PEER SESSION REPORT-CODA CONFERENCE MAY 2004
Fairs, Festivals, Shows
 

Facilitators- Rashida Ferdinand, Congo Square Crafts and Christine Bradford, Contemporary Crafts with the New Orleans Jazz Festival; Tim Glotzbach, Dean/Director of the Kentucky School of Craft.

The common thread that bound all the conversations together concerned the need to determine how to increase the market share for the artists that participate in fairs and trade shows.  The group discussed various methods they had employed to encourage greater event participation by both artists and patrons.  It was evident in the discussions that members felt a need to educate both the public and the respective artisan memberships in the philosophies of contemporary craft.  Reed McMillan, from the American Craft Council, furthered the discussion with his astute comments on the change in attitude among today’s younger craft artist.  A devotion to material and process no longer seems to bind the artisans to their discipline.  They are happy moving freely from material to material, often resulting in an eclectic blend of various mediums and techniques.  It is a trend that blurs even further the meaning associated with the traditional word “craft”.

            The art market appears to be shifting to the design market.  There must be a greater connection between the work of the engineer, the artist/designer and the manufacturer.  A current disconnect is yielding poorly designed objects that cannot keep pace with imported objects.

During the ensuing conversation the following observations and point were made.

·         Sales are leveling out in some parts of the country.  The money is being spent elsewhere, not on the craft objects at the traditional show venues.

·         The Baby-boomers craft artists are not as satisfied with their businesses, hence there has been a slow-down in production and this slowdown has yielded work that is often unimaginative and dated.

·         The quality of shows themselves is falling off due to a plethora of small-scale, low-quality shows.   All shows suffer when another sub-par show starts business.

·         More rigorous jury sessions have spawned new juried shows that have a lower standard of quality.

·         The NAIA (National Association of Independent Artists) has a craft fair network that monitors shows and can aid a prospective craftsman in finding the best shows.  There is a connection, also, to the Western States Arts Federation (WSAF).  See ZAPPlication page, on this website.

·         The ACC and the Smithsonian could make great contributions to the jury system with the on-line jury process a standardized form and system that would allow artists to access numerous shows from a singular application process.

·         There is a growing concern over the issues of quality and originality- how does a buyer or gallery owner truly determine the authenticity of a U.S. produced item or an import.

·         How do artists compete in a market with objects that are complicated in construction and the artists don’t want to change to a technology based manufacturing style- the hand-made object is an important aspect to them?

·         Are there new rules being employed to handle questions surrounding 2-dimensional work- are reprints permissible as originals?

·         What about photography? Would a limited edition be required?

·         The attendance drop at fairs and shows is due to a waning interest by the population.  The art market is shifting to the design market and shows.  Is this a transition craft artisans can make and how?

·         It is apparent that the cost of the work is tied to the population.  Marketing to various groups (peoples and price-points) will tend to isolate and encourage new buyers.

·         Calgary has seen artists banding together to form co-op gallery/showrooms where participating artists take his/her turn in the store.

·         Artists are beginning to understand that qualifying the excellence and what they sell is an important element in their marketing strategy.  A craft-savvy population is demanding something more that hand-made.  The work must be about the artist- branding and naming are especially important.

·         Artists must “tell the story”.  Artisans must realize the importance of and the value added in a relationship built with the customer both prior to and after the sale.

·         Artists need actual help marketing at the very basic levels.  They want actual help, not lectures.  What can CODA and other arts organizations do to facilitate some change in current problems?

·        Produce an inventory of craft schools and the opportunities for craft education at each.  Provide leadership training via the CODA website, maybe with a formal internship through higher education.