Kentucky residents interested in building their craft businesses to a wholesale level have the opportunity to become juried participants of the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program. Once accepted into the juried portion of the Craft Marketing Program, participants become eligible to participate in wholesale and retail venues, such as the New York International Gift Fair; Kentucky Crafted: The Market; the Governor’s Derby Breakfast; and the Kentucky Collection. Participants also may use the “Kentucky Crafted” trademark, attend educational workshops, exhibit at the Capitol, and receive advanced technical assistance for their business and craft. Many new state government craft initiatives recently developed in Kentucky continue to demand high-quality work from Kentucky artists.

The session is open to all Kentucky residents creating traditional and contemporary crafts in ceramics, fiber, glass, leather, metal, stone, wood, mixed-media, natural/organic, and paper. Residency is defined as living in the state for at least six months prior to the jury session, and producing the majority of the craft product within the state. The jury session is scheduled for June 6-10, 2005. New juried work is reviewed according to quality standards in the areas of originality, technique, and design. The jury panel consists of three out-of-state and three in-state jurors.  This years jurors are: (out-of-state) Janet McCall, Executive Director of the Society for Contemporary Crafts in Pittsburgh, PA; John Cram, owner of the New Morning Gallery, Asheville, NC; Harry Hearn, Artist, Turning Point Clay Studio, Murfreesboro, TN; (in-state) Josephine Richardson, owner of The Cozy Corner, Whitesburg; Victoria Faoro, Executive Director of the Artisan Center at Berea, Berea; and Tim Glotzbach, Founding Director/Dean, Kentucky School of Craft, Hindman.  An additional juror, a juried participant of the Craft Marketing Program, will participate however, his/her scores will not be considered except in cases of disparity or borderline scores.

Jury applicants whose scores fall within a few points below the qualifying score may become eligible for the jury Mentor Program.  Those applicants will be referred to veteran KCMP juried participants who will aid them in understanding how to bring their work to the standards required by the KCMP. Applicants successfully completing the Mentor Program will be accepted into the juried portion of the KCMP and granted all the benefits therein, without having to wait an additional year to rejury. During the mentor process, the applicants in the mentor program will be required to attend the KCMP wholesaling workshop and the Market orientation.

Applicants must provide five product samples for each entry submitted. The entry fee is $20, regardless of the number of entries.  Samples may be mailed in advance, or hand-delivered. Due to the upcoming relocation of CMP offices, mailed entries must be received in our offices between  May 16 – 27.  Entries received before or after these dates WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Hand delivered samples may be dropped off ONLY on Monday, June 6 (9am - 3:30pm, EDT) and picked up ONLY on Friday, June 10 (1pm - 3:30pm EDT). The jury process will again be held in the Farmhand Dudgeon Civic Center, 405 Mero Street, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Meeting Rooms A, B, & C.

Applicants can visit www.kycraft.ky.gov to fill out an application online, print on their home computer, and submit with their entry.  Persons without a home computer may use a computer at their local library, or contact the KCMP office to request a printed application.

For additional information on the jury process and prejury sessions or to request a printed craft jury application, please contact Charla Reed, 1/888/592-7238, direct line, 502-564-9827; or email charla.reed@ky.gov.

For information on the Visual Arts at the Market program, please contact Amber Luallen, 1-888-833-2787, direct line, 502-564-5116; or email amber.luallen@ky.gov 

The Kentucky Craft Marketing Program is a division of the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet, Commonwealth of Kentucky.  For more information, call 888 KY CRAFT (592-7238), local calls, (502) 564-8076, or visit the Program's web site at www.kycraft.ky.gov.

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Since 1981, the Craft Marketing Program's mission is to develop the state's craft industry, support and empower Kentucky artisans and craftspeople, create an economically viable environment for craft entrepreneurs, preserve the state's craft traditions, stimulate and support product development, and generate public awareness, public support and public/private partnerships.

The Program provides assistance to Kentucky residents, individuals, or groups wanting to develop as craft professionals through economic opportunities and training, to other outside entities (e.g., craft retailers, craft and art organizations, community and government agencies), and the general public. The craft industry in Kentucky contributes 252 million dollars in annual sales and Kentucky is recognized as a model state for its craft programs and its role in the $14 billion national craft industry.