CRAFT: It's Friday, May 1

Susan Clayton — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:26:00 GMT

CRAFT: It's Friday - May 1, 2009

LINKS from Don Gorenberg, CRAFT's Secretary for Communication -

The One of a Kind Show educational teleconference with Bruce Baker can be heard at

www.oneofakindshowchicago.com/artistbenefits.html

Bruce covers booth design and selling tips in a tough economy in his address to artists, “Thrive not Merely Survive: Ways to Improve your Business.”

One of a Kind Show application deadline for the Chicago and NYC shows is Friday, May 1 (TODAY.) Apply through the One of a Kind Show web sites:

Chicago - www.oneofakindshowchicago.com/application.html

NYC - www.oneofakindshownyc.com/artist_srvs/app.cfm

From the Wall Street Journal: How #etsyday Grew on Twitter

Both Don and Karen Hohler recommend the Profit Mastery Newsletter from Business Resource Services: sample it at www.brs-seattle.com

Get Glorious American Craft merch at www.craftonline.org

Greetings from St. Paul, MN -

CRAFT Vice President Ann Pifer and I attended the recent Craft Organization Development Association (CODA) Conference, held here in our backyard April 23-26. Ann will report next week.

A highlight of the conference for me was the keynote speech from Ann Markusen, Director of The Project on Regional and Industrial Economics at the Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota. Dr. Markusen focuses on occupational approaches to regional development and on artists and cultural activity as regional economic stimulants. (In other words, she can tell us why fostering artists and the arts makes economic sense for communities.) Her research shows that artists and artisans are highly entrepreneurial and represent a hidden but vitally important arts dividend for the economy.

For more information see PRIE-U of MN Humphrey Institute

Ann Markusen

Also at the conference: Craig Nutt from the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) discussed the frequent loss in natural disasters of artist images and archives. Craig reminds artists (and others) to BACK UP YOUR DATA to a safe outside source!

Susan Clayton

CRAFT Administrative Assistant

For more on CODA see www.codacraft.org

Worth Repeating -

ACRE's approaching - ARTISTS: be sure to forward your booth numbers to susan@thegrandhand.com for distribution to our RETAIL members. Thanks to those who have already done so!

Connect with CRAFT: can you lend a hand with CRAFT at ACRE? Contact Donna Milstein for information on how you can help while meeting and greeting in Las Vegas. donnamilstein@hotmail.com

Take a moment to use the Tip Forum - accessible on the home page of the website at www.craftonline.org

The 3/50 Project is based on the idea that independent specialty stores are important to our economy and can be helped when consumers take ownership and pledge to shop them! Consumers are asked to choose their 3 favorite retail stores and spend $50 a month (total) at them. Get involved at www.the350project.org

Save Handmade Toys at www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Want to be featured in an upcoming It's Friday message? Contact Susan - susan@thegrandhand.com

CRAFT is a national organization of artists, retailers & show sponsors working to support American craft, save money, educate & network.

Submitted by Susan Clayton

4-May-09 8:26 AM

CRAFT - Articles

CRAFT: It's Friday, May 1