Thousands attend

After the 32nd National Arts & Crafts Conference and Shows, held Feb. 15-17 in Asheville, N.C., director Bruce Johnson says he’s still amazed at the turnout. There were 3,000 attendees this year, and 300 have already registered for the 2020 event.

“At a time when interest in mainstream antiques and general attendance at antique shows is at a painful low, Arts & Crafts enthusiasts still not only come to the Arts & Crafts Conference, they come to add to their collections. Once again sales in every category – furniture, art pottery, metalware, textiles, and books – were strong in both the antiques show and the contemporary crafts show,” Johnson said in a post-show statement.

The conference takes place at the historic Omni Grove Park Inn overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. The conference educates attendees about Arts & Crafts through daily seminars, small group discussions, demonstrations and tours, ultimately keeping them fully informed in their collecting decisions.

“It’s the quality and character of the people who are drawn to the Arts & Crafts philosophy who provide the enthusiasm and the energy that lights up the Grove Park Inn during this three-day conference. For many, it is as much a family reunion as it is a conference. For others, it’s a chance to connect with people who share our enthusiasm for the Arts & Crafts style,” adds Johnson.

Next year’s conference is scheduled for Feb. 21-23.

For more, visit www.arts-craftsconference.com. 

This article originally appeared in the June 2019 issue.