When art is your livelihood, you can’t afford not to take a look at the resources available to you through the Arts Business Institute (ABI). Rosen Group president Wendy Rosen founded ABI in 2002 as a practical source for the dissemination of business information for creative entrepreneurs.

Along with various workshops in marketing, wholesaling, retailing and booth design, ABI is expanding its educational outreach to include 100 short online videos on the video-sharing site, vimeo. The videos include mini-workshop clips on aspects of running a small business, plus advice from artists, luxury retailers and museum store and gallery buyers. The clips are ideal for artists with busy schedules: they can opt to choose when they want to access the information, and watch them as often as they like. Artists can click on http://vimeo.com/rosengrp to view selections.

For more information about the Arts Business Institute, visit http://www.artsbusinessinstitute.org/.

The 45th annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) “Tidal Forces: The Next Wave” runs March 30-April 2. Ceramic educators from across the country will come to Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla., to view exhibitions, presentations and demonstrations of their craft. For more information, visit http://nceca.net.

The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts’ Masters Symposium returns April 2-24 to San Francisco, Calif. Open to jewelry artisans of all skill levels, the symposium will include 14 master classes taught by leading international goldsmiths. Each Wednesday the academy will host an evening lecture and reception for the visiting masters. To learn more, visit www.revereacademy.com.

The annual Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) conference themed “Flux” travels to Seattle, Wash., May 26-29. Expect lectures from leading names in the industry along with educational and professional development seminars, demonstrations and an exhibition. For information, visit www.snagmetalsmith.org.

The Glass Art Society’s 41st annual conference runs June 1-4 in Seattle, Wash. Themed “Creative Crossroads,” the meeting will celebrate the community and diversity of glass throughout the country. Lectures and glass blowing demonstrations will keep attendees up to date on the latest techniques. For more information, visit www.glassart.org.

On June 8-11 in Portland, Maine, the Craft Organization Development Association (CODA) presents “Connecting the Dots.” Workshops at the conference include speed networking sessions, panels with state and national government agencies, and fundraising tips. Visit www.codacraft.org to learn more.

St. Paul, Minn., hosts the American Association of Woodturners (AAW) 25th annual symposium June 24-26. The conference will include three days of demonstrations and meetings, an “instant” gallery of pieces brought by attendees and a trade show. For details, visit www.woodtuner.org.

On July 20-23 in Las Vegas, Nev., the Furniture Society, in conjunction with the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) hosts the “2011 College of Woodworking Knowledge Education Program.” Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in eight educational tracks, from business to management. For information, visit www.awfsfair.org.

The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts’ 2010 Master Symposium classes run April 3-25 in San Francisco, Calif. Prominent master jewelry craftsmen from all over the country will partici-pate in the event by offering work-shops in their area of expertise. Classes include nature-smithing, design, gold and steel, and much more. To register, visit www.revereacademy.com.

The Craft Organization Development Association (CODA) Conference will focus on how to successfully market your organization in the current economic climate. “Aspects of Identity” runs April 6-8 in Savannah, Ga., and includes presentations, roundtable discussions and informal dialog on creative marketing solutions, the role of crafts in education and how to help students transition into the workplace. For details, visit www.codacraft.org.

The Conference of Northern California Handweavers presents “A World of Creativity” April 9-11 in Santa Clara, Calif. The conference will feature a broad range of classes and workshops in all aspects of the fiber arts with teachers coming in from all over the world. For details, go to www.cnch.org.

The 2010 Quilt Surface Design Symposium (QSDS) kicks off its 21st year in Columbus, Ohio, May 31-June 11. It offers classes for all levels of quilters, textile artists and surface designers. There are also opportunities to learn about color, design, hand vs. machine quilting and embroidery, and a meeting place to connect with other innovative artists. To find out more, visit www.qsds.com.

Don’t miss Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA)‘s conference in Memphis, Tenn., June 2-5. Focused on blacksmith education, ABANA will feature demonstrations from some of the biggest names in the business, a Memphis-style BBQ banquet and an auction. Visit www.abana.org for the most up-to-date information.

The Glass Art Society (GAS) Conference celebrates its 40th anniver-sary in Louisville, Ky., June 10-12, addressing the “Ingenious Possibility” the region provides for glass artists. Participating artists include Stephen Rolfe Powell, Lino Tagliapietra and Judith Schaechter. For more information, visit www.glassart.org.

The Furniture Society holds its annual conference entitled “Fusions: Minds & Hands Shaping Our Future” in Cambridge, Mass., June 16-19. Pre-meeting workshops range from discussions of compound curves to computer-aided design courses. For more information, visit www.furnituresociety.org.

Hartford, Conn., will host this year’s American Association of Woodturners Symposium June 18-21. The popular four-day conference will include a rotation of the world’s best wood-turning demonstrators, a gallery with work from the attendees, and an auction and trade show. Details can be found at www.woodturner.org.

Museum of Craft and Folk Art Store

Kpoene’ Kofi-Bruce, buyer and store manager
San Francisco, Calif.

How do this year’s sales compare to recent years’? Are you seeing a consistent decline or a slow improvement?

Our sales are down from last year, but are flat compared to 2007—some months have been up and some have been down. We rely very heavily on tourist and convention traffic.

This year’s sales goals have been about achieving a realistic sales plan with more affordable merchandise, and we will continue that approach for 2010. I think something that works well for our shop is that we have a large number of items for sale for under $50; in fact, 70% of our sales are items under $50.

I am trying to build up repeat customers who think of the museum shop first when they are looking for a gift or a unique item for themselves, and who will continue to shop as they reach different stages in their own lives.

Are you projecting more positive numbers for 2010? What are you doing now to keep customers shopping?

We offer a very high level of customer service and provide individual attention whether a customer is looking to spend $20 or $500.  Many customers remark on that, especially men looking for gifts.

This is a tough economy, and people are watching their funds but don’t want to skimp on buying special items; offering affordable items that are high-quality and combining that with a high level of customer service means that customers feel comfortable coming back.

We also opened up an online component to the store, which changes items seasonally. It is still in the trial period, but customers are responding well.

Have you tried any new promotions in the last two quarters?

In the last six months, we have begun offering more in-store events. In October we began “Craft Bar with Etsy Labs,” a series of free monthly workshops/parties where visitors can take advantage of classes in knitting, embroidery and sewing, enjoy refreshments, talk with artists, even check out a local band!

Our big holiday promotion is “50/$50,” an exciting offering of 50 artists offering 50 unique product lines for the holidays, all retailing for under $50.

How has the economy affected your marketing budget? Are you adding, subtracting or keeping an even keel?

We do not have a marketing budget, but luckily we are blessed with an incredibly talented and dedicated group of staff, interns and volunteers. We have been able to take advantage of the Internet with Twitter, Facebook and blog posts. Our artists have also been great about blogging about the museum.

What changes did you make to your inventory mix during the economic downturn? What types of items are selling best right now?

There isn’t any one product that is selling better than most; what has seemed to work well for us is my love of mining and cultivating new talent. It is rare for a week to go by without a new delivery of merchandise.

I also work closely with our artists to create products for the store—advising them on colors, sizes, designs, etc. We have to work very hard for every dollar that we make, and I want the customers to know that they are getting a really special item.