Calling all craft and designer makers

by Startacus Admin

CRAFT calling!

Calling all craft and designer makers – are you looking for a new and exciting way to showcase your work to potential buyers? Well you are in the right place. CRAFT is an exhibition you will want to be part of.

So what is it?

Clarion Events and Handmade in Britain have created CRAFT to provide a commercial platform for designer makers who wish to reach an audience of professional retailers and collectors. It will take place at the Olympia in London from 11-13 January 2015.

This is the second CRAFT event – in January of this year the first exhibition took place at Earls Court and exceeded all expectations.  

With over 100 British and international makers exhibiting, there was a beautiful selection of work, from textiles, jewellery, glass to woodwork and ceramics.

CRAFT will be taking place alongside Home and Top Drawer, two leading home and lifestyle events which up to 14,000 trade buyers regularly attend at what is in fact the busiest buying time of the commercial year. CRAFT will be marketed to and attract professional, international and UK trade buyers, retailers, independents, multiples, department stores, museums & galleries, interior designers and corporate and public sector buyers and collectors.

So who can apply?

The organisers are seeking applications from designer makers and artisans in the following areas: fashion design and accessories, textiles, interior design and accessories, glass, jewellery, furniture, stationery, metalwork, ceramics, sculpture, woodwork, prints and etchings.

Criteria for applicants

Makers must demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of the making process and provenance of materials used. They must have applied their craft skills directly in the creation of the work to be exhibited. They must have also given consideration to the commercial viability of the work, both in terms of its pricing and appeal to a retail audience.

Process

• Applications will be subject to approval by the Craft Selection Panel; completed application forms and Exhibition Space Contracts must be submitted by 6pm 30th April 2014.

• Due to the nature of the event, submissions will be judged and selected on a monthly basis however final stand allocations will be made in June 2014.

• Applications must be accompanied by a completed exhibition space contract together with £150 deposit which will be returned if the application is unsuccessful.

• The exhibition space contract becomes binding upon allocation of your stand, at which point you will receive written confirmation of your stand number and an invoice for payment

• Payment terms and conditions are detailed on the exhibition space contract

Cost for a Stand

Stands are available in 4 sizes and range from small size to large and prices range from £675 to £1800 (+ vat). For more details check out the website out http://www.craft-london.com/

So what’s included I hear you say?

Well you will get full press and publicity campaign and online event promotion. There will be a listing with image and logo on the CRAFT website as well as complimentary trade registration for your buyers. There will also be promotional material for distribution within your networks and more..

But most of all you get the chance to expose yourself (not literally) to some of the UK’s top trade buyers who you probably want to meet anyway, so this seems like a cracking opportunity for you to get your face and products in front of the people that really matter.

 So if you’re thinking of applying, check outhttp://www.craft-london.com/ for an application form – and if you do, best of luck from all at Startacus!

Article hand crafted by Dermot McBride

• #craft
• #craft fair
• #event
• #uk

Published on: 25th March 2014