Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Holly's Hair-Braiding & Glitter Tattoos, Party Entertainment Service, Dereham.
24/04/2025
⚠️ 🚨 IMPORTANT ANNOUCEMENT 🚨⚠️
As a 33 year old face painter, I am often approached by numerous charities, village fetes etc all wanting me to paint at their event for either free or pay per pitch.
I wish I could paint for every single event that approaches me. Face painting at any event draws huge crowds. It’s often the most popular attraction. Unfortunately, I’m a business. This is NOT A HOBBY. This is how I pay my bills, feed my children and live.
My supplies cost a lot, one small 30g pot can cost £14.99. That’s because all of my paints are cosmetic grade, approved for use by the FDA and EU. I follow strict hygiene routines, using one sponge per child per colour, rinsing brushes religiously and providing galloons of clean water. I’ve paid for training and spent thousands of hours practicing those designs so I can complete them quickly and looking like I could do them with my eyes closed.
Once I commit to an event, I need to make sure my own children are cared for. That could, at times be a paid sitter, or my partner. I have to plan their activities around my work. Of course, I need to actually get to the venue, which could be a lengthy drive. Cars, vans or trucks need fuel, insurance and tax along with regular maintenance. All things that I have to pay for.
Any professional facepainter worth their salt will have insurance. Believe it or not, there’s no law insisting we do! We carry Public Liability Insurance so if anything were to go wrong we’d be covered. From us dropping that red paint on your pristine white carpet to poking a child in the eye, we’re covered. All documentation we will happily provide. All said, insurance does not come free.
So, before I even pick up a paint brush, I’ve spent money. No, invested money in becoming the professional I strive to be. To then be asked to attend an event and paint for nothing, or even pay to attend is crazy. We appreciate what charities/village fetes etc do, and sincerely, we want to help; but we need to meet in some middle ground.
This Scenario is a difficult one. I’ve had people approach me asking me to pay a pitch fee to paint at their event. I’m not a vendor. Face painters are entertainment. They are a great addition to any event. Did the magician, DJ or clown pay to be there? I’m not a burger van, I can’t sell 80 faces an hour. What I do takes time to create. Depending on the complexity of my designs I can paint between 15 to 20 children in an hour. The fairest way to approach this scenario is to offer a percentage of my over all profit on the day. If your event isn’t established or has been rained off, we’re absorbing the damaged between us. If the event is a huge success we’re both going to benefit. I’ve unfortunately attended events in the past, where only 5 children attended, and only one had their face painted! I’d turned down 2 parties that day as i would never cancel on anyone, paid £20 diesel to attend and arranged child care. I made a promise to myself that day that I would only offer this option to ESTABLISHED, WELL ATTENDED events only! (I have my list).
Thank you for reading if you got this far and I hope this doesn’t offend anyone but it’s the honest reality that I thought should be addressed 🥰
So from now on, I won't be paying a -pitch fee- to attend an event. We can come up with a mutual agreement on percentage per profit or I charge per hour. The demand for my services has risen very frantically since December last year and I'm very grateful.
*Note: I saw this on another facepainters site and I added my own wording*
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