I met Chris Amundsen in Feburary when The Museum of Contemporary Craft was hosting a listening session for the American Craft Council. Chris had just been hired as the ACC’s new Executive Director, and he got an earful at that event. As you can imagine, the fine craft, or high-end craft market or whatever you want to call it, has been just as effected by the financial downturn as any other element of the economy. It’s possible that its been affected even more, since craftsmen and women are making luxury items. Among craft artists there’s a lot of anxiety about the economy and potential for financial loss when attending craft shows. For instance, when a craft artist exhibits at a show like the ones that the ACC produces, there are many costs including travel, housing, food, and the cost of a booth space. Many artists go hoping for the best, and at this point that may mean breaking even.
The American Craft Council is in the unique position of revitalizing a 70 year old organization into something forward-thinking, an organization that can usher in a new generation of artists and audience for craft, and hopefully help keep American craftsmanship alive and vibrant.
Listen in and hear Chris and I talk about this and some other things.
