Frequently Asked Questions for artists
What is Craftland?
Craftland is an annual retail store in downcity Providence, RI. The store features eclectic arts and crafts from artists in New England, and around the country. Participants are selected through a jurying process.
It was started in 2002 by a couple of crafty friends and originally featured about 50 artists in a 600 sf space and has grown to feature over 150 artists in 2500 sf.
When will Craftland be open this year? Where?
Craftland will be open seven days a week, from December 4 - 31, 2009. Located at 235 Westminster Street, Providence RI 02903.
What sells at Craftland?
handbags, jewelry, stuffed animals, haberdashery, clothing, paintings, prints, knitwear, hand-made books, housewares, puppets, ornaments, knick knackery, ceramics, cards and more!
People visit Craftland to buy gifts ranging from $1-$300. Some artists make limited-edition goodies specifically for Craftland; we've found these sell like hot cakes! Please, no crafts from kits.
Who sells at Craftland?
More than 170 local and far away (Australia!) artists participated in Craftland 2008 -- teenagers to grandmothers, professionals to first-timers.
How do I get accepted into Craftland?
Craftland is curated by a team of notable crafty jurors from a variety of media, with different guest judges each year. They hand pick the freshest work from artists near and far!
Jewelry, handbags, and stationery items are the most popular categories applied to for Craftland. The competition is fierce. That said, it makes no difference to the jury if a crafter is a newbie or a seasoned professional. But what helps the jury make their decisions are high-quality photographs depicting interesting, well-crafted designs that fit with the aesthetic and price points of Craftland. Clever packaging helps too!
Can I upload more than 3 images on my application? And if I get accepted, is it okay if I send work other than those 3 images?
Only 3 images are allowed to be uploaded for our application. However, if the jurors decide they'd like to see more, they will refer to your website if you've included a link on your application.
And yes, if you are accepted, you can send work that is different than your uploaded images - HOWEVER, the images should be indicative of the kind of products that you would be sending overall.
How much inventory do I send you?
If accepted to Craftland, you will receive more detailed information about this then you could ever hope to wish for. But the basic rule of thumb is: send as much as you can. This year, work is due by November 21, 2009. Craftland is set up like a store so if you send 10,000 of one item, we will probably put 9,950 in back stock and replenish as necessary. Whereas if you sent us 4 items, and it happened to sell like a Craftland hotcake, we would call you to tell you to send us more. Please keep in mind though that Craftland is only open for a short time, so if you are mailing work, it is best to send all of it in one go when it is due. Otherwise, choose your delivery service wisely.
How is Craftland marketed?
· Full-color postcards and posters
· Press releases sent to all area publications
· www.craftlandshow.com
· Partnerships with area and national businesses
· Weekly email newsletters while Craftland is open, Facebook, and Twitter
· Blogs, extra-sensory perception, and mind-control
Do I need to be present to sell my goods?
Nope! Craftland is a retail store that operates on a consignment basis. Artists drop off their merchandise at Craftland (or mail it if they live out of town), and Craftland staff, as well as artist volunteers, operate the shop.
What does it cost to participate in Craftland 2009?
Craftland operates on a consignment format, and therefore vendors receive a percentage of the retail sale price of their items. Vendors who volunteer 12 or more hours of their time to help run the Craftland store will be paid 70% of the retail price of their items. Vendors who do not volunteer 12 hours will be paid 60% of the retail price.
The application fee of $10 if applying by August 14th, and $15 if applying August 15th-31st is non-refundable. If mailing a check, please make payable to Craftland and send by August 31st to: Craftland 235 Westminster St | Providence RI | 02909.
Refund Policy
The $10/$15 application fee is not refundable, and will not be returned to artists who are not accepted.
If I'm accepted, can I volunteer even if I live far away?
It is possible to schedule all volunteer hours in one day (opening day only) or over the course of two days if you'd like to come visit Providence and have the chance to earn a higher percentage of your sales (and eat Rhode Island things like quahogs and pizza strips and drink things like coffee milk and del's lemonade). Volunteer hours are scheduled on a first-come first-served basis though.
When will I get paid?
Payments will be mailed by January 15, 2010.
When is the application deadline?
Applications are due by August 31, 2009. We will notify participants on or before September 16, 2009.
COULD CRAFTLAND BE ANY MORE AWESOME THAN IT ALREADY IS?
Yes, in fact. Craftland also donates 5% of proceeds to local non-profits to help continue in its mission to provide and enable economic opportunities for emerging and professional artists of all kinds.
This year's beneficiary is Girls Rock! Rhode Island, whose mission it is to help girls and women empower themselves through the development of musical skills in order to foster self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. Through this work GRR! will build an environment conducive to the active participation and respect of women as creative producers of our culture.
I have highly detailed questions about sending my work. Will you answer them?
Yes, but probably those questions will be answered by our informational emails sent to those who are accepted. These emails contain information on how participants should price and package their products, how to deliver their items to Craftland, and how unsold items will be sent back, and much, much more! If you absolutely need to know now, then, sure, send us an email.
What do past participants have to say about Craftland?
"Craftland is a wonderful venue to sell traditional and innovative crafts. It is more than a craft show. As a veteran of many a craft show, they are doing something different- they champion the creative and daring. They take risks. The organizers do an amazing job of curating an eclectic mix of truly unique goods. The sales from Craftland also provide highly needed income for hundreds of artist/crafters. Every year I am inspired by the amount of effort everyone involved invests in this endeavor. Everything about the space is handmade or amended. I would not want to live in a Providence without Craftland." |
"Dear Craftland Mavens, |
"Hey ladies- We got our check today and I all can say is Whoa Momma! We were
so blown away by our sales at Craftland that we had to drop you another note
to say thanks! You must have been marketing mavens to get all of those
people to your event. Amazing!
Much gratitude from Picklesland!
Cheers!" |
"Dear Craftland, |
Click Here to Apply Now!
Questions? Please e-mail questions@craftlandshow.com
