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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.
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