Calling all Members: We need your help with the WGM 2020 Artisan Sale! by Cathie Mayr
For over 40 years our Guild has held a sale of members’ hand woven, hand spun, and hand dyed work. The annual sale is run by our members and for our members. The massive volunteer effort is what makes the sale so successful, as it keeps event costs reasonable for the Guild while forging bonds between our members. I vividly remember volunteering at past sales and the other artists I got to know as we laughed and worked together.
If you plan to participate as a Member Artist in the next sale, you will need to volunteer some of your time, as in previous years. We will need volunteers to staff the event itself–working as cashiers, baggers, and on merchandising and set-up, for example. Between now and the next sale, we need additional volunteers to help plan and prepare for the event. Work on these planning committees also counts towards your volunteer commitment.
What do we need right now? We need seven members willing to Chair one of the following Committees. We hope to have all our Chairs in place by June 8.
Co-Chair
You would work with Cathie Mayr as Co-Chair of the Artisan Sale. Ideally, you would go on to Chair the following year’s Sale and bring in another Co-Chair. Our objective is to rotate our Sale Chairs through the role as we do our WGM President and President-Elect.
Registration
Responsible for the overall member Artist registration process. This includes Forms, Artist Numbers, Price Tags, Registration instructions, labeling requirements, updating WGM Website information and linked documents. Some tasks on this Committee are done prior to the Sale.
Volunteer Coordinator
Coordinate with Committee Chairs to identify their Volunteer needs for the months ahead of the Sale. Schedule Volunteers for shifts for the Sale event. Provide training to those Volunteers staffing the Sale event. Some tasks on this Committee are done prior to the Sale.
Check-In and Check-Out Artists’ Sale Goods
Manage the process of checking in and checking out items for sale by Member Artists. Includes management of the volunteers performing check-in and check-out. Check-in includes matching items to the Artist’s inventory sheet, confirming Category and Taxable or Non-Taxable and checking that items are tagged properly. Check-out involves itemizing and checking out unsold items to the Member Artists.
Cashiers / Sales Check-Out Desk
Manages the sales check-out process. Includes 2 to 3 tables with multiple cash registers and credit card machines and working with the Technology Chair to troubleshoot problems. Will require training cashiers and baggers for each shift.
Technology / Electronics
Manages several electronics systems, including facility sound system, facility video capability (working with other Committee chairs to identify video content). Also provides troubleshooting support for facility WiFi, cash registers and credit card machines at check-out.
Hospitality
This Committee looks after “event ambiance” from a shopper’s perspective.
Coordinates with the Sale Chair/Co-Chair and State Fair staff on possibilities to bring in coffee, water, cookies, and the like – while keeping our precious works safe from soiling
Provides music for the 2 days of the event, working with the Technology / Electronic team
Identifies videos to be shown / looped on the facility video screen
We have Chairs for the following Committees. If you have the background and skill set which you could bring to bear on one of these Committees, please contact the Chair of that Committee or Cathie Mayr.
Advertising & Marketing – Katie Oberton, katieoberton@gmail.com
Demonstrations – Outreach Committee, education@weaversguildmn.org
Setup, Staging (Merchandising) and Take Down – Kala Exworthy, kala.exworthy@gmail.com
Fixture Transport – Steve Pauling, steve@bobbinhousestudio.com
Event Auditor / Analyst – Lynne Renz, Lynne@renz.name
Event Treasurer – Geri Retzlaff, geri.retzlaff@gmail.com
Do you have experience or skill sets which you could bring to bear on an aspect of this event, such as marketing, advertising, merchandising, technology, revising processes, or managing volunteers? Please contact Cathie Mayr – Chair for our 2020 Sale – to volunteer or with your questions: catmayr@yahoo.com.
–Cathie Mayr moved back to Minnesota after living in New Mexico and lends her extensive business experience to the revisioning of the annual sale. Cathie is the volunteer co-chair for 2020.