Prospectus

BALTIMORE SHOW
BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

*FEBRUARY 19 (BUYER/ARTIST SEMINARS)

FEBRUARY 20 - 21 (TRADE DAYS)

FEBRUARY 22 - 24 (PUBLIC DAYS)

37TH ANNUAL

The Council’s flagship show is a must-attend event for wholesale buyers and the public. This is a highly

competitive and prestigious show attracting artists throughout the U.S.

WHOLESALE REQUIREMENT: Applicants accepted to exhibit in the Baltimore Wholesale Show must transact business at generally accepted wholesale prices, generally 50-60% of retail.

SIZE OF SHOW

WHOLESALE/RETAIL SECTION 350 Exhibitors

MOVE-IN DATES

WHOLESALE RETAIL SECTION FEBRUARY 18 - 19

BOOTH FEES

WHOLESALE/RETAIL SECTION (2 DAYS WHOLESALE/3 DAYS RETAIL)
10 X 10 $2,030
15 X 10 $3,045
20 X 10 $4,060
20 X 5 $2,830 (includes two corner fees)

Corner Booths: $400 Additional
Perimeter Corner (corner booth on wall): $200 Additional

A $65 facility service fee will be added to each booth contract.

Notification e-mailed September 2012.

SET-UP INFORMATION

Please note: There are three separate sections in the Baltimore Show - Wholesale-Only, Wholesale-Retail, Retail-Only. Each is considered to be a separate portion of the show and should be applied to separately. Artists may apply to any or all sections of the show and are eligible to exhibit only in the sections to which they apply and are accepted. Note how many booths are available in each section of the show when considering your application choices.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN CRAFT COUNCIL

The American Craft Council (ACC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving as a champion of contemporary American craft. We are a national, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb. With a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of the many gifted artists today who are working with a variety of materials.

Our programs include these annual juried shows presenting artists and their work, bimonthly magazine, American Craft, the Aileen Osborn Webb Awards honoring those who enrich the craft field, as well as a specialized library, various workshops, seminars and conferences, and much more. For additional information visit www.craftcouncil.org.

STANDARDS STATEMENT

To ensure a high level of quality in the work exhibited in American Craft Council Shows, each jury is instructed to adhere to these guidelines in making decisions:

• Work is handmade and reflects excellence and the unique vision of its maker.
• It is well conceived and skillfully executed, without technical faults.
• All works must be the designs of the applicant and made in the United States or Canada by the applicant or under his/her direct supervision.

GENERAL POLICIES

The Council reserves the following rights:

• To assure balance in its shows by inviting up to 20% of the artists for each of our shows.
• To refuse submissions which fail to meet the high level of quality as stated in the standards statement.
• Exhibitors must display work consistent with the type and quality represented in the submission. The Council reserves the right to require removal of objects which are inconsistent with the application submission.
• All works must be the designs of the applicant and made in the United States or Canada by the applicant or under his/her direct supervision. If an artist does not abide by this rule, they will be removed from the show.
• To cancel any show that does not receive sufficient appropriate applications.
• All fees for image submissions, show applications, space reservations and booths—are non-refundable. Exceptions to this policy may be considered for extraordinary circumstances. Cancellation by the exhibitor will result in forfeiture of all fees paid up to the date of cancellation.

WHAT IS ELIGIBLE?

• 3 dimensional, handmade craft that meets the standard statement above.
• Applicants are asked to classify their work by identifying the principal material in which they work (ceramic, fiber, glass, metal, etc.) or the primary type of work they create (furniture and lighting, jewelry, etc.). This is how they will be scored and listed in the show directories, etc.

WHAT IS NOT ELIGIBLE?

• Commercially manufactured art.
• 2 dimensional art such as paintings, prints or photographs.
• Mixed media that uses paint and canvas as it’s primary medium.
• Screen-printed material.
• Etchings, web- or sheet-fed offset printed matter.
• Works that incorporate materials acquired from the killing of endangered species.
• Elephant ivory (fossilized ivory is the exception)
• Dried or silk flower arrangements.
• Bonsai
• Embellished commercially-made objects (e.g., tee shirts, note cards, etc.)
• Works assembled (wholly or in part) from commercially available kits are not permitted in American Craft Council Shows. Such items, exhibits and/or exhibitors may be removed from the show without prior notification and/or refund of booth fee.
• The Council’s decision is final with regard to acceptability of exhibitors’ work.

HOW TO APPLY

• Submit five digital images to the annual jury by August 1, 2012 at 12 midnight (PST) via JAS, the online application system ( www.juriedartservices.com). Each application will be given one jury score for all 2013 shows.
• Check each show you would like to apply your 2013 score to.
• This will be the only application process for all 2013 shows.

FEES AND DEADLINES

• DEADLINES
  • Application deadline for 2013 shows is August 1, 2012 at 12 MIDNIGHT PST.
  • The late application deadline for 2013 shows is August 8, 2012 at 12 midnight PST. A $25 late fee will apply for all applications received between August 2 and August 8.
  • This will be the only application process for all 2013 shows.
  • Jury results for all shows will be e-mailed to shows applicants in September 2012.

• APPLICATION FEES
  • A  $10 processing and handling fee for each set of images
  • $30 application fee for each show you would like those images to be applied to.
  • All application fees are non-refundable and are not transferable. The Council assumes no responsibility for the receipt of incomplete applications.
  • A $25 late fee will apply for all applications received between August 2 and August 8.
     
• BOOTH FEES
  • Booth fees vary by show location and cover the following:
    • Space rental
    • Booth sign
    • Listing in show directory
    • Listing on public website
    • Five free guest passes
    • Exhibitor and one assistant badge
    • Promotional materials (postcards, electronic flyers)
    • National advertising campaigns
    • Discounted tickets on public days
  • Booth fees DO NOT cover:
    • Ancillary decorator services such as pipe and drape, carpet, shipping
    • Electricity (exception: San Francisco show)

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Applicants are asked to classify their work by identifying the principal material in which they work (ceramic, fiber, glass, metal, etc.) or the primary type of work they create (furniture and lighting, jewelry, etc.). This is how they will be scored and listed in the show directories, etc.

JEWELRY APPLICATIONS

· Jewelry images must all by submitted under jewelry. Do not include jewelry images in any other category submission or it will be removed.

· Any artist who wishes to exhibit jewelry, as well as other types of work, must enter separate submissions to the appropriate categories.

MULTIPLE BODIES OF WORK

· If the artist makes two distinct bodies of work in the same material, he/she may wish to submit a separate application for each. Applicants may not submit the same image more than once in the same category.

· A single application representing multiple bodies of work in the same material must proportionately reflect what the artist intends to exhibit at the show. For example, if one type of work predominates in the artist’s display, it must predominate in the files submitted. The Council reserves the right to enforce the same proportion in your display.

· If an artist wishes to apply with more than one application, he/she must apply with separate online user IDs, digital images and application fees.

· If there are multiple applications and only one is accepted, only work represented in that application may be exhibited. If both are accepted, the work may be exhibited in any proportion.

INVITED VS. WAITLISTED

· If one application is accepted and another is wait-listed, the wait-listed work may not represent more than one-third of the entire booth. Once the artist’s number on the wait list is reached, the artist may include the wait-listed work in his/her booth in any proportion.

JURY CATEGORIES

Each application will be grouped into one of four jury categories. Each category will be scored by a separate jury of seven people. Each jury will consist of four current exhibitors and three art professionals. Jurors will review and score applicants remotely for one week in August.

• Clothing and Wearable Accessories
• Jewelry
• Glass and Ceramic - Functional or sculptural work for interiors/exteriors
• All Other Media - Functional or sculptural work for interiors/exteriors

JURY PROCESS

• Jurors will view five images in a single application, simultaneously. Jurors are unable to see the name of each applicant as they review the submissions. All jurors are required to zoom in on and read the description of image 1. The descriptions of images 2-5 can be read at the juror’s own discretion.
• The jurors score the applications on a range from 1 to 7, with 7 as the highest and most favorable value. Jurors are encouraged to use the full range when scoring. Each member records his/her score anonymously.
• Average jury scores are tabulated by the digital jury system from the values individual jurors assign to each submission.
• Each application receives one score and that score is what is applied to each show.
• Invitations to exhibit are issued to artists in each material classification with the highest scores.
• A wait list in each media is created from the scores immediately following those invited to exhibit. The Council reserves the right to balance its shows through artists on the wait list.
• Individual scores are not released and the Council does not provide an explanation of why an artist’s submission was or was not accepted.

COLLABERATION

• Administrative requirements dictate that there is one “primary” artist on each application as the shows are organized by artist name. The application will also ask for other “secondary” collaborative partners. This means they will be listed side by side in the directory, booth sign, etc. unless the artist directs us otherwise.
• Artists working together may apply as one if they collaborate on every piece. If accepted, they may exhibit only pieces that are part of the collaboration.
• If two artists, having separate and unrelated work and operating separate businesses, wish to share booth space, both artists must submit images in their respective medium categories and be accepted individually. The minimum shared booth size for two artists is 10'x15'; for three artists, 10'x20'.

IMAGE REQUIREMENTS

• The file that is submitted must be an accurate representation of the object as it was originally photographed. Acceptable manipulations include: size of the file, background, lighting, shadows, contrast, color correction and/or adjustments that do not affect the object itself.

CONTACT INFORMATION

• All information collected is used in show directories (name, partner name, city, state, website and/or email, phone number) and on show websites (name, partner name, company name, city, state, website). Please review this information carefully before submitting your application.

NEW ARTISTS

• ACC encourages new and emerging artists to apply. An artist may choose to check this box on the application if he/she has not exhibited in any Council show. These exhibitors, if accepted receive special signage and are promoted through marketing efforts as “New”.

EXHIBITOR OBLIGATIONS

• Accepted exhibitors must agree to abide by the general terms and conditions of the American Craft Council Shows as stated in this brochure.
• Exhibitors must be full-time residents of the United States or Canada.
• Exhibitors must be professional, capable of producing work of consistent quality and responsible for fulfilling orders obtained at a Council show.
• All work in Council shows must be original and created by the exhibitor or under the exhibitor’s direct supervision. Exhibitors must display only their own work, not that made by others.
• All work must be original and handmade in the United States or Canada with the use of appropriate tools.
• Exhibitors must present work consistent with the type and quality represented in the application submission. In addition, work of inferior quality or inordinate proportions of work not represented in the image submission are not permitted.
• Exhibitors must attend their work in person for the duration of the show. Exhibitors’ employees may not substitute for the exhibitor. Sales representatives are never permitted.
• Booth displays must remain intact until the show ends.
• Exhibitors must be current members of the American Craft Council at the time they exhibit in a Council show.
• Exhibitors must have a valid state sales tax permit from each state in which they are participating in a Council show. Exhibitors are responsible for collecting and reporting sales tax where applicable.

SHOW MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

The ACC promotes its shows to wholesale buyers and the public with the help of highly-skilled public relations firms and media buyers.  In 2013 will spend an excess of $750,000 on national, regional, and local media prior to each show and throughout the year.  We also feature artist’ work in e-blasts, our website, in digital and print ads, via social media, in a show preview section in American Craft magazine and in on-site show programs and signage.

WEBSITES

Each of the Council’s shows has a website at a unique address that provides valuable event information. Free artist listings on the website include one image of exhibiting artists’ work (image 1 from the application), the artist’s personal and company name(s) and website. Lists of exhibitors and images of their work debut approximately eight weeks prior to the show and remain until it is replaced by the following year’s information. The website address, unique to each show, e.g. www.craftcouncil.org/baltimore, is included in all show advertising and press releases. Increasingly, artists receive inquiries and orders from their presence on the website prior to and after the show dates, increasing the amount of money generated from exhibiting at each show.

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

Show applicants in all media are eligible to participate in these special categories (e.g. Handmade Under $100, GreenCraft, FoodieWare), which are used in promoting the shows.

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

The Council recognizes select exhibitors for artistic excellence at each show chosen on-site by a recognized expert in contemporary craft. Awards are given for artistic excellence and one for booth design. Award winners receive recognition at the show through our awards reception, a cash award, a commemorative certificate for their booth, an invitation to the following year’s show and national recognition in press releases and American Craft magazine.