CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 9, 2010) -- Imagine a craft festival that extends across 50 states: By uniting hundreds of artisans, retailers and institutions in a coast-to-coast celebration of all things handmade, American Craft Week, October 1-10, 2010, aims for an impact of that scale.
The goal is to introduce the public to artisans for whom crafting is a business. Together, participating groups will celebrate the enduring value, cultural importance and quality of craft artisans’ creations.
“American Craft enriches our homes, offices and public spaces,” said Diane Sulg, co-chair of American Craft Week. “It is estimated that craft contributes in excess of $14 billion to the nation’s economy and our balance of trade. It is the fabric of our national history. It is original, beautiful and enduring. It is time to tell the world about American craft.”
Organizers are asking makers, sellers, curators, instructors, collectors, guilds and others involved in craft to present community events, such as studio tours, art walks, fairs and exhibitions in early October. The idea is a grassroots movement, offering local activities as creative and diverse as the arts themselves.
Participating businesses and artisans will have access to marketing materials and resources, including the American Craft Week logo, banner, website and cooperative advertising. At AmericanCraftWeek.com, groups wishing to hold an event will find planning suggestions, informational links and promotional tools they can customize. American Craft Week events will be listed on the website.
American Craft Week is a project of the Craft Retailers and Artists for Tomorrow trade association (CRAFT), and Craft in America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of craft and the celebration of its impact on our nation’s cultural heritage. The national co-chairs are gallery owners: Diane Sulg, of Charlotte, N.C.; Ann Pifer, of St. Paul, Minn.; and Carol Sauvion, of Los Angeles, who is also the director of Craft in America. CRAFT’s president is Karen Hohler, of Boston.
Major sponsors of American Craft Week include the American Craft Council, AmericanStyle magazine, ArtfulHome.com and WholesaleCrafts.com. Additional sponsors are: Artisan Point of Sale Solutions, Glass Eye Studio, Packaging Specialties, and NextDayFlyers.com. Support also comes from CODA, the Craft Organization Development Association.
For more information, log on to AmericanCraftWeek.com.
