WHITE PLAINS, NY, December 19, 2014… A comprehensive slate of educational seminars – beginning with pre-show exhibitor webinar training and continuing with three days of onsite programming – will be offered at the winter 2015 edition of Artisan Resource®, a first-of-its-kind market offering U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers, wholesalers and designers the opportunity to meet with international artisanal producers from around the world. Artisan Resource, which is co-located with NY NOW®, the Market for Home +Lifestyle, will be held Sunday, February 1, through Wednesday, February 4, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center.
“The new pre-show webinar series will help exhibitors prepare and get the best experience at market, and the onsite sessions will address design and business issues critical to artisans and importers connected with the global handmade industry,” said Allison Garafalo, Artisan Resource sales director. “Both first-time participants and returning attendees will benefit from this slate of educational programming.” (NOTE: A full seminar and event is available online at www.artisanresourceny.com.)
A set of three webinars will prepare Artisan Resource exhibitors for success by sharing useful pre-show information. On January 7, the webinar, “Who Are the Buyers at Artisan Resource and NY NOW,” will shed light on the demographics of buyers and companies that are interested in global handmade products, and offer tips to build trust and long-term relationships. “From Your Hands To Their Homes: Distribution and Pricing,” a webinar scheduled for January 8, is intended to help overseas artisan suppliers understand how distribution channels are changing and how it impacts costs and pricing of products. Finally, a pre-show webinar on January 9, “How To Communicate Your Unique Offer,” will discuss what types of sales and marketing materials are expected by U.S. buyers; what to include and how to distribute promotional materials and tips for creating a press kit and promoting participation in a U.S. tradeshow.
Onsite programming at market will target the needs of Artisan Resource exhibitors and attendees alike. Sunday, February 1, is scheduled as Design Council Day, inviting design professionals working in the home and fashion industries to Artisan Resource to meet exhibitors, see what’s new in the handmade world, and get involved as volunteers, design consultants and advocates within their companies. In the first Design Council session, trend forecaster and HAND/EYE magazine founder Keith Recker and ByHand Consulting Co-founder Karen Gibbs, will lead “Handmade Futures: 2016 Design and Color Trends in Global Handmade Products” on February 1, 12:30pm – 1:30pm. In a second related session, Pratt University professor Frank Millero and veteran merchant and designer Alex Bates will present “Concept to Reality: Turning Ideas Into Handmade Product” from 1:30pm – 3:00pm. The session will outline a healthy, market-driven product development cycle, followed by a lively exchange about thoughts and things, products and principles.
Handmade Business Day, scheduled for Monday, February 2, will bring handmade exhibitors and their customers together to address issues related to sourcing, price negotiation, and creating change for artisans and the environment. Karen Gibbs and Colvin English, co-founders of ByHand Consulting, will present “HANDMADE in the Market Today,” on February 2, from 12:30pm – 1:30pm. The seminar will analyze the growing consumer appetite for handcrafted products in the U.S. market and how U.S. handmade and global artisan products are perceived. A second as yet untitled buyer panel, scheduled for 1:45pm – 2:45pm, will focus on what buyers are looking for in artisan suppliers and why artisan and handmade products resonate with consumers.
In addition to these seminars on targeted days, handmade exhibitors can learn how to craft their message and place it in a cluttered media environment in a session titled “Getting the Word Out: How To Tell Your Handmade Story and Identify and Pitch Prospective Media Outlets” on Tuesday, February 3, from 12:30pm – 2:00pm.
A staple of the Artisan Resource educational offerings, free “Importing 101: Everything you always wanted to know about importing but were afraid to ask” seminars will be presented daily (February 1-3), from 9am – 10:30am, for Artisan Resource attendees. Presenters Phil Hobson of Phoenix International and experienced importer and artisan business advisor Carol MacNulty, will outline the nuts and bolts of direct import practices.
In addition to educational programming, social events include an opening-day welcome reception on Sunday, February 1, which is free to all Artisan Resource attendees. Participants can sip free wine and shop extended hours, from 6pm – 7pm. Artisan Resource participants also can take advantage of NY NOW’s extensive slate of offerings, such as Gift for Life’s 23rd anniversary “Party For Life” fundraiser on Monday, February 2, from 6:30pm – 8pm, and the popular “Night on Broadway” featuring specially priced tickets to Sting’s THE LAST SHIP on Tuesday, February 3. Artisan Resource attendees can also enjoy half-price ($9) admission to the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum during market week. Information and registration for all NY NOW seminars and events is available online at www.nynow.com/programs.
Artisan Resource is a semi-annual tradeshow which runs concurrently with NY NOW, offering a production-sourcing venue for overseas artisan enterprises to showcase their products and production capabilities – at export terms – from their country of origin. The semi-annual tradeshow is managed by Emerald Expositions and organized with the assistance of ByHand Consulting. Additional information and registration is available online at www.artisanresourceny.com.