Sharing the Wealth is not Only about Money
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reading this month’s special section devoted to the people and programs
supporting the craft industry in Canada, I was reminded of the beautiful places
to our north that I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Like many Americans,
I have vacationed in near-border destinations like Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec,
Ontario and Nova Scotia, all of which have thriving arts and craft scenes
boosted by tourists and locals in every season.
But these cities and provinces are only a sample of the diverse populations and creativity currently at work in Canada’s vast reaches. Doing a little research of my own, I found that the Yukon Arts Centre Gallery, open year-round way up north in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, boasts an average of 14 exhibitions each year, often two or three running concurrently. In the Seams Like Glass Designs Studio in Whitehorse (population 15,200 and 4,000 miles from Nova Scotia), stained glass artist Lise Merchant produces works inspired by the northern landscapes around her that now reside in private collections in Canada, the United States and Europe.
Our look at The Canadian Craft Market shows that, in spite of a smaller population and miles to go between craft shows, Canada’s artists, galleries and museums are challenging their peers around the world. Moreover, they are growing fast and looking at American markets in particular for some of their future profits.
Also this month, our feature by Daniel Grant looks at the open-to-debate issue of blackballing in juried craft competitions. Is there such a thing? Many artists claim they have been the victims of it, but few will tell their stories in print. Grant’s detailed and comprehensive article gives us many factors to consider and invites you to be the judge.
As I mentioned last month, I attended the annual CODA Conference in April. In this issue, I have given a report on some changes the organization is undergoing as well as some initiatives the members plan for the upcoming year. The conference was well-organized and well-attended and the presentations provided valuable information on the ways state and local arts organizations and craft artists are using economic development to support arts-related businesses in Pennsylvania and especially in Pittsburgh. Attendees at the conference also commented about current and future projects in their states that we hope to share with our readers in the coming months. More than one organization director spoke about the benefits of shared knowledge when explaining their reasons for membership in CODA and attendance at the conference. Since this is part of the mission of The Crafts Report, I was also happy to hear many comments about how our magazine is part of this process, offering information, instruction and inspiration to craftspeople around the country every month.
Finally, while preparing an entire section on Canada, we did not neglect our usual Regional Profile where this month we take a close look at the New England states. Our Insights from artists are more numerous than usual and our columnists have some very encouraging things to suggest for getting a start in the crafts world and improving your displays and sales at craft shows. We hope you find them both enlightening and useful as we pass the halfway point in 2003.
