Our largest ever promotional campaign will focus on three events: August Craft Month 2010; a winter sales promotion in November/December and a Valentine’s Day sales promotion in February 2011.  We have recently recruited Kelly PR - marketing consultants for the Ulster Orchestra, Island Arts  Centre and Movie House Cinema (Dublin Road, Belfast) - and we would like as many of you as possible to engage with the campaign perhaps by developing your own public workshops, press launches or by showcasing your work through exhibitions and events happening throughout the year.

August Craft Month 2010: The theme of August Craft Month 2010 is ‘Slow’. Life is often lived at breakneck speed and the message is to slow things down and experience a creative process that requires time, patience, innovation and imagination. We want the public to witness our most talented artisans and designers using their skills to demonstrate the artistic and creative value of contemporary craft. We plan to hold a number of local events to promote designer-makers in studios, workshops, galleries and other venues all over Northern Ireland.

Nov/Dec 2010: This campaign will highlight how hand-made, locally crafted work can make a wonderful gift at Christmas. We will produce a guide and online map of contemporary craft designer-makers and outlets in Northern Ireland which we will promote through the campaign.

Valentine’s Day 2011: This will be our first Valentine’s Day promotion and our aim is to show that buying craft demonstrates the thought given to choosing a present reflecting the individuality of personal relationships.

This campaign cannot be successful without you. Each designer-maker is at the creative heart of the contemporary craft industry in Northern Ireland and we hope you will participate fully in the events and programmes coming up in the weeks and months ahead.

For more information contact Craft NI, 028 9032 3059, info@craftni.org