Shelf Expression
ACT Insurance: For Wherever Your Creativity Takes You
Your creativity may lead you to farmers markets or art exhibitions, indoors and out! ACT Insurance is designed to keep up with all the ways you create, share, and sell your unique products.
ACT offers two flexible policies: ACT Pro, for comprehensive annual coverage, and ACT Go, for short-term insurance at your next event. Both offer top-rated general liability insurance, $2 million in total coverage, free additional insureds, and an instant COI. Yep, that checks all the boxes for typical event insurance requirements!
And Liza? By her third event, she realized buying one-off policies for every show was adding up. She switched to an annual policy, giving her continuous coverage to attend all the events she wanted — with total peace of mind. Compare one-day vs. annual artist insurance.
Now that you’re an expert on event insurance requirements, why not get covered now? ACT’s made for you.
FAQs About Coverage Requirements for Indoor vs. Outdoor Events
Do I Really Need Insurance for Small Shows?
Yes, accidents can happen even at small shows, leaving you financially responsible for the damages. Plus, event organizers typically require this proof of insurance before accepting you as a vendor.
If the Show Organizer Has Insurance, Am I Still Covered?
A show organizer’s insurance protects them — not you. You need your own policy to stay fully protected when attending events.
Can I Get Insurance Just for One Event?
Yes! Get insurance just for one event with ACT Go, for 1–3, 7, or 90 days of coverage. Buy your policy online in minutes, and you’re instantly covered — even on the same day.
Does Insurance Cover Weather Cancellations for Outdoor Shows?
General liability insurance doesn’t cover weather cancellations. You need separate event cancellation coverage to cover travel or lost income costs.
JoAnne Hammer | Program Manager
JoAnne Hammer is the Program Manager for ACT Insurance. She has held the prestigious Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation since July 2004.
JoAnne understands that starting and operating a business takes a tremendous amount of time, dedication, and financial resources. She believes that insurance is the single best way to protect your investment, business, and personal assets.
JoAnne Hammer is the Program Manager for ACT Insurance. She has held the prestigious Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation since July 2004.
JoAnne understands that starting and operating a business takes a tremendous amount of time, dedication, and financial resources. She believes that insurance is the single best way to protect your investment, business, and personal assets.
