Siobhan: hello and welcome to this week's episode of Sponge Stories. So today's guest is someone that many of you will recognize even if you've never actually met her. She is the Bapier Face Paint representative and more recently the person trusted with taking the reins of UK Fab Act 2026, the fantastic biennial, is it biennial? Yeah,
Bex: Biennial, yeah.
Siobhan: biennial face paint convention. So while she isn't a face painter herself, she's become a huge part of the community behind the scenes. helping bring artists together and champion the industry. So Bex, welcome to Sponge Stories.
Bex: Hi
Siobhan: So for anyone that hasn't met you before or seen you, Bex Bappier popping up on Facebook, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Bex: yes, so I I'm Bex, I live in Buckinghamshire. I've got I'm married and got two children and then my husband's got two children, so there's four between us, ranging from the age of eighteen down to three. So it's really quite busy a of the time.
Siobhan: So your background isn't actually in face painting. How did you first find yourself working alongside the face painting industry with Bappier then?
Bex: Well, we're gonna give you a bit of a history lesson now. So my my mum is Sue of Bapia, but her background, she started balloon artistry when I was born. So she wanted her sidehouse so that she could do so she could be at home d during the majority of the time and then make some extra income on the side. And that ignited like a huge passion in her and she was very, very good at it. So that turned into her Teaching adult students at Caper Manor College and then competing in international competitions around the world, really making a name for herself. And before long, she was traveling all over the world. I just I can't even think of a country she's not been to, teaching people how to do balloon artistry. I'm incredibly proud of her, and I think that she's just amazing. So she's been doing that for 37 years and The my stepdad, John, he's background, he was in the balloon hole sailors, or he owned a balloon hole sailors. He then worked for Pioneers, which is a manufacturing company. And then he was the chairman of Nabas, which is a trade association again for balloon and party industry. But he felt that he could offer members something a bit different, and so that's where Bapia was born. And so Fast forward a long lot of the years and I came on board about three yeah, nearly three years ago now and initially started with the digital marketing side of things, but then moved into looking after all of the face painters. So yeah, that's where that's where that all came from, which is really random.
Siobhan: So did you have a background in digital marketing then, or did you come from something or just a background in general growing up within a very balloon orientated household?
Bex: Centric house. Yeah, so so yes, ma massively growing up in a balloon centric household and and everything like that. But no, my background is not in digital marketing. I worked in hospitality for ten years and then moved into working in housing, but always peop people focused job roles. And so I think that's sort of given me a lot of the building blocks. to be able to do what I do now because I s you know, I speak with people every single day and love going out into the, you know, community and meeting people. I think that's where the love of that has come from. But the digital marketing thing was a role that I was given just based on that I might might be quite good at it, I think. But that's all it was, yeah.
Siobhan: And so the Fab Act, like the Face and Body Art Convention, it wasn't always run by Bapier, was it?
Bex: No, it wasn't at all. So we acquired the convention from Rosie, who owns Rainbow Faces. She's been she's built the convention to what it is today, and when we acquired it in twenty twenty four, she and that was twenty one years of the convention, which is such an amazing achievement, and she's built it to this huge international successful event which is loved by face painters all over the world.
Siobhan: Did you ever imagine that you'd be managing one of the biggest face and body art conventions in the UK?
Bex: No, I could not ever imagine that. I mean, I when somebody says to me, So what do you do? I literally internally brace myself. because if they're not in the industry, trying to explain all of this in a really short sort of way is almost impossible. I have to say, it's it you know, i if people are in the industry then great, but otherwise and even still, even when you speak with people in the blue n side of the industry, they don't even realise that this exists for
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: face painters. So I think a lot of the time it's trying to explain to people that this is a professional industry and the there are conventions and competitions and training that happens and it's not just that artists turn up a f you know a party. and paint faces for a couple of hours. That's then there's much more to it.
Siobhan: So for anyone who's never been like me, what actually is the UK Face and Body Art Convention then?
Bex: So I would say to summer, it is a huge celebration of all things face and body art. So you will have the opportunity to network with people that are like-minded just like you. You know, I think a lot of the time in this industry people work alone. And so I feel like this is sort of an over-the-top kind of what you would call like an office party. And that so you have you often work alone, you don't speak to many other people, you spend the weekend working, and then you spend the week doing all your business out there. Whereas here you are able to talk to everybody who loves all of the same things that you do. you'll meet international instructors that are coming from all over the world, amazing structures from the UK. There'll be parties, there is wellness sessions going on, and There are competitions and yeah, there'll be lots it ranges from anyone that's a beginner right up to advanced. I think it's it's for everybody really in the industry.
Siobhan: So it's up in the Hilton Hotel, isn't it? In Coventry? Do I make that up?
Bex: Yeah, so this yeah, so we have decided to to use the same venue that Rosie had used for the twenty twenty-four convention. So that is the Double Tree by Hilton in Coventry. And we are ever on the hunt for the next one for twenty twenty eight. It is not proving difficult, but it's trying to find a venue that ticks all the boxes because you need it to be kind of conference centre style because you have to have all the breakout rooms to be able to hold the classes, but then a banqueting area that's big enough To seat like 250 people for the for the Saturday party and just and finding someone that you know is meets everybody's budget, but also again, location can't be too north, can't be too south, because we want it to be accessible to everyone needs to need to be have accessible links to airports for the internationals coming in. So trying to tick all those boxes is proving difficult, but we're like I said, we will we're aiming, it's our biggest aim at the moment to have the next venue booked prior to the end of this convention, so we can tell everyone, Ta da this is where we're going next time. Big reveal. But yeah.
Siobhan: cool. So when you were asked to manage it then, what was your first reaction?
Bex: So my first reaction, so we I think it was I don't know before it must have been a few weeks before, maybe a month or so before the last convention. So that was in October 2024. And I remember John taking me for a coffee, which was not not sus suspicious, but it was like I wasn't sure if I was in trouble or whether what was happening. 'Cause it was it seemed a bit random sort of in the middle of the afternoon. Do you had to go helping me with this at the post office and go for coffee? So what have I done? but all worked out for the best. So he brought the idea to me and he said he he thought I would be the right person to take on the face painting side of things and manage a convention. And at first I thought, my goodness, is this far too big for me? But actually having his trust and sort of d belief in me was sort of gave me the biggest confidence boost ever. And I think they felt that because I don't have a background in balloons either, that this and th Bamma Munjon and nobody else at Bapia, I say nobody else's a whole grand total of six of us. Nobody else has a has any face painting side of things. So it felt that it was right to like you introduced me as make somebody the representative of the face painting side of things. And that was me and I'm so, so glad that they did, because I love it.
Siobhan: And so what does the convention manager actually do? Cause I can imagine there is a lot more to it than people realize.
Bex: So short answer, a little bit of everything. It's my job to make sure that all the moving parts of the convention come together. So liaising with the hotel, managing the bookings, speaking with in booking instructors, although I do have help from amazing Becky Wayne for the International instructors, dietary requirements. the list is endless. planning the parties as well. It's sort of every little piece that brings it all together. That's what I'm trying to oversee. And it's yeah, it's a lot.
Siobhan: And do you schedule all the workshops and the master classes? Yeah.
Bex: Yeah. Scheduling the workshops and the masterclasses, trying to plan what we or work with the instructors to work out what actually needs to be on the schedule and what's going to serve the community best as well. there's lots of even little details that happen that you would never even think of, you know. that just to bring all together in speaking with A V companies. We're actually
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: developing an app as well. Not ourselves personally, but we're having an app sorry, made us sound like IT gurus, having an app developed for the convention, which is the
Siobhan: Wow.
Bex: first time that there's been something like that at this convention. and so that'll be ready in the next few weeks. And so the attendees will be able to use that to book their classes, to see what's going on and yeah, we're hoping it's gonna be a game changer.
Siobhan: Yeah, brilliant. That's really cool.
Bex: It's really exciting. Yeah.
Siobhan: And you could, I'm just like adding things into the app. It's not on my business, but I'm like, you could have a section where you can self upload photos and stuff. That'd be so cool.
Bex: Yeah, I d I there's yeah, there's gonna be l lots of different features that I I think are going to be it's sort of a real big plus and make the user experience really great, I think by the end of it. That's the that's the goal anyway.
Siobhan: spin the biggest learning curve so far then.
Bex: So I think it is realizing that it's not it's gonna sound funny, not just an event. It
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: means so much more to people. It's looking after people, looking after sort of every attendee to r every retailer, sponsor, manufacturer, anyone that's coming, i I f I feel really responsible for them all. And I think that sort of stemmed from We had feedback sheets at the last convention, which was just l literally ev we're the new owners, tell us what you want, sort of thing.
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: And they were all handwritten, so I painstakingly typed into Excel spreadsheets all of the words and all the data and then used that to find trends and f literally find what was the biggest thing that people were looking for and what people liked, what people didn't like, and that was suddenly I realised that th these are people that enjoy this event so much. They spend two years looking forward to it from the last one. Or it's a new event for somebody that they've they're investing in themselves and their business. And it's, you know, that to me is is is not just a party that you're planning. It it literally is something that is the highlight of people's year or even two years professionally.
Siobhan: Well, it was the first thing, because I did Donna's course originally last year. it was one of the first things
Bex: Same.
Siobhan: that she said. She was like, this is the big convention to go to. It's on next year. It's only on every two years and stuff. And I'm hoping to go on the Friday because I'm already booked in on a pumpkin
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: pack. for the Saturday and the Sunday, but I don't want to not go at all. So I'm like, I'm going to squeeze it in on the Friday. I get to do the workshops and I'll be able to meet the people. And what's quite nice is that because it's on for a few days, you can either go for one day or commit to the whole weekend and sort
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: of fit it in around you. But yeah, I was like, I'm in an iron, whether I don't go to the pumpkin patch the first weekend it opens, but I don't want to lose that big client of mine. And so I was like, I'll just squeeze it on a Friday. I can, I can do both. It's fine. I can do both.
Bex: Well, it's interesting you say that because that's one of the ideas that I'm sort of playing with at the moment is to potentially change the date going forwards. Not
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: vastly, but just because I believe actually not just believe, but from feedback that I've received, you know, as I've met more people in the community over the last year is that October is a kind of a tricky month. And if you get a pumpkin patch pumpkin patch geek. to take off the first weekend or or second weekend or whatever it is, could
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: potentially mean you lose the whole month's worth of work. And so I don't I think we maybe don't see a lot of people because if they have recurring gigs that happen every year at their at different venues for October, I think it's really tricky. So that's something that I'm potentially looking at doing going forwards.
Siobhan: It's hard because I suppose whatever time of the year it is, it's just difficult to block out a weekend. you're fully
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: booked, it just is what it is. I know like, yeah, a lot of people said like October, because it's not the end of October.
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: It's obviously not the busy, busy season, but it's just, yeah, for me, think it's the opening. It's the opening weekend of the pumpkin patch, but I'll be there on the Friday. I'll make it work.
Bex: Love that. Thanks. Can't wait.
Siobhan: How far in advance do you start the planning then? So you're already looking for the venue for 2028, which seems like years away, but it will be here before we know it, right?
Bex: Don't say that, hopefully not, but but yes, so I would say the convention planning for this year took place as soon as twelve hours af well, it's probably not tell a lie, maybe even it probably prior to the announcement happening, but we attended the twenty twenty four convention. As Team Bapia, and nobody knew when we were there arrived that we were the new owners of the convention. So it was all a big surprise and it was all a big reveal for the Saturday night. And so we came as a retailer and as part of the decor team for the party. And a few people knew who we were because we had a few Bappia members already that were face painters. and also that weekend we launched our Bappia face painter membership, which I'll talk a bit more about later. So anyway, the Saturday night garlic dinner was looming and I think we all were suddenly very nervous that this announcement was gonna go out in front of hundreds of people and like, what are they gonna think? Are they gonna be happy that it's us? Are they
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: n gonna not have an opinion or it was really sort of we did all feel I think we were all a bit quiet as we were eating our dinner at the table. And then when it was announced, the The reaction was just so welcoming and so supportive. And that evening we were had so many conversations of people coming over to us and introducing themselves and wanting to talk about it and be really excited. And then the very next morning, less than twelve hours later, we were there in reception, taking pre-registrations for this year. So I guess that's when the official start happened, and then we all we got back to the office and it's like, right, now we need to get the payment not the payment plans, the packages in place and da
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: da da da da da this and this, which is why we the one of the biggest decisions of keeping the same hotel was that it was just sort of one constant that we could keep. So we'd seen it happen at there and we could not replicate it, but see what had been done. And so we had at least something to base it off because none of us had ever done this before. And so all of the things that we learnt at the twenty twenty four convention we've taken with us to this one.
Siobhan: I expect that it must be good that you've worked in hospitality before because the event management side of it links quite nicely with hospitality then.
Bex: Yes, definitely. And just being sort of that smiley, happy face, even though inside it's like, my gosh, what is happening? You don't let them know. Keep their
Siobhan: Bye.
Bex: show face on at all times. Yes. I I remember actually when I used to there was a popular bar I worked at, I used to wear a headset on a Friday, Saturday night 'cause it'd be like six hundred people there. And if you ended up with a chat with somebody you didn't want to be in, you'd say, sorry, what was that? Incident on the dance floor, gotta go. And just Run off. And just run off. An imaginary headset.
Siobhan: So if we see you talking into a headset at the convention.
Bex: Imagine. She hasn't even got a headset on. She's running away.
Siobhan: What surprised you the most about organizing
Bex: Yeah, exactly.
Siobhan: such a large event like this then?
Bex: So initially I assumed that it was gonna be all logistics, scheduling, things like that. But actually, from speaking to so many artists over the last nearly two years, or coming on to two years now, I feel it's about making sure that people have a space where they can f leave and feel inspired and connected It's more about how people feel when they're there. I want people to feel like we have really put a lot of effort into this and that we've run done a a a good job for them to make sure that their community is seen and recognised and supported.
Siobhan: And what's something
Bex: Sorry.
Siobhan: that attendees probably never think about that's happening behind the scenes then? So we're all just looking forward to going to the big convention. And I have this image now of you like a swan, like furiously paddling below the water and looking serene on top for two years.
Bex: Well, if you knew me in person, you know I'm definitely not serene. I'm ev I'm tall as anything. I stick out like more like a large giraffe. maybe they're quite gentle when they move, but I'm quite also quite clumsy with it. But any anyway, you'll see me smiling and I'll look happy and probably talking with my hands like this. But I think what people don't realise is that no Nothing is random at all. Like every single thing that happens during that convention, a dis a decision has been made or a conversation has been had or a meeting has happened or you know, it the the planning that goes into every little step, it didn't it doesn't just fall together like that. It's not just as it simple as, well this teacher should be on at this this time and this instructor will have the we'll start the party at this time. No, no, no. We have had lots and lots of conversations about things that are almost minute, I guess, but
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: in the grand scheme of things it f sort of forms part of the whole weekend. So yeah, that's what I'd say people don't realise is that nothing just comes together. There's definitely always big decisions and it's like a giant jigsaw puzzle where everything has to fit together perfectly to make a good weekend.
Siobhan: You need to, you need to book a nice little spa weekend for yourself for the weekend after or a couple of days after just to sit quietly and decompress.
Bex: I think s I think what I agree with you. I think it's not so much the what's gonna happen, I think it will just be my social battery will be well and truly like everybody's and I think do you know actually I heard that last time. I think people that go there from the Thursday to the Monday, when they leave, it's like Whew, I'm all talked out now because
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: you just all the way time all the way through. So yeah, I definitely think that's a good idea. Hello, I've got a friend again.
Siobhan: you
Bex: I've literally five minutes, okay? I'll be back, okay? Yeah? Good girl. If you want to sit here, you have to sit very, very quietly. Yeah? Because I'm talking. You want to talk? Yeah. Okay, well you can't we we can talk after I've finished, how about that? Yeah? Okay, good go. I'm nearly finished, alright? Yeah. So we're going through a phase where it's like challenging.
Siobhan: Are we going for the no face?
Bex: Like we're going through I'm a person that can make their own decisions, babes. Yeah. You could have that, yeah. She wants to drink mine. If you'll take it in the other room though, you have to take it in the other room. Yeah? Cloth toilet,
Siobhan: Sounds like a good deal to me.
Bex: open it. Yeah, I can open it. I got myself a protein shake, it's chocolate that she chocolate belt. It's yeah, sure. You probably won't like it, but I'm going to go to the toilet. You're gonna go to the toilet. Okay, lovely. Go then. She said that screaming in the background, everyone would be like, my god, what is happening? Very quickly.
Siobhan: Right, so you're not a face painter yourself, so you've obviously got that real sort of objective point of view when you came into the face paint side of our industry or like the BAPIA membership. What stood out to you when you first got to know the face painting community rather than the balloon side?
Bex: So I have to give the biggest shout out to my main girl, Donna Godfrey. She has been beyond supportive in all of this. So we had a conversation what feels like an absolute lifetime ago now. And she said to she was she sort of gave me some advice of because we didn't know, and none of us at Bappia knew. what makes face painters tick, what's the you know, what they like, what they don't like, anything like that. So really had to sort of integrate myself into the community. So she said, get on Facebook. She's like, face painters, love Facebook. She was like, get in all the groups, you know, show love and appreciation on their posts. what else did she say? You know, she said, you want people to know who Bapier is, so be present. Be there, be available to answer questions. And that's exactly what I did. Yeah, so I created my face Baphia profile and off I went. And she also said that I needed to be a face behind the Baphia logo. She said, if you want
Siobhan: you
Bex: people to trust you, there has they have to get to know you. And so that's exactly what I did. And then 2025, I made it my mission to attend as many face painting events that I possibly could. So I felt like a travelling salesman at times. Like
Siobhan: you
Bex: I was pulling up pop-ups, putting down pop-ups, laying out bathy tablecloths, handing out leaflets. But that was amazing. So every jam I could get to, I went, and any other event I could go to, I went. And it that was where I really connected and found my people. And I think that's when the community started warming to me.
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: more because I was a face, not just a name, like a ba a business name. So I think this community w needs to be recognized as being professionals. I think that often people see face painting as just a little bit of fun and
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: they don't see the years of training, investing in products and inve and developing the businesses. And I think that face painters deserve the same level of respect that other businesses that are in the party industry do. this is why I think as well, Bapia and also with with us running UK Fireback, we're So passionate about trying to raise the profile of the industry and champion the incredibly talented artists that are out there.
Siobhan: So why do you think that conventions like UK, Farback are important then?
Bex: Why do I think they're important? Sorry.
Siobhan: like bringing us together, you were saying before about, because I've, I've spoken on the podcast before about feeling I can get fit, it can be quite isolating. Like you said, you spend
Bex: yeah.
Siobhan: all week working on your business or working in another job, because a lot of us sort of juggle two jobs. I know I juggle part-time during the week whilst trying to pick up three kids from school and have endless arguments about teeth brushing and where are your shoes, et cetera, et cetera. Like this morning, I don't understand how it's
Bex: Yes.
Siobhan: so difficult to find your shoes. Surely we put them on the shoe rack every day when we take them off. But anyway, I'm juggling all of that during the week. And then at the weekends, there's the face painting and... what I thought was just gonna be a little side hustle money making has now taken over my entire life. And as soon as my wedding's paid off, then that's hopefully what I'll be able to do all the time. I won't need to juggle other
Bex: Listen.
Siobhan: things as well, which is amazing, but it can be incredibly isolating because you are just, it's normally just me traveling to my job, setting up by myself, finding the jobs by myself. am... This podcast for me has been a game changer because I now feel like I get to talk to lots of people and lots of people reach out to me as well, which
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: for the first couple of months I didn't have. I knew Donna, but you can only sort of hit Donna up so many times because she's trying to run her own business and there's lots of people demanding her time as well.
Bex: Guilty.
Siobhan: So yeah, long winded way of saying for me, that's why I'd say these sort of conventions are important. is a real place for people to connect and get involved and it makes it feel a bit more maybe grown up and serious because it's an actual convention so it's not just meeting up for like a not a jam because the jam that I went to was great as well but it's like Very professional, that's the word I'm thinking of. It's like a professional
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: weekend, like a networking weekend like any other business would have.
Bex: Yeah. So any sort of professional organizing or any professional industry would have their own conventions. And I think you're right. I think it's an investment in your business as well as for yourself mentally. 'Cause again, like I mentioned you have as well, it is very s it can be very solitary the work that you
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: do. And I think a lot of people's you know, friends and or partners and things like that They don't care about the new split cake that's come out. They don't care about a new brush. They don't care about any of these things. They go, Cool, that's great. But yet you can go for a weekend and speak to hundreds of people who all get excited about
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: the exact same things as you. because I've noticed and I think it's true for Bloom people as well, that when there's something new, you guys go wild for it. And it's, you know I think that's so lovely that that everyone has this shared passion 'cause then you are all artists as well at the end of the day and you share this passion. So I think the convention for experienced artists and new to the industry, it gives something for everybody and that's said to take away from. So yeah, that's why it's important.
Siobhan: So some people may feel nervous about coming on their own. What would you say to them? If they've not got someone to go with, how would you encourage them to come along by themselves anyway?
Bex: I would say what everyone probably say, don't be nervous, you'll be fine. I
Siobhan: If
Bex: think that it c it must feel so daunting the thought of like, my gosh, I'm gonna walk into a room and there's gonna be people that already all know each other and already know more than me or whatever your insecurity is. We are putting on every morning of the convention a sort of it's not I we haven't given it a corny name yet, but I'm get yet to come up with one. It's gonna be like a c a little tea time or a little coffee time or something. But so anybody that's never been to convention before, if whether you're arriving Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, you can come meet us. There'll be a few members of the Bapia team in there. We will answer any questions you have, we will show you around, go through anything that you've got. and so then you will at least know us to waiver
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: if we see us around. But also the other people that'll be in that room with you in the morning for that session. So I hope that by doing that, by the end of the first class, you can at least recognise a few people as you walk around. You've got a couple of people that you can sit with at lunch and by the end of the weekend you've probably swapped WhatsApps and are gonna go have the like dinner or something. So yeah. I don't think
Siobhan: that sounds great.
Bex: Yes. I don't think that yes, I can completely appreciate the nerves that would come with it, but I would say try your e if you if anyone's sitting there being a bit nervous, try your absolute best to pull those big girl pants on and
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: get get governed because there we will we will look after you for sure.
Siobhan: It's funny, isn't it? Cause like we're all adults now, but even just saying that now, like, cause I'm not going to know. I'm sure I know people that now, but when I first walk in, cause I'm coming up by myself, I'm going to walk in and think, God, everybody knows everyone. And then like my anxiety will kick off. I'm forcing myself to do it because
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: it's what we do now. We force ourselves, but,
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: it's funny, isn't it? Because in your head, you walk in and think that everybody else. will know somebody there. Everybody else will know where to sit. Everybody else will know where to go. But that is not the case. A good
Bex: No.
Siobhan: percentage of people are going to walk in knowing no one or didn't go to the last one, so they don't know their way around the hotel either.
Bex: Literally that, exactly. And I mean, let's be real, this is only my second one. So
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: it's not like I don't obviously I know a lot of people, but it's not, you know, that I yeah, there's no pre prerequisite to have done all these things and you could be brand new to the industry if you want to and you there's still a place for you there and you could have been doing painter for twenty years. Anyone's welcome. It is just I want there to be a space for everybody to come and access it.
Siobhan: So that was going to be my next question was that is the convention only for experienced artists or if you're a complete beginner, you come? Cause I was looking coincidentally at the schedule yesterday or the day before. Cause I was trying to work out which classes I'm going to go to on the Friday. And I noticed that you've got like a full on beginner session that runs all day. So if someone was brand new, would they still be able to come along?
Bex: Yes, so that is something that we've put on. That is literally exclusively for the Friday. So we've blocked up one of the classrooms. It's only gonna be a small class, I think ten to twelve people max. And that is included in their their so they will pay a day rate but then as a special rate for it. So they'll get a it's a whole beginner course for that day. So beginning
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: to end, and they will get a a s a beginner's kit included in that course as well. So that is the idea for that. If people then wanted to extend and maybe buy another ticket for the other days, they could, but we would let them know which classes would be more suited to them. Because then there will be classes that will be very advanced that somebody that's just done a beginner's course the
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: day before probably would be completely lost in it. We don't want to discourage anybody, you know, I don't want anyone to think, my God, what have I done? So we would help sort of guide them if they did want to stay. But yeah, otherwise that's complete beginners course on that day. But with your sort of the question of whether it's suitable to anybody, I would say yes, there's instructors that are gonna be showing advan really advanced technique techniques. There might be you might be a face painter where you might wanna do airbrushing. We've got airbrushing classes going on. There'll be hair braiding, there's Trying to think of off the top of head, there's gonna be a couple of balloon classes if you wanna try hand at balloon modelling or making balloons, you know, the number stacks, things like that. So there's a there's a a range to suit all abilities, I would say. So it's not just put there for people that are complete professionals. They yes, it is marketed at professional face painters, but you don't have to be top of your level to be able to enjoy it. Anybody can, and there'll be classes to suit even somebody that's been painting for a few months. So yeah, for everybody.
Siobhan: What are you hoping that people will say as they leave the convention then in October?
Bex: I'm hoping they will say that was really good fun and and that they've can see that we have put in a lot of effort into making it a good event for people. I also hope that they feel enriched and inspired and that their sort of creative flow has been brought brought back up. I hope that they come out feeling quite tired 'cause that shows that they've had a fun time not tired mentally, but tired physically, that
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: they've partied hard, that their bank account's slightly emptier from spending it all in the retailer's shop and that they think, yeah, that was that was really great for my business and for myself. That's what I hope.
Siobhan: So even though you're not a face painter, you've become very big part of the community. Like I said, I always see Bex Bappier popping up on Facebook on all the groups. What do you think makes the community
Bex: She's everywhere.
Siobhan: special then?
Bex: Right, hands down, it has been the support from the people. But the you guys are fantastic, I have to say. I didn't I never knew. I never knew and it it's been so good. I mean, just for an example, Jill Magic Box. I turned up at the jams and didn't really know anybody in the beginning and there would be I'd where's Bappia going? And and there would be like a space about this big I don't travel with much. However you know, even I there was some I went to, one I went to and I didn't even there was no s even space for a table. And I didn't know that I had to bring my own table at the beginning. I knew nothing. And Jill, she just always l took care of me and she'd say, Come on, Bex, I've got a table for you if you want a table. And she'd say, don't worry, put your pop-ups here, even if it meant jeopardising like their accessibility to behind their shop. It would be she was always like, Don't worry, we'll look after you. And that was just the biggest support. And then I've got you know Hayley Louise from Glow World. They have been so supportive. They've come to a lot of Bapia run events, they've supported us publicly online with the convention and with Bapia membership, and that has been so invaluable. And also, shout out again, she's gonna love this. We've both mentioned her several times. Donna Godfrey talking about Hello.
Siobhan: I know, I'm gonna stop fangirling over Donna now.
Bex: It just I'm disgusted at myself. she'll just tell me I'm a it's probably a rude word actually after this.
Siobhan: Yeah, that's about right.
Bex: Anyway, she you even said yourself you were at her course, you promoted convention and she's promoted Bapia membership. And so with all these things, and then there's lots of other people, too many to mention, but I just felt as a business Bapia was sort of accepted but as personally I felt I've been so supported and that's what I would say is like special about this community is that you guys are you often there's there's some things that you know actually take that out so you guys are there for each other and a lot of people and you know they will travel miles to go to a jam to show up for somebody that's holding a jam. They will pick to do that over a paid gig quite often and instructors will travel from the bottom of the country to the top to do
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: a demo so that for twenty minutes and I just think that I d I've never seen that anywhere else before, that people just really want to show support for their community.
Siobhan: I mean, that's something the international artists as well, that's something that has really surprised me since coming, because I'm obviously very new to the industry, and I can't believe how many international artists will travel to attend a jam or to teach a workshop. And I just thought, whoa, I don't even like, I mean, for me, Coventry is the north. I'm like, that's really far north. That's really far north. So it does surprise me. I'm going to stop banging on about Donna in a minute as well. But she was saying to me that she's quite happy to drive. She's like anything more than four hours starts getting a bit much for her, but she was, she's, she'll go four hours. And I'm like,
Bex: Thanks much.
Siobhan: that's bananas. That's absolutely mad. Anything more than two hours for me is like crazy, but
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: yeah, they'll travel up down here, they're internationally.
Bex: Yeah. Yes.
Siobhan: for face painting. And I didn't, it's like a whole world that this time last year, I just was unaware that it existed.
Bex: I know
Siobhan: Have there been any moments where you thought, is why I love my job?
Bex: Absolutely, and I'll tell you when, and this is something I think everybody should go to, bath body art festival.
Siobhan: on the other weekend, isn't it?
Bex: It was. So that was my second time attending, and I mean both times incredible, but I remember the first time watching the catwalk on the Saturday evening af after the competition and literally jaw on the floor. with how amazing the artistry and the level of talent and how the models are so cool. They're so cool. They're there, they're like doing their thing and they're they're they're really embracing this sort of role and everybody is cheering and the the atmosphere is electric. And so even if you I mean everyone sh I believe everyone should have a go at body painting. I mean, I say that. Like I'm a painter, I won't be doing any body painting. But
Siobhan: you
Bex: if you are if you are a paint an artist, make you give your hand a Troy had a body painting, but also even if you just turn up as and be there for the weekend, it is so good. Like what a great
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: vibe, what a fantastic atmosphere. And that I remember being there thinking, this is why I love my job. This is I can't believe that this is what I get to do and get paid for it. On a weekend.
Siobhan: Yeah, I mean, I really wanted to go. I saw it pop up and I mean, it's a good thing. I keep saying it's a good thing, but all my weekends are booked up with work. And I'm just like, know, I know, I can't complain because, because
Bex: Bookdown busy, Siobhan, that's what we want. Then we're manifesting.
Siobhan: that's what we want. But it does mean like you said, you have to sacrifice then like paid work and bookings for going to these conventions and body art weekend.
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: all the jams. Although there is some training, I'm going to some training up in Telford at the Rainbow Faces place. That's on a Monday and I'm buzzing for that.
Bex: Although it's hard to say no to the paid work and I totally get that. I think it is important for people to experience these events and be with others in the community. So bath body art is definitely one I think everyone should go to at least once. And next year they have it it's their tenth year anniversary of the festival. So I think it's gonna be
Siobhan: That's it.
Bex: bloomin' brilliant. Yeah.
Siobhan: All right, I'm gonna look that up and I'm gonna add it to my calendar now and block
Bex: Yeah, it's
Siobhan: my calendar out so people can't book me in. Body Art Bar.
Bex: Yes, you should do that. I think everyone should do that, even if it's once or twice a year, Max. You sh I think everyone should do that and put put themselves first. 'Cause yeah, you'll come back
Siobhan: I went.
Bex: bubbling over with creativity and all the good
Siobhan: inspiration.
Bex: vibes. And it's a there's a festival and it's in a field and it's so fun and it's cool. So yeah.
Siobhan: And it's in the summer as well.
Bex: It is, although having said that, the last two years it has rained both times. And this
Siobhan: Thank
Bex: year was biblical rain and wind and it was absolutely freezing. But apart from that, it's great. I mean, I just was grateful I'm not a model, that's all I can say. 'Cause
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: I had clothes on. But they pour they they a lot of them a lot of them got
Siobhan: you
Bex: very, very cold. But even still the despite the cold, by the end of it everyone's happy and smiling and dancing around and We're all there doing karaoke by the bar in the evening, so yeah. Really fun.
Siobhan: How important do you think it is for creatives to support one another rather than seeing each other as competition?
Bex: I think this is essential. And I think what one of my favorite phrases is that there's there's enough for everyone to eat. There's enough work out there for everybody. That not everybody is in the sort of same journey and s at the same time. So there's there's all the different places for everybody. And I also think that what I've seen with the face painter community is that it seems to be the higher profile and more sort of successful artists. Seem to be so generous with their knowledge and skills, sort of imparting that onto others. It seems like there's always like some technique being shown online, or people are doing like they're traveling for the jams to do the demos. And I think those people I think that what separates them is that they're they're s confident enough in their own abilities that they don't mind sharing to support the rest of the community. And also I think that when you do it like that, that then as a whole brings the standard up because you're sort of all not like nobody works the same, but just all constantly learning new things. I think
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: it's really I think it's really good. And there's no one needs to feel threatened by anybody else. Like I said, there's enough there's enough out there to go around and there's something for everyone, I think.
Siobhan: So can you tell us a bit more about BAPIA membership then, specifically for face painters and what it covers? Because I know the membership has changed. You've just introduced £2,000 worth of kit cover as like an additional membership benefit now, which is really good because I know I've seen actually on some of the Facebook groups recently that some people have actually, unfortunately had items of their kit stolen and stuff. that's ice. When I saw this new edition pop up, I thought, that's handy because you know what, it's not something I'd ever thought of before. And I mean, I'm quite clumsy as well. So I don't know if it does include accidental damage, but that's the sort of thing that I would need it for. And our kit is expensive stuff. Like I've invested a lot
Bex: It is
Siobhan: of money in my kit now. And I don't think I realised until I saw it pop up that you were now covering the care how much money is in my care.
Bex: Yeah. So we so initially when we started the Face Painter membership, it didn't have kid cover included, but as the time's gone on, this was something that w has been requested for by a lot of people. And so we looked into it and we were so happy that and and like you said, it is recent. I think it's only been a month or so, just maybe two, that we've been able to offer it. So we The previous mem because we're not an insurer, we offer insurance as a member membership benefits. We can't have different we can't be offering out different levels left, right and centre. So Batpeer Face Painter membership includes the two thousand pounds kick cover. And yes, for clumsy people like you, there is accidental damage is i allowed as part of that. There is a different excess if it's accidental damage to try and discourage people from, you know, just dropping stuff on the floor to get new ones. So if you genuinely have accidentally damaged it, that's absolutely fine. But it it is a really good policy. And it's sort of to give you the protection and support that you need to make sure that you're covered and that your business can flourish. in addition to the kick cover, the other membership benefits are things like the ten million pounds public and products liability insurance, then ten million pounds employer's liability insurance, and then we all have you we've got some exclusive discounts with how we've got how a few wholesalers or if you do balloons and you we get access to all of the wholesalers so there's lots of discount balloon wholesalers but also rainbow faces offers Bappia members 15% discount. essentials by Samantha Helen offer 10% and we are working on more and more all the time. You also have access to business support documents so if you're ever asked for a risk assessment by a venue. There's risk assessment templates specific to face painters on there that you can go and use to make your own one. we also have an online referral referral facility. So if people are looking for a face painter Bapia member in their area, they are type of the postcode, you'll come up if you come within the search. there's guidance on terms and conditions for your business. So making sure that you know that people g with when you do contracts with customers or asking for non refundable payments and things like that, that we've got all of that help there for you. And then we also have like another Facebook group, as Face Face and Love Facebook group, but it's a one for the whole of all of Bapia members, but it's a really friendly and helpful group which has a lot of really great business people in there. If you ever have any questions, super friendly.
Siobhan: You've also got, I saw on your Instagram page the other day, you have those crib sheets. Are those called crib sheets? For face painting. Like Bapia members, don't forget your care cards. It's really, it says a couple
Bex: yes.
Siobhan: of balloon ones, but there's a face painting one, isn't there? I was like, this is cool.
Bex: The
Siobhan: I didn't even know about this.
Bex: Yeah, so that was so we've that's a sort of an an an asset that you says a lot of downloadable items on via the members
Siobhan: Mmm.
Bex: portal. And that was created for face painter members. So you can print them off yourself or you can do a big one a laminator or whatever. So on the reverse, it's sort of something you could hand to parents after you've painted their child. And there's a space for you to upload your business logo and your social media handle and so it sort of has things like do do's and don'ts essentially like Don't sleep in it, you know, don't do this, don't do you there's a few things, so it's a really easy thing to just say, he goes, which would then then help, you know, hopefully fingers crossed, avoid any claims if anything was to go wrong. But that was created with a number of I asked a f I did a few asked a few face painters in the industry to confirm and add things in that they felt was good do's and don'ts. So yeah, they're they're available to any Rappi member.
Siobhan: And if someone was interested in becoming a BAPI member then, here's the best place to direct them to your website.
Bex: Absolutely. So becoming a MAPI member could not be easier. Head to our website, click on memberships, find Faith Painter, join now. Within five minutes, you'll have filled in the registration form. And once we have either received payment or you've set up a direct debit, we if it's in business hours, we will approve it that day. If it's out of business hours, we'll do it the next day. And you will get an email within 10 minutes with your insurance documents. and everything else that you need to complete your BAPI membership. So yeah, it couldn't be easier, but as people like, do please also send me a DM on Facebook because I'm inundated with them all the time asking questions. So I'm always happy to answer anything that people aren't sure about or want to take clarity on. Because we know at the moment the face painter membership doesn't just cover face painting. It obviously covers airbrushing, glitter bars, hair braiding. window art, it'll cover your gazebo if it's of a standard size. yeah, so don't we're no worries about those gazebos flying away Yeah, so the yeah, so the bus the gazebo is covered under the kick cover in terms of if it's damaged or something like that, but then with the public liability, the gazebo is covered as if it injures somebody or somebody trips
Siobhan: Mmm
Bex: over one of your guy lines or if it blows away or something like that and crashes into someone, hopefully not, but that's covered as well. So the public liability is essentially to protect if people don't know, it's to protect the public from you and anything that your business could hurt them with. And so that yeah, that's that's what that's there for, which is why a lot of venues insist on having it in place. Yeah, the ten million pounds is quite a comprehensive cover as well, because a lot of places only offer up to five million. So
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: it is really, really good for that. And that's yeah, that's with an insurer that it's so we offer that as a membership benefit. The in the this is what I want to clear up. This is a myth I think that's been traveling me around. Everyone thinks that we are insurers, we are not insurers, we are a trade alliance that has offers insurance as a membership benefit. So yeah, just out there, put all the myths to bed, guys. I am not an insurer. Bets Bapier
Siobhan: Bye!
Bex: is not insurance.
Siobhan: Right, so if we start wrapping up the episode then with the quick fire round, try not
Bex: Yes.
Siobhan: to overthink anything. So we start with an easy
Bex: No.
Siobhan: one, tea or coffee.
Bex: Right, I'd I think if it's iced coffee then it's iced coffee, but if it's tea it's tea. So can I say that?
Siobhan: You're supposed to pick what?
Bex: Alright. Give me an iced coffee then.
Siobhan: Early bird or night owl?
Bex: Night owl I'm terrible at staying up too late.
Siobhan: spreadsheets or social media.
Bex: Spreadsheets all day long, love a spreadsheet, love a formula.
Siobhan: indoor conference or outdoor event.
Bex: Outdoor event.
Siobhan: Even when it's raining.
Bex: Even when it's writing.
Siobhan: Favorite part of the convention?
Bex: Party, obviously, definitely.
Siobhan: on the Saturday night.
Bex: Saturday night party. Fun, fun, fun. We've got some good things in store for everybody. But yeah, last time the party was wicked. So yeah, can't wait for that again.
Siobhan: What's the first thing you notice when you arrive at an event like a jam?
Bex: how everybody runs to all the t retailers to spend all their money and to touch all the paints and to pick everything up and l literally t hold everything and 'cause then otherwise you guys are just looking online. So it's like, my gosh, it's here, it's here and that's what I noticed. The people are so excited for that and I love that. It's
Siobhan: Oh my god, it's so true. That's the first thing I did. I was picking up all the GTX stuff like... What's the most chaotic moment you've had when setting up an event?
Bex: So this happens to me all the time. It's not even one outs one off thing. I am notoriously known for arriving about five minutes before the jam will start because I always in my head to think my setup takes five minutes to put together. When it it doesn't, it clearly doesn't. So I'm always there running in with I've got a tr nice trolley now which I've which Jill told me to get a nice bright orange festival trolley that I threw in my table in, my pop ups and my leaflets and my sweets and everything else that I'm bringing. And I run in. And it always comes together, but I get really like, why do I do this to myself every time? but yeah, that that's probably the most chaotic part. And then the rest of the day is great having amazing conversations and catching up with everybody and meeting new faces. But that that five minutes set up, I really need to stop doing that.
Siobhan: You
Bex: Honestly, anybody you talk to will tell you that is me. Five minutes before run if I run. It's here, I'm here, I'm here.
Siobhan: What's one item that you never leave home without when you're working at a convention?
Bex: Comfortable shoes. You will walk miles, you will be standing a lot, and you'll be on your feet a lot. So I would say well for me personally, yeah. Sensible shoes. Comfortable shoes.
Siobhan: Which Sponge Stories guest do you think I should invite on next?
Bex: I don't know if you have this in the pipeline, but Jelve, magic box, Jelve?
Siobhan: I'm trying to pin her down. God, she's elusive. She's agreed. She's agreed. But try to pin her down. I've got Donna on the case.
Bex: Yay Yes, I'll get on it too. I'll be like Auntie Jill, she's not my auntie by the way, that's I'll start calling her. yeah, I'll be saying Auntie Jill, you need to get on Sponge Stories because yeah, I think like everybody loves her so much. I mean she's amazing and she will have so many good stories to tell you. I know. So yeah, definitely Jill.
Siobhan: Definitely Jill.
Bex: Turn her down.
Siobhan: I'm trying, I'm trying. I've got her to agree at the jam and then it's just trying to get a date in with her.
Bex: I was gonna say if you were able to come to convention for longer than a day, we could have done live from the convention's fun stories. Sorry make like throwing a spanner there. Maybe next time, maybe twenty twenty eight.
Siobhan: We'll see. We'll see with the weather being what it's like, the pumpkins might not be ready. The pumpkin patch might not be open.
Bex: I think that could be really cool, but anyway.
Siobhan: So what's going to make you look back and think, yeah, we pulled it off. Convention was a success.
Bex: I think if my inbox is full with messages saying I've already booked for twenty twenty or I've made a a friend for life or something like I've learned a new skill and it's transformed my business. That
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: for me will really say that this has been a success and we've pulled it off. I think if people can go home believing in l themselves a little bit more than when they arrived, I'll feel proud of what we've done.
Siobhan: I can't wait to see you there. I'm really looking forward to it. And yeah, we'll see.
Bex: I'm really coming.
Siobhan: Maybe I will be there the whole weekend. Maybe everyone will be fed up of seeing my face by Monday.
Bex: No, no, honestly, if it it's so it's it is a great event and I think everybody should come and experience it at least once. Yeah, it'll be great. And
Siobhan: I'm excited.
Bex: I'd love to can't wait to see you there either.
Siobhan: Thank you for so much. Thank you so much for coming on, Bex. chaotic episode,
Bex: Thank you for having me.
Bex: Biennial, yeah.
Siobhan: biennial face paint convention. So while she isn't a face painter herself, she's become a huge part of the community behind the scenes. helping bring artists together and champion the industry. So Bex, welcome to Sponge Stories.
Bex: Hi
Siobhan: So for anyone that hasn't met you before or seen you, Bex Bappier popping up on Facebook, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Bex: yes, so I I'm Bex, I live in Buckinghamshire. I've got I'm married and got two children and then my husband's got two children, so there's four between us, ranging from the age of eighteen down to three. So it's really quite busy a of the time.
Siobhan: So your background isn't actually in face painting. How did you first find yourself working alongside the face painting industry with Bappier then?
Bex: Well, we're gonna give you a bit of a history lesson now. So my my mum is Sue of Bapia, but her background, she started balloon artistry when I was born. So she wanted her sidehouse so that she could do so she could be at home d during the majority of the time and then make some extra income on the side. And that ignited like a huge passion in her and she was very, very good at it. So that turned into her Teaching adult students at Caper Manor College and then competing in international competitions around the world, really making a name for herself. And before long, she was traveling all over the world. I just I can't even think of a country she's not been to, teaching people how to do balloon artistry. I'm incredibly proud of her, and I think that she's just amazing. So she's been doing that for 37 years and The my stepdad, John, he's background, he was in the balloon hole sailors, or he owned a balloon hole sailors. He then worked for Pioneers, which is a manufacturing company. And then he was the chairman of Nabas, which is a trade association again for balloon and party industry. But he felt that he could offer members something a bit different, and so that's where Bapia was born. And so Fast forward a long lot of the years and I came on board about three yeah, nearly three years ago now and initially started with the digital marketing side of things, but then moved into looking after all of the face painters. So yeah, that's where that's where that all came from, which is really random.
Siobhan: So did you have a background in digital marketing then, or did you come from something or just a background in general growing up within a very balloon orientated household?
Bex: Centric house. Yeah, so so yes, ma massively growing up in a balloon centric household and and everything like that. But no, my background is not in digital marketing. I worked in hospitality for ten years and then moved into working in housing, but always peop people focused job roles. And so I think that's sort of given me a lot of the building blocks. to be able to do what I do now because I s you know, I speak with people every single day and love going out into the, you know, community and meeting people. I think that's where the love of that has come from. But the digital marketing thing was a role that I was given just based on that I might might be quite good at it, I think. But that's all it was, yeah.
Siobhan: And so the Fab Act, like the Face and Body Art Convention, it wasn't always run by Bapier, was it?
Bex: No, it wasn't at all. So we acquired the convention from Rosie, who owns Rainbow Faces. She's been she's built the convention to what it is today, and when we acquired it in twenty twenty four, she and that was twenty one years of the convention, which is such an amazing achievement, and she's built it to this huge international successful event which is loved by face painters all over the world.
Siobhan: Did you ever imagine that you'd be managing one of the biggest face and body art conventions in the UK?
Bex: No, I could not ever imagine that. I mean, I when somebody says to me, So what do you do? I literally internally brace myself. because if they're not in the industry, trying to explain all of this in a really short sort of way is almost impossible. I have to say, it's it you know, i if people are in the industry then great, but otherwise and even still, even when you speak with people in the blue n side of the industry, they don't even realise that this exists for
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: face painters. So I think a lot of the time it's trying to explain to people that this is a professional industry and the there are conventions and competitions and training that happens and it's not just that artists turn up a f you know a party. and paint faces for a couple of hours. That's then there's much more to it.
Siobhan: So for anyone who's never been like me, what actually is the UK Face and Body Art Convention then?
Bex: So I would say to summer, it is a huge celebration of all things face and body art. So you will have the opportunity to network with people that are like-minded just like you. You know, I think a lot of the time in this industry people work alone. And so I feel like this is sort of an over-the-top kind of what you would call like an office party. And that so you have you often work alone, you don't speak to many other people, you spend the weekend working, and then you spend the week doing all your business out there. Whereas here you are able to talk to everybody who loves all of the same things that you do. you'll meet international instructors that are coming from all over the world, amazing structures from the UK. There'll be parties, there is wellness sessions going on, and There are competitions and yeah, there'll be lots it ranges from anyone that's a beginner right up to advanced. I think it's it's for everybody really in the industry.
Siobhan: So it's up in the Hilton Hotel, isn't it? In Coventry? Do I make that up?
Bex: Yeah, so this yeah, so we have decided to to use the same venue that Rosie had used for the twenty twenty-four convention. So that is the Double Tree by Hilton in Coventry. And we are ever on the hunt for the next one for twenty twenty eight. It is not proving difficult, but it's trying to find a venue that ticks all the boxes because you need it to be kind of conference centre style because you have to have all the breakout rooms to be able to hold the classes, but then a banqueting area that's big enough To seat like 250 people for the for the Saturday party and just and finding someone that you know is meets everybody's budget, but also again, location can't be too north, can't be too south, because we want it to be accessible to everyone needs to need to be have accessible links to airports for the internationals coming in. So trying to tick all those boxes is proving difficult, but we're like I said, we will we're aiming, it's our biggest aim at the moment to have the next venue booked prior to the end of this convention, so we can tell everyone, Ta da this is where we're going next time. Big reveal. But yeah.
Siobhan: cool. So when you were asked to manage it then, what was your first reaction?
Bex: So my first reaction, so we I think it was I don't know before it must have been a few weeks before, maybe a month or so before the last convention. So that was in October 2024. And I remember John taking me for a coffee, which was not not sus suspicious, but it was like I wasn't sure if I was in trouble or whether what was happening. 'Cause it was it seemed a bit random sort of in the middle of the afternoon. Do you had to go helping me with this at the post office and go for coffee? So what have I done? but all worked out for the best. So he brought the idea to me and he said he he thought I would be the right person to take on the face painting side of things and manage a convention. And at first I thought, my goodness, is this far too big for me? But actually having his trust and sort of d belief in me was sort of gave me the biggest confidence boost ever. And I think they felt that because I don't have a background in balloons either, that this and th Bamma Munjon and nobody else at Bapia, I say nobody else's a whole grand total of six of us. Nobody else has a has any face painting side of things. So it felt that it was right to like you introduced me as make somebody the representative of the face painting side of things. And that was me and I'm so, so glad that they did, because I love it.
Siobhan: And so what does the convention manager actually do? Cause I can imagine there is a lot more to it than people realize.
Bex: So short answer, a little bit of everything. It's my job to make sure that all the moving parts of the convention come together. So liaising with the hotel, managing the bookings, speaking with in booking instructors, although I do have help from amazing Becky Wayne for the International instructors, dietary requirements. the list is endless. planning the parties as well. It's sort of every little piece that brings it all together. That's what I'm trying to oversee. And it's yeah, it's a lot.
Siobhan: And do you schedule all the workshops and the master classes? Yeah.
Bex: Yeah. Scheduling the workshops and the masterclasses, trying to plan what we or work with the instructors to work out what actually needs to be on the schedule and what's going to serve the community best as well. there's lots of even little details that happen that you would never even think of, you know. that just to bring all together in speaking with A V companies. We're actually
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: developing an app as well. Not ourselves personally, but we're having an app sorry, made us sound like IT gurus, having an app developed for the convention, which is the
Siobhan: Wow.
Bex: first time that there's been something like that at this convention. and so that'll be ready in the next few weeks. And so the attendees will be able to use that to book their classes, to see what's going on and yeah, we're hoping it's gonna be a game changer.
Siobhan: Yeah, brilliant. That's really cool.
Bex: It's really exciting. Yeah.
Siobhan: And you could, I'm just like adding things into the app. It's not on my business, but I'm like, you could have a section where you can self upload photos and stuff. That'd be so cool.
Bex: Yeah, I d I there's yeah, there's gonna be l lots of different features that I I think are going to be it's sort of a real big plus and make the user experience really great, I think by the end of it. That's the that's the goal anyway.
Siobhan: spin the biggest learning curve so far then.
Bex: So I think it is realizing that it's not it's gonna sound funny, not just an event. It
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: means so much more to people. It's looking after people, looking after sort of every attendee to r every retailer, sponsor, manufacturer, anyone that's coming, i I f I feel really responsible for them all. And I think that sort of stemmed from We had feedback sheets at the last convention, which was just l literally ev we're the new owners, tell us what you want, sort of thing.
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: And they were all handwritten, so I painstakingly typed into Excel spreadsheets all of the words and all the data and then used that to find trends and f literally find what was the biggest thing that people were looking for and what people liked, what people didn't like, and that was suddenly I realised that th these are people that enjoy this event so much. They spend two years looking forward to it from the last one. Or it's a new event for somebody that they've they're investing in themselves and their business. And it's, you know, that to me is is is not just a party that you're planning. It it literally is something that is the highlight of people's year or even two years professionally.
Siobhan: Well, it was the first thing, because I did Donna's course originally last year. it was one of the first things
Bex: Same.
Siobhan: that she said. She was like, this is the big convention to go to. It's on next year. It's only on every two years and stuff. And I'm hoping to go on the Friday because I'm already booked in on a pumpkin
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: pack. for the Saturday and the Sunday, but I don't want to not go at all. So I'm like, I'm going to squeeze it in on the Friday. I get to do the workshops and I'll be able to meet the people. And what's quite nice is that because it's on for a few days, you can either go for one day or commit to the whole weekend and sort
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: of fit it in around you. But yeah, I was like, I'm in an iron, whether I don't go to the pumpkin patch the first weekend it opens, but I don't want to lose that big client of mine. And so I was like, I'll just squeeze it on a Friday. I can, I can do both. It's fine. I can do both.
Bex: Well, it's interesting you say that because that's one of the ideas that I'm sort of playing with at the moment is to potentially change the date going forwards. Not
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: vastly, but just because I believe actually not just believe, but from feedback that I've received, you know, as I've met more people in the community over the last year is that October is a kind of a tricky month. And if you get a pumpkin patch pumpkin patch geek. to take off the first weekend or or second weekend or whatever it is, could
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: potentially mean you lose the whole month's worth of work. And so I don't I think we maybe don't see a lot of people because if they have recurring gigs that happen every year at their at different venues for October, I think it's really tricky. So that's something that I'm potentially looking at doing going forwards.
Siobhan: It's hard because I suppose whatever time of the year it is, it's just difficult to block out a weekend. you're fully
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: booked, it just is what it is. I know like, yeah, a lot of people said like October, because it's not the end of October.
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: It's obviously not the busy, busy season, but it's just, yeah, for me, think it's the opening. It's the opening weekend of the pumpkin patch, but I'll be there on the Friday. I'll make it work.
Bex: Love that. Thanks. Can't wait.
Siobhan: How far in advance do you start the planning then? So you're already looking for the venue for 2028, which seems like years away, but it will be here before we know it, right?
Bex: Don't say that, hopefully not, but but yes, so I would say the convention planning for this year took place as soon as twelve hours af well, it's probably not tell a lie, maybe even it probably prior to the announcement happening, but we attended the twenty twenty four convention. As Team Bapia, and nobody knew when we were there arrived that we were the new owners of the convention. So it was all a big surprise and it was all a big reveal for the Saturday night. And so we came as a retailer and as part of the decor team for the party. And a few people knew who we were because we had a few Bappia members already that were face painters. and also that weekend we launched our Bappia face painter membership, which I'll talk a bit more about later. So anyway, the Saturday night garlic dinner was looming and I think we all were suddenly very nervous that this announcement was gonna go out in front of hundreds of people and like, what are they gonna think? Are they gonna be happy that it's us? Are they
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: n gonna not have an opinion or it was really sort of we did all feel I think we were all a bit quiet as we were eating our dinner at the table. And then when it was announced, the The reaction was just so welcoming and so supportive. And that evening we were had so many conversations of people coming over to us and introducing themselves and wanting to talk about it and be really excited. And then the very next morning, less than twelve hours later, we were there in reception, taking pre-registrations for this year. So I guess that's when the official start happened, and then we all we got back to the office and it's like, right, now we need to get the payment not the payment plans, the packages in place and da
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: da da da da da this and this, which is why we the one of the biggest decisions of keeping the same hotel was that it was just sort of one constant that we could keep. So we'd seen it happen at there and we could not replicate it, but see what had been done. And so we had at least something to base it off because none of us had ever done this before. And so all of the things that we learnt at the twenty twenty four convention we've taken with us to this one.
Siobhan: I expect that it must be good that you've worked in hospitality before because the event management side of it links quite nicely with hospitality then.
Bex: Yes, definitely. And just being sort of that smiley, happy face, even though inside it's like, my gosh, what is happening? You don't let them know. Keep their
Siobhan: Bye.
Bex: show face on at all times. Yes. I I remember actually when I used to there was a popular bar I worked at, I used to wear a headset on a Friday, Saturday night 'cause it'd be like six hundred people there. And if you ended up with a chat with somebody you didn't want to be in, you'd say, sorry, what was that? Incident on the dance floor, gotta go. And just Run off. And just run off. An imaginary headset.
Siobhan: So if we see you talking into a headset at the convention.
Bex: Imagine. She hasn't even got a headset on. She's running away.
Siobhan: What surprised you the most about organizing
Bex: Yeah, exactly.
Siobhan: such a large event like this then?
Bex: So initially I assumed that it was gonna be all logistics, scheduling, things like that. But actually, from speaking to so many artists over the last nearly two years, or coming on to two years now, I feel it's about making sure that people have a space where they can f leave and feel inspired and connected It's more about how people feel when they're there. I want people to feel like we have really put a lot of effort into this and that we've run done a a a good job for them to make sure that their community is seen and recognised and supported.
Siobhan: And what's something
Bex: Sorry.
Siobhan: that attendees probably never think about that's happening behind the scenes then? So we're all just looking forward to going to the big convention. And I have this image now of you like a swan, like furiously paddling below the water and looking serene on top for two years.
Bex: Well, if you knew me in person, you know I'm definitely not serene. I'm ev I'm tall as anything. I stick out like more like a large giraffe. maybe they're quite gentle when they move, but I'm quite also quite clumsy with it. But any anyway, you'll see me smiling and I'll look happy and probably talking with my hands like this. But I think what people don't realise is that no Nothing is random at all. Like every single thing that happens during that convention, a dis a decision has been made or a conversation has been had or a meeting has happened or you know, it the the planning that goes into every little step, it didn't it doesn't just fall together like that. It's not just as it simple as, well this teacher should be on at this this time and this instructor will have the we'll start the party at this time. No, no, no. We have had lots and lots of conversations about things that are almost minute, I guess, but
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: in the grand scheme of things it f sort of forms part of the whole weekend. So yeah, that's what I'd say people don't realise is that nothing just comes together. There's definitely always big decisions and it's like a giant jigsaw puzzle where everything has to fit together perfectly to make a good weekend.
Siobhan: You need to, you need to book a nice little spa weekend for yourself for the weekend after or a couple of days after just to sit quietly and decompress.
Bex: I think s I think what I agree with you. I think it's not so much the what's gonna happen, I think it will just be my social battery will be well and truly like everybody's and I think do you know actually I heard that last time. I think people that go there from the Thursday to the Monday, when they leave, it's like Whew, I'm all talked out now because
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: you just all the way time all the way through. So yeah, I definitely think that's a good idea. Hello, I've got a friend again.
Siobhan: you
Bex: I've literally five minutes, okay? I'll be back, okay? Yeah? Good girl. If you want to sit here, you have to sit very, very quietly. Yeah? Because I'm talking. You want to talk? Yeah. Okay, well you can't we we can talk after I've finished, how about that? Yeah? Okay, good go. I'm nearly finished, alright? Yeah. So we're going through a phase where it's like challenging.
Siobhan: Are we going for the no face?
Bex: Like we're going through I'm a person that can make their own decisions, babes. Yeah. You could have that, yeah. She wants to drink mine. If you'll take it in the other room though, you have to take it in the other room. Yeah? Cloth toilet,
Siobhan: Sounds like a good deal to me.
Bex: open it. Yeah, I can open it. I got myself a protein shake, it's chocolate that she chocolate belt. It's yeah, sure. You probably won't like it, but I'm going to go to the toilet. You're gonna go to the toilet. Okay, lovely. Go then. She said that screaming in the background, everyone would be like, my god, what is happening? Very quickly.
Siobhan: Right, so you're not a face painter yourself, so you've obviously got that real sort of objective point of view when you came into the face paint side of our industry or like the BAPIA membership. What stood out to you when you first got to know the face painting community rather than the balloon side?
Bex: So I have to give the biggest shout out to my main girl, Donna Godfrey. She has been beyond supportive in all of this. So we had a conversation what feels like an absolute lifetime ago now. And she said to she was she sort of gave me some advice of because we didn't know, and none of us at Bappia knew. what makes face painters tick, what's the you know, what they like, what they don't like, anything like that. So really had to sort of integrate myself into the community. So she said, get on Facebook. She's like, face painters, love Facebook. She was like, get in all the groups, you know, show love and appreciation on their posts. what else did she say? You know, she said, you want people to know who Bapier is, so be present. Be there, be available to answer questions. And that's exactly what I did. Yeah, so I created my face Baphia profile and off I went. And she also said that I needed to be a face behind the Baphia logo. She said, if you want
Siobhan: you
Bex: people to trust you, there has they have to get to know you. And so that's exactly what I did. And then 2025, I made it my mission to attend as many face painting events that I possibly could. So I felt like a travelling salesman at times. Like
Siobhan: you
Bex: I was pulling up pop-ups, putting down pop-ups, laying out bathy tablecloths, handing out leaflets. But that was amazing. So every jam I could get to, I went, and any other event I could go to, I went. And it that was where I really connected and found my people. And I think that's when the community started warming to me.
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: more because I was a face, not just a name, like a ba a business name. So I think this community w needs to be recognized as being professionals. I think that often people see face painting as just a little bit of fun and
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: they don't see the years of training, investing in products and inve and developing the businesses. And I think that face painters deserve the same level of respect that other businesses that are in the party industry do. this is why I think as well, Bapia and also with with us running UK Fireback, we're So passionate about trying to raise the profile of the industry and champion the incredibly talented artists that are out there.
Siobhan: So why do you think that conventions like UK, Farback are important then?
Bex: Why do I think they're important? Sorry.
Siobhan: like bringing us together, you were saying before about, because I've, I've spoken on the podcast before about feeling I can get fit, it can be quite isolating. Like you said, you spend
Bex: yeah.
Siobhan: all week working on your business or working in another job, because a lot of us sort of juggle two jobs. I know I juggle part-time during the week whilst trying to pick up three kids from school and have endless arguments about teeth brushing and where are your shoes, et cetera, et cetera. Like this morning, I don't understand how it's
Bex: Yes.
Siobhan: so difficult to find your shoes. Surely we put them on the shoe rack every day when we take them off. But anyway, I'm juggling all of that during the week. And then at the weekends, there's the face painting and... what I thought was just gonna be a little side hustle money making has now taken over my entire life. And as soon as my wedding's paid off, then that's hopefully what I'll be able to do all the time. I won't need to juggle other
Bex: Listen.
Siobhan: things as well, which is amazing, but it can be incredibly isolating because you are just, it's normally just me traveling to my job, setting up by myself, finding the jobs by myself. am... This podcast for me has been a game changer because I now feel like I get to talk to lots of people and lots of people reach out to me as well, which
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: for the first couple of months I didn't have. I knew Donna, but you can only sort of hit Donna up so many times because she's trying to run her own business and there's lots of people demanding her time as well.
Bex: Guilty.
Siobhan: So yeah, long winded way of saying for me, that's why I'd say these sort of conventions are important. is a real place for people to connect and get involved and it makes it feel a bit more maybe grown up and serious because it's an actual convention so it's not just meeting up for like a not a jam because the jam that I went to was great as well but it's like Very professional, that's the word I'm thinking of. It's like a professional
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: weekend, like a networking weekend like any other business would have.
Bex: Yeah. So any sort of professional organizing or any professional industry would have their own conventions. And I think you're right. I think it's an investment in your business as well as for yourself mentally. 'Cause again, like I mentioned you have as well, it is very s it can be very solitary the work that you
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: do. And I think a lot of people's you know, friends and or partners and things like that They don't care about the new split cake that's come out. They don't care about a new brush. They don't care about any of these things. They go, Cool, that's great. But yet you can go for a weekend and speak to hundreds of people who all get excited about
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: the exact same things as you. because I've noticed and I think it's true for Bloom people as well, that when there's something new, you guys go wild for it. And it's, you know I think that's so lovely that that everyone has this shared passion 'cause then you are all artists as well at the end of the day and you share this passion. So I think the convention for experienced artists and new to the industry, it gives something for everybody and that's said to take away from. So yeah, that's why it's important.
Siobhan: So some people may feel nervous about coming on their own. What would you say to them? If they've not got someone to go with, how would you encourage them to come along by themselves anyway?
Bex: I would say what everyone probably say, don't be nervous, you'll be fine. I
Siobhan: If
Bex: think that it c it must feel so daunting the thought of like, my gosh, I'm gonna walk into a room and there's gonna be people that already all know each other and already know more than me or whatever your insecurity is. We are putting on every morning of the convention a sort of it's not I we haven't given it a corny name yet, but I'm get yet to come up with one. It's gonna be like a c a little tea time or a little coffee time or something. But so anybody that's never been to convention before, if whether you're arriving Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, you can come meet us. There'll be a few members of the Bapia team in there. We will answer any questions you have, we will show you around, go through anything that you've got. and so then you will at least know us to waiver
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: if we see us around. But also the other people that'll be in that room with you in the morning for that session. So I hope that by doing that, by the end of the first class, you can at least recognise a few people as you walk around. You've got a couple of people that you can sit with at lunch and by the end of the weekend you've probably swapped WhatsApps and are gonna go have the like dinner or something. So yeah. I don't think
Siobhan: that sounds great.
Bex: Yes. I don't think that yes, I can completely appreciate the nerves that would come with it, but I would say try your e if you if anyone's sitting there being a bit nervous, try your absolute best to pull those big girl pants on and
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: get get governed because there we will we will look after you for sure.
Siobhan: It's funny, isn't it? Cause like we're all adults now, but even just saying that now, like, cause I'm not going to know. I'm sure I know people that now, but when I first walk in, cause I'm coming up by myself, I'm going to walk in and think, God, everybody knows everyone. And then like my anxiety will kick off. I'm forcing myself to do it because
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: it's what we do now. We force ourselves, but,
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: it's funny, isn't it? Because in your head, you walk in and think that everybody else. will know somebody there. Everybody else will know where to sit. Everybody else will know where to go. But that is not the case. A good
Bex: No.
Siobhan: percentage of people are going to walk in knowing no one or didn't go to the last one, so they don't know their way around the hotel either.
Bex: Literally that, exactly. And I mean, let's be real, this is only my second one. So
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: it's not like I don't obviously I know a lot of people, but it's not, you know, that I yeah, there's no pre prerequisite to have done all these things and you could be brand new to the industry if you want to and you there's still a place for you there and you could have been doing painter for twenty years. Anyone's welcome. It is just I want there to be a space for everybody to come and access it.
Siobhan: So that was going to be my next question was that is the convention only for experienced artists or if you're a complete beginner, you come? Cause I was looking coincidentally at the schedule yesterday or the day before. Cause I was trying to work out which classes I'm going to go to on the Friday. And I noticed that you've got like a full on beginner session that runs all day. So if someone was brand new, would they still be able to come along?
Bex: Yes, so that is something that we've put on. That is literally exclusively for the Friday. So we've blocked up one of the classrooms. It's only gonna be a small class, I think ten to twelve people max. And that is included in their their so they will pay a day rate but then as a special rate for it. So they'll get a it's a whole beginner course for that day. So beginning
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: to end, and they will get a a s a beginner's kit included in that course as well. So that is the idea for that. If people then wanted to extend and maybe buy another ticket for the other days, they could, but we would let them know which classes would be more suited to them. Because then there will be classes that will be very advanced that somebody that's just done a beginner's course the
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: day before probably would be completely lost in it. We don't want to discourage anybody, you know, I don't want anyone to think, my God, what have I done? So we would help sort of guide them if they did want to stay. But yeah, otherwise that's complete beginners course on that day. But with your sort of the question of whether it's suitable to anybody, I would say yes, there's instructors that are gonna be showing advan really advanced technique techniques. There might be you might be a face painter where you might wanna do airbrushing. We've got airbrushing classes going on. There'll be hair braiding, there's Trying to think of off the top of head, there's gonna be a couple of balloon classes if you wanna try hand at balloon modelling or making balloons, you know, the number stacks, things like that. So there's a there's a a range to suit all abilities, I would say. So it's not just put there for people that are complete professionals. They yes, it is marketed at professional face painters, but you don't have to be top of your level to be able to enjoy it. Anybody can, and there'll be classes to suit even somebody that's been painting for a few months. So yeah, for everybody.
Siobhan: What are you hoping that people will say as they leave the convention then in October?
Bex: I'm hoping they will say that was really good fun and and that they've can see that we have put in a lot of effort into making it a good event for people. I also hope that they feel enriched and inspired and that their sort of creative flow has been brought brought back up. I hope that they come out feeling quite tired 'cause that shows that they've had a fun time not tired mentally, but tired physically, that
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: they've partied hard, that their bank account's slightly emptier from spending it all in the retailer's shop and that they think, yeah, that was that was really great for my business and for myself. That's what I hope.
Siobhan: So even though you're not a face painter, you've become very big part of the community. Like I said, I always see Bex Bappier popping up on Facebook on all the groups. What do you think makes the community
Bex: She's everywhere.
Siobhan: special then?
Bex: Right, hands down, it has been the support from the people. But the you guys are fantastic, I have to say. I didn't I never knew. I never knew and it it's been so good. I mean, just for an example, Jill Magic Box. I turned up at the jams and didn't really know anybody in the beginning and there would be I'd where's Bappia going? And and there would be like a space about this big I don't travel with much. However you know, even I there was some I went to, one I went to and I didn't even there was no s even space for a table. And I didn't know that I had to bring my own table at the beginning. I knew nothing. And Jill, she just always l took care of me and she'd say, Come on, Bex, I've got a table for you if you want a table. And she'd say, don't worry, put your pop-ups here, even if it meant jeopardising like their accessibility to behind their shop. It would be she was always like, Don't worry, we'll look after you. And that was just the biggest support. And then I've got you know Hayley Louise from Glow World. They have been so supportive. They've come to a lot of Bapia run events, they've supported us publicly online with the convention and with Bapia membership, and that has been so invaluable. And also, shout out again, she's gonna love this. We've both mentioned her several times. Donna Godfrey talking about Hello.
Siobhan: I know, I'm gonna stop fangirling over Donna now.
Bex: It just I'm disgusted at myself. she'll just tell me I'm a it's probably a rude word actually after this.
Siobhan: Yeah, that's about right.
Bex: Anyway, she you even said yourself you were at her course, you promoted convention and she's promoted Bapia membership. And so with all these things, and then there's lots of other people, too many to mention, but I just felt as a business Bapia was sort of accepted but as personally I felt I've been so supported and that's what I would say is like special about this community is that you guys are you often there's there's some things that you know actually take that out so you guys are there for each other and a lot of people and you know they will travel miles to go to a jam to show up for somebody that's holding a jam. They will pick to do that over a paid gig quite often and instructors will travel from the bottom of the country to the top to do
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: a demo so that for twenty minutes and I just think that I d I've never seen that anywhere else before, that people just really want to show support for their community.
Siobhan: I mean, that's something the international artists as well, that's something that has really surprised me since coming, because I'm obviously very new to the industry, and I can't believe how many international artists will travel to attend a jam or to teach a workshop. And I just thought, whoa, I don't even like, I mean, for me, Coventry is the north. I'm like, that's really far north. That's really far north. So it does surprise me. I'm going to stop banging on about Donna in a minute as well. But she was saying to me that she's quite happy to drive. She's like anything more than four hours starts getting a bit much for her, but she was, she's, she'll go four hours. And I'm like,
Bex: Thanks much.
Siobhan: that's bananas. That's absolutely mad. Anything more than two hours for me is like crazy, but
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: yeah, they'll travel up down here, they're internationally.
Bex: Yeah. Yes.
Siobhan: for face painting. And I didn't, it's like a whole world that this time last year, I just was unaware that it existed.
Bex: I know
Siobhan: Have there been any moments where you thought, is why I love my job?
Bex: Absolutely, and I'll tell you when, and this is something I think everybody should go to, bath body art festival.
Siobhan: on the other weekend, isn't it?
Bex: It was. So that was my second time attending, and I mean both times incredible, but I remember the first time watching the catwalk on the Saturday evening af after the competition and literally jaw on the floor. with how amazing the artistry and the level of talent and how the models are so cool. They're so cool. They're there, they're like doing their thing and they're they're they're really embracing this sort of role and everybody is cheering and the the atmosphere is electric. And so even if you I mean everyone sh I believe everyone should have a go at body painting. I mean, I say that. Like I'm a painter, I won't be doing any body painting. But
Siobhan: you
Bex: if you are if you are a paint an artist, make you give your hand a Troy had a body painting, but also even if you just turn up as and be there for the weekend, it is so good. Like what a great
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: vibe, what a fantastic atmosphere. And that I remember being there thinking, this is why I love my job. This is I can't believe that this is what I get to do and get paid for it. On a weekend.
Siobhan: Yeah, I mean, I really wanted to go. I saw it pop up and I mean, it's a good thing. I keep saying it's a good thing, but all my weekends are booked up with work. And I'm just like, know, I know, I can't complain because, because
Bex: Bookdown busy, Siobhan, that's what we want. Then we're manifesting.
Siobhan: that's what we want. But it does mean like you said, you have to sacrifice then like paid work and bookings for going to these conventions and body art weekend.
Bex: Yeah.
Siobhan: all the jams. Although there is some training, I'm going to some training up in Telford at the Rainbow Faces place. That's on a Monday and I'm buzzing for that.
Bex: Although it's hard to say no to the paid work and I totally get that. I think it is important for people to experience these events and be with others in the community. So bath body art is definitely one I think everyone should go to at least once. And next year they have it it's their tenth year anniversary of the festival. So I think it's gonna be
Siobhan: That's it.
Bex: bloomin' brilliant. Yeah.
Siobhan: All right, I'm gonna look that up and I'm gonna add it to my calendar now and block
Bex: Yeah, it's
Siobhan: my calendar out so people can't book me in. Body Art Bar.
Bex: Yes, you should do that. I think everyone should do that, even if it's once or twice a year, Max. You sh I think everyone should do that and put put themselves first. 'Cause yeah, you'll come back
Siobhan: I went.
Bex: bubbling over with creativity and all the good
Siobhan: inspiration.
Bex: vibes. And it's a there's a festival and it's in a field and it's so fun and it's cool. So yeah.
Siobhan: And it's in the summer as well.
Bex: It is, although having said that, the last two years it has rained both times. And this
Siobhan: Thank
Bex: year was biblical rain and wind and it was absolutely freezing. But apart from that, it's great. I mean, I just was grateful I'm not a model, that's all I can say. 'Cause
Siobhan: Yeah.
Bex: I had clothes on. But they pour they they a lot of them a lot of them got
Siobhan: you
Bex: very, very cold. But even still the despite the cold, by the end of it everyone's happy and smiling and dancing around and We're all there doing karaoke by the bar in the evening, so yeah. Really fun.
Siobhan: How important do you think it is for creatives to support one another rather than seeing each other as competition?
Bex: I think this is essential. And I think what one of my favorite phrases is that there's there's enough for everyone to eat. There's enough work out there for everybody. That not everybody is in the sort of same journey and s at the same time. So there's there's all the different places for everybody. And I also think that what I've seen with the face painter community is that it seems to be the higher profile and more sort of successful artists. Seem to be so generous with their knowledge and skills, sort of imparting that onto others. It seems like there's always like some technique being shown online, or people are doing like they're traveling for the jams to do the demos. And I think those people I think that what separates them is that they're they're s confident enough in their own abilities that they don't mind sharing to support the rest of the community. And also I think that when you do it like that, that then as a whole brings the standard up because you're sort of all not like nobody works the same, but just all constantly learning new things. I think
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: it's really I think it's really good. And there's no one needs to feel threatened by anybody else. Like I said, there's enough there's enough out there to go around and there's something for everyone, I think.
Siobhan: So can you tell us a bit more about BAPIA membership then, specifically for face painters and what it covers? Because I know the membership has changed. You've just introduced £2,000 worth of kit cover as like an additional membership benefit now, which is really good because I know I've seen actually on some of the Facebook groups recently that some people have actually, unfortunately had items of their kit stolen and stuff. that's ice. When I saw this new edition pop up, I thought, that's handy because you know what, it's not something I'd ever thought of before. And I mean, I'm quite clumsy as well. So I don't know if it does include accidental damage, but that's the sort of thing that I would need it for. And our kit is expensive stuff. Like I've invested a lot
Bex: It is
Siobhan: of money in my kit now. And I don't think I realised until I saw it pop up that you were now covering the care how much money is in my care.
Bex: Yeah. So we so initially when we started the Face Painter membership, it didn't have kid cover included, but as the time's gone on, this was something that w has been requested for by a lot of people. And so we looked into it and we were so happy that and and like you said, it is recent. I think it's only been a month or so, just maybe two, that we've been able to offer it. So we The previous mem because we're not an insurer, we offer insurance as a member membership benefits. We can't have different we can't be offering out different levels left, right and centre. So Batpeer Face Painter membership includes the two thousand pounds kick cover. And yes, for clumsy people like you, there is accidental damage is i allowed as part of that. There is a different excess if it's accidental damage to try and discourage people from, you know, just dropping stuff on the floor to get new ones. So if you genuinely have accidentally damaged it, that's absolutely fine. But it it is a really good policy. And it's sort of to give you the protection and support that you need to make sure that you're covered and that your business can flourish. in addition to the kick cover, the other membership benefits are things like the ten million pounds public and products liability insurance, then ten million pounds employer's liability insurance, and then we all have you we've got some exclusive discounts with how we've got how a few wholesalers or if you do balloons and you we get access to all of the wholesalers so there's lots of discount balloon wholesalers but also rainbow faces offers Bappia members 15% discount. essentials by Samantha Helen offer 10% and we are working on more and more all the time. You also have access to business support documents so if you're ever asked for a risk assessment by a venue. There's risk assessment templates specific to face painters on there that you can go and use to make your own one. we also have an online referral referral facility. So if people are looking for a face painter Bapia member in their area, they are type of the postcode, you'll come up if you come within the search. there's guidance on terms and conditions for your business. So making sure that you know that people g with when you do contracts with customers or asking for non refundable payments and things like that, that we've got all of that help there for you. And then we also have like another Facebook group, as Face Face and Love Facebook group, but it's a one for the whole of all of Bapia members, but it's a really friendly and helpful group which has a lot of really great business people in there. If you ever have any questions, super friendly.
Siobhan: You've also got, I saw on your Instagram page the other day, you have those crib sheets. Are those called crib sheets? For face painting. Like Bapia members, don't forget your care cards. It's really, it says a couple
Bex: yes.
Siobhan: of balloon ones, but there's a face painting one, isn't there? I was like, this is cool.
Bex: The
Siobhan: I didn't even know about this.
Bex: Yeah, so that was so we've that's a sort of an an an asset that you says a lot of downloadable items on via the members
Siobhan: Mmm.
Bex: portal. And that was created for face painter members. So you can print them off yourself or you can do a big one a laminator or whatever. So on the reverse, it's sort of something you could hand to parents after you've painted their child. And there's a space for you to upload your business logo and your social media handle and so it sort of has things like do do's and don'ts essentially like Don't sleep in it, you know, don't do this, don't do you there's a few things, so it's a really easy thing to just say, he goes, which would then then help, you know, hopefully fingers crossed, avoid any claims if anything was to go wrong. But that was created with a number of I asked a f I did a few asked a few face painters in the industry to confirm and add things in that they felt was good do's and don'ts. So yeah, they're they're available to any Rappi member.
Siobhan: And if someone was interested in becoming a BAPI member then, here's the best place to direct them to your website.
Bex: Absolutely. So becoming a MAPI member could not be easier. Head to our website, click on memberships, find Faith Painter, join now. Within five minutes, you'll have filled in the registration form. And once we have either received payment or you've set up a direct debit, we if it's in business hours, we will approve it that day. If it's out of business hours, we'll do it the next day. And you will get an email within 10 minutes with your insurance documents. and everything else that you need to complete your BAPI membership. So yeah, it couldn't be easier, but as people like, do please also send me a DM on Facebook because I'm inundated with them all the time asking questions. So I'm always happy to answer anything that people aren't sure about or want to take clarity on. Because we know at the moment the face painter membership doesn't just cover face painting. It obviously covers airbrushing, glitter bars, hair braiding. window art, it'll cover your gazebo if it's of a standard size. yeah, so don't we're no worries about those gazebos flying away Yeah, so the yeah, so the bus the gazebo is covered under the kick cover in terms of if it's damaged or something like that, but then with the public liability, the gazebo is covered as if it injures somebody or somebody trips
Siobhan: Mmm
Bex: over one of your guy lines or if it blows away or something like that and crashes into someone, hopefully not, but that's covered as well. So the public liability is essentially to protect if people don't know, it's to protect the public from you and anything that your business could hurt them with. And so that yeah, that's that's what that's there for, which is why a lot of venues insist on having it in place. Yeah, the ten million pounds is quite a comprehensive cover as well, because a lot of places only offer up to five million. So
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: it is really, really good for that. And that's yeah, that's with an insurer that it's so we offer that as a membership benefit. The in the this is what I want to clear up. This is a myth I think that's been traveling me around. Everyone thinks that we are insurers, we are not insurers, we are a trade alliance that has offers insurance as a membership benefit. So yeah, just out there, put all the myths to bed, guys. I am not an insurer. Bets Bapier
Siobhan: Bye!
Bex: is not insurance.
Siobhan: Right, so if we start wrapping up the episode then with the quick fire round, try not
Bex: Yes.
Siobhan: to overthink anything. So we start with an easy
Bex: No.
Siobhan: one, tea or coffee.
Bex: Right, I'd I think if it's iced coffee then it's iced coffee, but if it's tea it's tea. So can I say that?
Siobhan: You're supposed to pick what?
Bex: Alright. Give me an iced coffee then.
Siobhan: Early bird or night owl?
Bex: Night owl I'm terrible at staying up too late.
Siobhan: spreadsheets or social media.
Bex: Spreadsheets all day long, love a spreadsheet, love a formula.
Siobhan: indoor conference or outdoor event.
Bex: Outdoor event.
Siobhan: Even when it's raining.
Bex: Even when it's writing.
Siobhan: Favorite part of the convention?
Bex: Party, obviously, definitely.
Siobhan: on the Saturday night.
Bex: Saturday night party. Fun, fun, fun. We've got some good things in store for everybody. But yeah, last time the party was wicked. So yeah, can't wait for that again.
Siobhan: What's the first thing you notice when you arrive at an event like a jam?
Bex: how everybody runs to all the t retailers to spend all their money and to touch all the paints and to pick everything up and l literally t hold everything and 'cause then otherwise you guys are just looking online. So it's like, my gosh, it's here, it's here and that's what I noticed. The people are so excited for that and I love that. It's
Siobhan: Oh my god, it's so true. That's the first thing I did. I was picking up all the GTX stuff like... What's the most chaotic moment you've had when setting up an event?
Bex: So this happens to me all the time. It's not even one outs one off thing. I am notoriously known for arriving about five minutes before the jam will start because I always in my head to think my setup takes five minutes to put together. When it it doesn't, it clearly doesn't. So I'm always there running in with I've got a tr nice trolley now which I've which Jill told me to get a nice bright orange festival trolley that I threw in my table in, my pop ups and my leaflets and my sweets and everything else that I'm bringing. And I run in. And it always comes together, but I get really like, why do I do this to myself every time? but yeah, that that's probably the most chaotic part. And then the rest of the day is great having amazing conversations and catching up with everybody and meeting new faces. But that that five minutes set up, I really need to stop doing that.
Siobhan: You
Bex: Honestly, anybody you talk to will tell you that is me. Five minutes before run if I run. It's here, I'm here, I'm here.
Siobhan: What's one item that you never leave home without when you're working at a convention?
Bex: Comfortable shoes. You will walk miles, you will be standing a lot, and you'll be on your feet a lot. So I would say well for me personally, yeah. Sensible shoes. Comfortable shoes.
Siobhan: Which Sponge Stories guest do you think I should invite on next?
Bex: I don't know if you have this in the pipeline, but Jelve, magic box, Jelve?
Siobhan: I'm trying to pin her down. God, she's elusive. She's agreed. She's agreed. But try to pin her down. I've got Donna on the case.
Bex: Yay Yes, I'll get on it too. I'll be like Auntie Jill, she's not my auntie by the way, that's I'll start calling her. yeah, I'll be saying Auntie Jill, you need to get on Sponge Stories because yeah, I think like everybody loves her so much. I mean she's amazing and she will have so many good stories to tell you. I know. So yeah, definitely Jill.
Siobhan: Definitely Jill.
Bex: Turn her down.
Siobhan: I'm trying, I'm trying. I've got her to agree at the jam and then it's just trying to get a date in with her.
Bex: I was gonna say if you were able to come to convention for longer than a day, we could have done live from the convention's fun stories. Sorry make like throwing a spanner there. Maybe next time, maybe twenty twenty eight.
Siobhan: We'll see. We'll see with the weather being what it's like, the pumpkins might not be ready. The pumpkin patch might not be open.
Bex: I think that could be really cool, but anyway.
Siobhan: So what's going to make you look back and think, yeah, we pulled it off. Convention was a success.
Bex: I think if my inbox is full with messages saying I've already booked for twenty twenty or I've made a a friend for life or something like I've learned a new skill and it's transformed my business. That
Siobhan: Mm.
Bex: for me will really say that this has been a success and we've pulled it off. I think if people can go home believing in l themselves a little bit more than when they arrived, I'll feel proud of what we've done.
Siobhan: I can't wait to see you there. I'm really looking forward to it. And yeah, we'll see.
Bex: I'm really coming.
Siobhan: Maybe I will be there the whole weekend. Maybe everyone will be fed up of seeing my face by Monday.
Bex: No, no, honestly, if it it's so it's it is a great event and I think everybody should come and experience it at least once. Yeah, it'll be great. And
Siobhan: I'm excited.
Bex: I'd love to can't wait to see you there either.
Siobhan: Thank you for so much. Thank you so much for coming on, Bex. chaotic episode,
Bex: Thank you for having me.
