American council craft show Baltimore MD 2019 unacceptable

New economy

Stay home shows are a bummer

By Phyllis Leck

American Craft Council show was unacceptable. Why because the board members and staff have know idea what they are doing . As a 30 year veteran in the craft show industry and been through it all !This one takes the cake ! For starters folks ,you must see the show through both the crafters eyes and their needs and through the audience needs . Always promote the show as if it is the first time being seen by someone ,crafter or a attendee.

  Well not at this show. The programs were printed different colors on the covers and you would expect them to have different info in each . Nope! They had the crafters name boldly highlighted and they had their craft and hopefully booth number printed in faint type. Now what’s the problem ? Well if you were looking for jewelry let’s say , you had know way of knowing how to find a jeweler .Walking the convention center aisle was a maize so the extra hand out was a map . Not all vendors were listed on it as I heard at the Sunday exhibitor meeting . 

  Well they had a meeting and they spent an awful lot of time introducing everyone then when the program issue was brought up the speaker said and I quote “ this was an experiment “ . Experiment??? This is our livelihood! Where have you been ? She said she was once involved with museums . So she and others of the staff thought it would be good to try. Yikes . 

 This show I thought was the best show in the country. Apparently not anymore . Folks do not attend this show in Baltimore , or from beyond Baltimore.They have heard too much about random shootings ,murders and violence to even approach the Inner Harbor. The once beautiful Inner Harbor businesses have moved out leaving empty store fronts. 

So let me tell you craft shows are definitely in the decline with our economy, internet and the younger folks going “ minimal “ 

Stay home and you will be farther ahead then you would be trying to get accepted.

I fortunately broke even but why go and spend months preparing setting aside inventory and sleepless nights 

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About Phyllis Leck

I have been weaving and have had a business for over 30 years. My husband also did show at craft fairs , wholesale markets . We now have open studios on the coast in Maine and are open to the public May 30th thru Oct .They have found a market selling retail in a good location for summer visitors and work locally .Support small local businesses .