A Cause for Celebration
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The Crafts Report turns 25
A Cause for Celebration |
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| THE MAGAZINE
THE WEB SITE
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In April 1975, Founder and Editor Michael Scott published the first issue of The Crafts Report, the first craft business magazine in existence. It began as a black and white, 12-page monthly newsletter, with two people on the editorial staff. The first issues of The Crafts Report contained a handful of crafts fair and festival listings, a few calls for entry, and a few short business articles to help craftspeople run their crafts businesses.
By the following year, when Lammot Copeland, Jr., began publishing the magazine, still under the editorial direction of Michael Scott, The Crafts Report expanded to a 16-page newsletter, adding more in-depth industry news coverage and business articles. The magazine quickly expanded to 32 pages, and then to 48 by the mid 1980s. By this time, the editorial staff had expanded to six members. Each issue covered a variety of business topics, including taxes, marketing, photography, etc.
In 1989, Michael Scott passed away, leaving as his legacy the mission to help craftspeople make a living. By that time, The Crafts Report had made its mark. In the December 1989 issue, a reader wrote: "By the 1960s, we had a constituency of thousands of people committed to using their hands, minds and spirits ... They came from art schools and communes, sewing circles and trade schools. The problem, however, was that our education system did not -- still doesn't -- teach artists and craftspeople how to survive economically ... We had a nation full of talented, prolific people going broke and no one willing to do anything about it but Michael and the people he gathered around him to bring The Crafts Report to the aid of this country's craftspeople. Michael had vision ... had an innate sense of marketing and how that applied to the needs of craftspeople ... and really understood why craftspeople are craftspeople."
MOVING FORWARD
The year 1996 marked big changes at The Crafts Report -- as the editorial staff continued to move the magazine forward in the direction set forth by Michael Scott. The magazine was redesigned to its current format to reflect the growing professionalism of the crafts field. In addition to updating the magazine's look, editorial coverage was expanded to meet the needs of a growing and more business-savvy readership, through new columns, features and special sections.
The Crafts Report continues to focus its message by adding new columns aimed at providing in-depth information and resources to craftspeople and retailers, such as Booth Design, Business Wise, Studio Issues, Profiles in Success, Technology, and Show Alternatives, while continuing to explore staples of crafts business, like Crafts Photography, Crafts Law, and Gallery Profiles, as well as the news and trends in the crafts field.
That same year, the magazine increased its availability on newsstands around the country.
THE CRAFTS REPORT GOES HIGH-TECH
Also in 1996, the magazine expanded to the Internet, as one of the first trade publications to explore the still-new technology.
Since its inception four years ago, The Crafts Report Online has expanded from an online version of the magazine to the most comprehensive business resource for craft artists on the Internet.
Nearly 20,000 people visit the site each month to find show listings, business information and resources, suppliers, back issues of The Crafts Report, and to chat with hundreds of other craft artists, show promoters, retailers and others in the crafts field on the "Discussion Board."
INCREASED VISIBILITY
The trade shows that join craftspeople with retailers from around the country have certainly pushed fine craft into new markets, as have the entrepreneurial retailers themselves. But most importantly, the perseverance of the craftspeople has made this field what it is today.
In 1997, The Crafts Report began exhibiting at many of these trade shows and conferences, such as the New York International Gift Fair, the Buyers Market of American Crafts, the American Craft Council Craft Markets, Beckman's Handcrafted Gift Shows, the conference of the National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts, and the Glass Art Society conference.
WE ALL HAVE REASON TO CELEBRATE
Growth in the crafts field has seemed to parallel the growth of The Crafts Report -- from a small, somewhat exclusive group to a national industry that is growing daily. More craftspeople than ever are actually making a living, many only recently getting the courage to do so. Hopefully, The Crafts Report has contributed to this in some way.
"The crafts field has seen such explosive growth in the last 25 years," says Bernadette Finnerty, editor of The Crafts Report, "but one of the most remarkable things about the crafts community is its ability to adapt and grow, yet somehow stay true to its roots. We're honored to have covered this industry through this period of growth, and hopefully, we've made some valuable contributions along the way. We look forward to the next 25 years of growth."
As The Crafts Report celebrates its 25th year, it remains to be driven by the vision of Michael Scott, who saw the need to provide crafts professionals with information about making a living at the work they love, and continues to explore that vision to the fullest. Thanks to all of our readers for their support over the years, and welcome to those who are joining us as we enter our 25th year. We look forward to many, many more years together.
APRIL 2000: TABLE OF CONTENTS
