ACC Eliminates Summer Wholesale Show in Baltimore

PLANS TO ROLL OUT NEW INITIATIVES

he American Craft Council (ACC) has decided to eliminate its Summer Wholesale Market and Retail Show in Baltimore. ACC executive director Carmine Branagan says a number of reasons factored into the decision, but market viability was key. (Sales at the ACC’s summer show had been declining.) “We were finding that the market just couldn’t sustain this show,” says Branagan, “and it was bad timing for buyers, especially those in tourist areas where the busy season is the summer. It’s just not a good time to try to increase attendance.”

Branagan stressed that this move does not signal the end of wholesale markets for ACC, but rather its focus on both wholesale and retail shows that do well, consistently. “We remain firmly committed to wholesale markets,” she says, “and eliminating shows that aren’t viable allows us to focus our resources on other important wholesale shows in Baltimore (February) and San Francisco.”

In the coming months, ACC plans to announce “substantive changes and new directions” for the Council. Both Branagan and director of planning Reed McMillan say eliminating poorly performing shows is just one aspect of a plan that includes many positive changes, such as increasing development efforts and a new consumer advertising campaign aimed at educating the public about fine crafts.