Exhibitor Information
Over the course of the past 36 years, the shows at the National Arts and Crafts Conference have grown from relative obscurity in 1988, when serious Arts and Crafts collectors only shopped the Modernism and Pier Shows in New York City, and is now considered the premier venue for both the finest Arts and Crafts antiques and the most exciting works made in the Arts and Crafts style by living craftsmen and craftswomen.
We are excited to announce that the in-person National Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows will return to the Grove Park Inn for their 37th anniversary on February 16-18, 2024. Room reservations for staying at the Grove Park Inn during the conference are open (call 800-358-5800 to make your reservation through the Omni Reservation Center). We will continue to keep you informed on all news pertaining to the conference both here and at www.artsandcraftscollector.com.
The 2022 Arts & Crafts Antique Shows at the Grove Park Inn
The 2022 Arts & Crafts Contemporary Craftsfirms Show at the Grove Park Inn
Potential Exhibitors – please read!
Before you read the information below, please make sure you have studied the agenda, noted who some of the other exhibitors are and now have a good idea what this National Arts & Crafts Conference entails, for it is not your typical show.
First, it takes place inside a hotel — but not your typical hotel. The Omni Grove Park Inn is a mecca for Arts & Crafts enthusiasts, for it was built in 1913 and furnished in the Arts & Crafts style. Today the 512-room resort displays a carefully-blended mixture of authentic antiques and accurate reproductions. Complete with an underground spa, sports center, four restaurants, a nightclub, a dozen meeting rooms and two ballrooms, it is an historic hotel with modern convention facilities.
Second, this is an educational conference which also includes three separate shows: the Antiques Show, the Contemporary Craftsfirms Show and the Books, Magazines & More Show. People come here not just to buy, but to learn, so the educational focus of the conference takes precedent over everything else. Our experience has proven that educated buyers are also confident buyers.
Third, all items sold at this conference are of or inspired by the Arts & Crafts Movement. Our attendees do not come here looking for Victorian, Art Deco, Art Nouveau or Modernism. If your merchandise is not from or inspired by the original Arts & Crafts Movement of the early 1900s, then this show is not what you are looking for.
Fourth, there is not a chronological waiting list to get into this show. While we have many applications on file, when an opening does occur, we study our entire show and we ask, “what do we need to keep the show balanced and fresh?” We get excited when someone comes up with a new idea, a fresh approach, a different product that will still appeal to Arts & Crafts collectors and homeowners.
Finally, since this is not your typical show, our first question is: “Have you previously attended the National Arts & Crafts Conference?” Applicants who have walked the show have a distinct advantage over those who have not, for it is difficult to describe how our show is laid out, where the booths are located and how load-in and load-out are handled to someone who has never even seen the Grove Park Inn.
Applying for the show
We do not have a formal application form for you to complete. Instead, we ask that you submit a letter or email answering the following:
1.) Please provide all of your contact information, including any website you have.
2.) Which category of show are you applying for?
3.) Describe what you would bring to the show.
4.) Have you attended the show in prior years?
5.) What other shows have you done in the past two years?
6.) Please provide two professional references (preferably from our list of exhibitors).
7.) Contemporary Craftsfirms: please include two or three photos of your work.
Please email to info@arts-craftsconference.com
Questions? You can call our office at (828) 628-1915.
Current Exhibitors
If you have been invited to exhibit with us, you should have received an Exhibitor Worksheet from us. Please let us know if you need a replacement worksheet by emailing us at info@arts-craftsconference.com. It is required that we receive a worksheet from you for you to exhibit in our show.
Below you will find pictures and measurements for all of the Display Cases and Pegboards available for rent to use in your booth. You should’ve put a check mark next to the items you wish to rent on your Exhibitor Worksheet earlier in the year. However, if you decide to add or subtract a Display Case or Pegboard, edits can be sent to us up to January 1st. Please email Kate directly at info@arts-craftsconference.com with your request.
Because the Display Cases and Pegboards are packed on an 18-wheeler several weeks in advance of the show, we are unable to guarantee any changes in Display Case and Pegboard orders after January 1st.
You need also note that once your order is finalized, unless we hear from you before January 1st, you are required to pay the full cost of your rental. There are no refunds for unused Display Cases or Pegboards!
Counter Case: 20″ deep x 70″ wide x 37.5″ tall ( shelf depth is 16.5″ )
Wall Case: 18″ deep x 70″ wide x 84″ tall ( shelf depth is 16″ )
Tower Case: 16″ deep x 51″ wide x 79.5″ tall ( shelf depth is 14″ )
See-Thru Case: 18″ deep x 70″ wide x 84″ tall (shelf depth is 16″)
Horizontal Pegboard: 8′ wide by 4′ tall (sits 30″ off the floor) Single-Sided – $40 Double-Sided – $50 The back must be covered with paper or fabric if it will be visible from your neighbor’s booth.
Vertical Pegboard: 4′ wide x 8′ tall Single-Sided – $40 Double-Sided – $50 The back must be covered with paper or fabric if it will be visible from your neighbor’s booth.
Vertical Pegboard: 4′ wide x 8′ tall Single-Sided – $40 Double-Sided – $50 The back must be covered with paper or fabric if it will be visible from your neighbor’s booth.
As always, if you have any questions, please give us a call!
Thank you for your years of support for the National Arts and Crafts Conference and the Arts and Crafts Revival. If you’re brand new to our conference, welcome to the community!
Kate Nixon, Director
(828) 628-1915