13.6.105.333 Application
Florida Craftsmen

Proposal Information

Item	Response
Application #	13.6.105.333
Program	General Program Support
Proposal Type	Discipline-Based
Funding Category	Level 2
Discipline	Visual Arts
Applicant is requesting REDI waiver	N/A
Residency Contact Hours	N/A
Proposal Synopsis	Well-known for innovative exhibitions and exemplary craft art in its retail and exhibition galleries in St. Petersburg, Florida Craftsmen is requesting funding which would help sustain its exhibition and education program for the 2012-2013 season. These funds will play a significant role in the expansion of the current Artists' Career Development curriculum, including an on-line component, which improves the entrepreneurial skills of Florida’s contemporary craft artists.

Applicant Information

Item	Response
Corporate Name	Florida Craftsmen
Department	n/a
DBA Name	N/A
Federal Employer ID	23-7375994
Principal Address	501 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, FL 33701-3703
County	Pinellas
Applicant Email Address	janie.lorenz@floridacraftsmen.net
Grant Contact	Diane Shelly, Executive Director
Authorized Official	Diane Shelly, Executive Director
Website	www.floridacraftsmen.net

Mission Statement

Florida Craftsmen's mission is "To Empower the Fine Craft Artists of Florida, Enrich the Community and to Engage the Next Generation".

Proposal Description

During the 2012-2013 season, Florida Craftsmen will celebrate 60 years as an organization representing and empowering the fine craft artists of Florida. Fine crafts are one of Florida’s most authentic cultural resources. Increased understanding of the importance of the state’s international reputation as a unique cultural destination will expand artists’ career options, increase revenues and build economic opportunities.

Florida Craftsmen represents over 300 artists in the retail and exhibition galleries, 130 in CraftArt, 25 in ArtLofts studios and many more in workshop opportunities. Exhibitions are designed to present the finest quality crafts in an engaging and educational environment with programming which relates to each exhibit.

Recognizing the need to provide entrepreneurial skills to the artists it serves, the Artists' Career Development program was initiated with seed money from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. Participants in the program report that they are much more confident in their abilities to successfully venture into the marketplace. Initial course offerings cover basic business principles, but there is a need to expand the program, open access to wholesale markets and create on-line courses to better serve artists throughout the state. After completing the wholesale track, three to five artists will be selected to participate in the Florida Craftsmen wholesale booth at ACRE Orlando Wholesale Buyers Market, providing access to a venue which would be unattainable for most emerging artists.

Goals:

To preserve and strengthen Florida’s fine crafts creative industry.

To empower Florida’s craft artists by improving their entrepreneurial skills, providing access to retail and wholesale markets and promoting them through exhibitions.

Enrich and engage the community as well as tourists through exposure to and involvement with Florida’s finest craft art.

Broaden Florida Craftsmen’s audience and member base.

Engage the next generation in creating, appreciating and collecting fine craft.

Objectives:

Expand the Artists' Career Development (ACD) Program curriculum to address more in-depth topics (i.e. website development, social media, product development, pricing, wholesale and retail strategies, merchandising). Expansion will include offering on-line courses for those with distance and/or scheduling conflicts.

Enroll 30% more artists in the ACD Program and represent up to 5 artists in the ACRE wholesale gift market in Orlando in January, 2013.

Present six high quality fine contemporary craft exhibitions in the St. Petersburg gallery and one member show outside Pinellas County, potentially in Orlando.

Expand the number and variety of events which relate to the exhibitions in the gallery with the ultimate goal of attracting and engaging a diverse audience.

Position the gallery as a cultural destination, increasing the number of visitors to the St. Petersburg gallery by 30%.

Elect one to two area directors for each of the nine state regions who will begin to cultivate activities in each area.

Expand opportunities for emerging artists to participate in the retail and exhibition galleries as well as in the CraftArt festival.

Schedule the Experience Collection in at least three schools, libraries and/or institutions throughout the state. This collection is comprised of 16 works which are designed to stimulate the senses, i.e. fiber works, musical instruments, carved wood. It is accompanied by audio components and braille labels.

Activities and Timelines

Design the expanded curriculum with retail and wholesale tracks and identify credentialed instructors with professional experience for the ACD Program.(July 30, 2012)

Market ACD program to the creative industry in Florida through traditional and virtual media and through the State area directors. (Begin in August, 2012)

Work with University of South Florida St. Petersburg to video classes and upload them as on-line courses to better serve artists throughout the state.

Represent 3-5 artists who have successfully completed the ACD program at the ACRE Orlando wholesale gift market in the Florida Craftsmen Booth. (January, 2013)

Schedule exhibitions which have a diverse appeal to audiences. For example, in Fall 2010, as part of a collaboration with Tampa Bay cultural venues, Florida Craftsmen scheduled La Voz del Punto, an exhibition which celebrated Latin culture as part of Arte.

Schedule 2-3 events per month in the galleries and classroom which are relevant to the exhibition in the galleries, i.e. demonstrations, panel discussions, trunk sales, workshops, artists’ talks. Effectively market the events to maximize audience participation.

Produce CraftArt, an annual outdoor fine craft festival which draws 15,000 tourists and locals and over 130 artists to Pinellas County. Plans to introduce opportunities for emerging artists are underway with expansion in the 2012-2013 season. (November 2012)

Work with Visit Florida and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater to enhance awareness of the gallery as a tourist destination and a showcase for the talent of Florida artists. (ongoing)

Identify area directors for each of the nine regions throughout the state and explore opportunities for each district. Information regarding activities in each region will be available on the organization’s website. (ongoing)

Establish relationships with art program faculty in Florida colleges and provide opportunities for students and faculty to be involved with the organization and to show their work in the galleries. The college internship program is in its development stages at this point with tremendous potential for expansion. Interns are involved in staging shows, marketing, exhibition strategies and the production of the CraftArt festival.

Involve high school students in exhibition and volunteer opportunities. Students in the Metalsmithing Program at Blake High School in Tampa currently have their work featured in the gallery and are receiving positive feedback. Arrange field trips for high school students from surrounding counties to interact with artists and experience exhibitions in the galleries.

Culture Builds Florida's Future

1. Strengthening the Economy

   St. Petersburg was recently awarded the #1 Arts Destination for a Mid-sized City in the US by American Style Magazine for the second year in a row. Florida Craftsmen has a reputation as one of the important cultural destinations in the St. Petersburg area, attracting over 40,000 people to its gallery annually. Located in the culture and dining district of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida Craftsmen features the work of Florida’s finest craft artists in their retail and exhibition galleries.

   Offering educational programming which enhances an artist’s ability to expand his/her business, enter into new markets and be more financially stable will have a ripple effect which will touch the artist, his employees, his audience and hence strengthen the state’s economy. As they expand from single-artist studios to become local employers of skilled workers, these small businesses (as they have in past post-recession times) will be seeds of job growth and economic development for their communities. Artisans are often the true innovators in the marketplace, providing new and unique products to our domestic marketplace. They provide the conscientious consumer with a way to spend dollars that cycle through our economy.

   Successful artists expand beyond the studio. Historically, as they grow, they have created other complementary businesses; opening small stores, creating community studio space, performing social service such as teaching and outreach to schools; and launching fairs, organizing gallery walks and other attractions in conjunction with community organizations and local economic development initiatives.

   Florida Craftsmen is engaged in a “Buy Florida, By Florida” campaign, educating its customers and members to value products made in Florida by Florida craft artists. Because the organization represents artists throughout the state, the economic benefits of this program will be felt not only in the St. Petersburg area, but also in communities throughout the state.

2. Learning and Wellness

   Programming at Florida Craftsmen is designed to engage the audience through awareness of new techniques and philosophies, interactive involvement and enhancement of creative intuition. Exhibitions are enhanced with workshops, lectures and hands-on demonstrations relevant to the subject matter on display.

   Art therapists have long concluded that through creating and experiencing art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences, enhance cognitive abilities, enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art and enhance the quality of life.

3. Building Leadership

   Florida Craftsmen’s mission is to Empower the Fine Craft Artists of Florida, Enrich the Community and Engage the Next Generation. The expansion of the Artists' Career Development Program is designed to empower artists by providing access to new markets and ensuring their success along the way. Successful artists have a track record of giving back to their community through mentoring, initiating artists’ guilds, cooperatives and other associations, by teaching in local schools and organizing gallery events which enhance their community.

   Florida Craftsmen is taking a leadership role by identifying and developing a solution to a problem which many talented artists find is a stumbling block...how to expand the market for their product beyond local shops and art fairs. There are a number of programs available which focus on marketing, social media, business plans and other business related topics, but few address these from an artist’s perspective. The ability to take the workshop curriculum and offer it as an on-line course will facilitate the advancement of the careers of artists who live in rural, under served populations or are hampered by a schedule which does not coincide with workshop offerings.

   Florida Craftsmen currently offers an opportunity for artists to curate an exhibition. If their proposal is accepted, they assume the responsibility of communicating with the artists, completing all paperwork, receiving the artwork, designing the installation, hanging the work, taking it down and making sure all work is returned to the artist. For many artists, this will be an opportunity to take their career to a higher level.

4. Design and Development

   Acceptance of work in the Florida Craftsmen retail and exhibition galleries is juried and the bar of excellence is set high. Rather than discourage those whose work does not meet the standards of the gallery, artists are often mentored, encouraged to rethink their design or production techniques and offered an opportunity to reapply with a redeveloped product. Trend forecasting and product development are major topics covered in the Artists Career Development program, and artists are challenged to develop a fully realized product line with multiple price points. The call for innovation and excellence forces the artist to elevate their work to a higher, more professional level. The artist obviously benefits but so does the community when excellence is the rule, not the exception.

Proposal Estimates

Estimated Number of	Response	Instructions to the Applicant
school based youth benefiting	150	Enter the number of individuals under the age of 18 that are expected to be participating in organized school based cultural events. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
non-school based youth benefiting	100	Enter the number of individuals under the age of 18 that are expected to be participating in non-school based cultural events. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
elders benefiting	7,600	Enter the number of individuals over the age of 65 that are expected to benefit from the proposal activities. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
artists participating	550	Enter the estimated number of professional artists that will be directly involved in providing artistic services specifically identified with the proposal. Include living artists whose work is represented in an exhibition regardless of whether the work was provided by the artist or by an institution. This figure should reflect a portion of the total individuals benefiting.
individuals benefiting	40,000	Give the total number of individuals that are expected to be involved in proposal activities as artists, non-artists, participants, or audience members. This number should include the values listed for youth, elders and artists.
proposal events	57	How many different events will be produced or presented within the grant period as a part of this proposal? Be sure to list different events, not performances. For example, a musical performed 10 times is only one event, but a musical performed 10 times and workshop done once are two events.
opportunities for public participation	57	Each event will have one or more opportunities for public participation. For example a musical performed 10 times is one event with 10 opportunities for public participation.

Project/Program Location

• Broward
• Duval
• Hillsborough
• Leon
• Manatee
• Miami-Dade
• Orange
• Pinellas
• Sarasota

Proposal Impact

Florida Craftsmen is a 59-year-old statewide organization, headquartered in St. Petersburg. During the recent economic downturn, organizational activities became very localized. There is a current push by the Staff and Board to develop the infrastructure necessary to resume a statewide presence. Area directors are being recruited from the nine state regions and efforts will then be made to assist these areas with local exhibitions and educational workshops, particularly in Miami-Dade, Broward, Duval, Orange and Leon counties.

Florida Craftsmen represents over 300 Florida contemporary craft artists in their 2000 sf retail space in St. Petersburg, with many more artists featured in cutting-edge exhibitions showcasing local, regional and national artists in their exhibition gallery. All artists are juried into the galleries with the bar set high for excellence. “Expect to be Dazzled” is a common thread in the marketing program!

St. Petersburg was recently designated the #1 Arts Destination for a Mid-Sized City in the US for the second year in a row. Florida Craftsmen is a well-respected gallery situated in the heart of the downtown dining and cultural district in the old Rutland Department store. Over 40,000 people visited the gallery in the last year and 12,000 attended the annual CraftArt Festival, many from out of the area. This is a 40% increase in attendance from the previous year due to an increase in tourism in the area, improved marketing strategies and an upgraded presentation of the galleries. According to the Americans for the Arts Economic Impact Calculator, this organization has a $1.7 million impact on Pinellas County. This figure does not factor in the impact of the artists outside of the county who are being supported through gallery sales.

Each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, Florida Craftsmen produces CraftArt, a 2-day outdoor fine craft festival. One hundred and thirty contemporary artists from around the country are juried into the show which is located in front of the Florida Craftsmen Gallery. Artists’ demonstration and interactive activities enhance the public’s experience along with great food and craft beers. This year, the festival will expand to include at least 3 emerging artist booths, where artists who have never participated in an outdoor art festival will have an opportunity to showcase their work for free. The event is staged along the main thoroughfare in downtown St. Petersburg, rather than in one of the local parks, in order to expose visitors to the businesses on Central Avenue. Many of the businesses in the vicinity gratefully report that they have a substantial increase in revenue during CraftArt weekend.

Florida Craftsmen has a long tradition of presenting exhibitions which are thought-provoking, engaging and an expression of quality craft art. By providing free access to the exhibits and related educational programming, Florida Craftsmen makes the art experience accessible and exciting to the general public who might not necessarily attend arts-related events. Programming includes gallery talks by artists, trunk shows, panel discussions, hands-on activities and the monthly Gallery Walk.

Educating artists in the business of art has become a top priority for the organization. Classes recently offered include “Photographing Your Work”, “Selling Yourself and Your Art”(marketing) “Beyond the Artists Gift Card” (product development), “Approaching a Gallery” and “Making It Big and Taking It Outside” (becoming a public art artist). A new program called “$30 Thursdays” offers artists an opportunity to have photos taken of five pieces of work by a professional photographer for only $30. Response has been positive for the education program with a demand for more, so the groundwork is being laid for a more in-depth curriculum which will improve the artists’ professional practices and provide access to retail and wholesale markets. If awarded, this grant would accelerate the program, particularly with respect to the on-line version of the classes which would be invaluable to artists residing outside the Pinellas County area.

Operating Budget

	Operating Expenses	Completed Fiscal Year ending 9/30/10
1.	Personnel: Administrative	82,925
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	47,500
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	181,190
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	27,972
6.	Space Rental, Rent or Mortgage	22,893
7.	Travel	4,542
8.	Marketing	57,258
9.	Remaining Operating Expenses	98,825
A.	Total Cash Expenses	$523,105
B.	In-kind Contributions	$18,360
C.	Total Operating Expenses	$541,465
	Operating Income	Completed Fiscal Year ending 9/30/10
10.	Revenue: Admissions
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services	64,322
12.	Revenue: Other	319,250
13.	Private Support: Corporate	17,775
14.	Private Support: Foundation	14,800
15.	Private Support: Other	26,240
16.	Government Support: Federal	12,500
17.	Government Support: State/Regional	25,564
18.	Government Support: Local/County	32,286
19.	Applicant Cash	10,368
D.	Total Cash Income	$523,105
B.	In-kind Contributions	$18,360
E.	Total Operating Income	$541,465

Additional Operating Budget Information

During this fiscal year, a new Executive Director was hired and improvements were made to the infrastructure and physical gallery space. To date, sales in the galleries are up 14% and membership is up 62%. Additional revenue streams include an expanded education program.

Proposal Budget: Summary

	Proposal Expenses	A. Request	B. Cash Expenses	C. In-kind	Total
1.	Personnel: Administrative	8,000	10,000	0	$18,000
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	8,000	9,500	0	$17,500
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	0	0	0	$0
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	6,000	5,500	200	$11,700
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	5,500	4,500	250	$10,250
6.	Space Rental	0	1,000	0	$1,000
7.	Travel	1,000	500	0	$1,500
8.	Marketing	18,500	17,500	2,500	$38,500
9.	Remaining Proposal Expenses	3,000	1,500	0	$4,500
D.	Total Proposal Expenses	50,000	50,000	2,950	$102,950
	Proposal Income	A. Request	B. Cash Income	C. In-Kind	Total
10.	Revenue: Admissions		0		$0
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services		18,000		18,000
12.	Revenue: Other		13,000		13,000
13.	Private Support: Corporate		5,000		5,000
14.	Private Support: Foundation		0		$0
15.	Private Support: Other		5,000		5,000
16.	Government Support: Federal		0		$0
17.	Government Support: Regional		0		$0
18.	Government Support: Local/County		9,000		9,000
19.	Applicant Cash		0		$0
E.	Total Proposal Income	50,000	50,000	2,950	$102,950

Proposal Budget: Detail

	Proposal Expenses	A. Request	B. Cash Expenses	C. In-Kind	Total
1.	Personnel: Administrative	8,000	10,000	0	$18,000
1.1. Executive Director		4,000	5,000	0	9,000
1.2. Business Manager		4,000	5,000	0	9,000
2.	Personnel: Programmatic	8,000	9,500	0	$17,500
2.1. Gallery Manager		5,000	6,500	0	11,500
2.2. Gallery Assistant		3,000	3,000	0	6,000
3.	Personnel: Technical/Production	0	0	0	$0
4.	Outside Fees and Services: Programmatic	6,000	5,500	200	$11,700
4.1. Workshop Leaders 24@500		5,000	5,000	0	10,000
4.2. Curators 5@ 1500		1,000	500	200	1,700
5.	Outside Fees and Services: Other	5,500	4,500	250	$10,250
5.1. Graphic design/Web design		1,500	1,500	250	3,250
5.2. Video Production		2,500	2,500	0	5,000
5.3. On-line course management		1,500	500	0	2,000
6.	Space Rental	0	1,000	0	$1,000
6.1. Workshop space off-site		0	1,000	0	1,000
7.	Travel	1,000	500	0	$1,500
7.1. Staff travel for off-site exhibitions and workshops		1,000	500	0	1,500
8.	Marketing	18,500	17,500	2,500	$38,500
8.1. Print and on-line advertising for programming		8,000	8,000	1,000	17,000
8.2. Postage for mailers		1,500	500	0	2,000
8.3. Advertising for CraftArt festival		9,000	9,000	1,500	19,500
9.	Remaining Proposal Expenses	3,000	1,500	0	$4,500
9.1. Shipping for exhibitions		1,500	500	0	2,000
9.2. Shipping for Experience Collection		500	500	0	1,000
9.3. Expenses for ACRE Orlando market		1,000	500	0	1,500
D.	Total Proposal Expenses	50,000	50,000	2,950	$102,950

	Proposal Income	A. Request	B. Cash Income	C. In-Kind	Total
10.	Revenue: Admissions		0		$0
11.	Revenue: Contracted Services		18,000		$18,000
11-1 Workshop revenue			18,000		18,000
12.	Revenue: Other		13,000		$13,000
12-1 Retail Sales			8,000		8,000
12-2 Membership			5,000		5,000
13.	Private Support: Corporate		5,000		$5,000
13-1 Sponsors for CraftArt			5,000		5,000
14.	Private Support: Foundation		0		$0
15.	Private Support: Other		5,000		$5,000
15-1 Private exhibition sponsors			5,000		5,000
16.	Government Support: Federal		0		$0
17.	Government Support: Regional		0		$0
18.	Government Support: Local/County		9,000		$9,000
18-1 City of St. Petersburg			9,000		9,000
19.	Applicant Cash		0		$0
E.	Total Proposal Income	50,000	50,000	2,950	$102,950

Additional Proposal Budget Information

No answer provided.

Fiscal Condition and Sustainability

Florida Craftsmen is a well-respected, 59-year-old organization with deep roots in the St. Petersburg community. The organization owns its building, most recently valued at $2mil, with a $400k mortgage, providing a healthy cushion of equity. Steps have been taken to reduce expenses while increasing income. Sales in the retail gallery are up 14%, membership revenue has increased 62% over last year and the artists’ studios on the second floor are at 100% occupancy. It is expected that with steps to increase its presence throughout the state, there will be a further increase in membership revenues. An increase in programming and special events planned for the coming season is expected to also increase revenue.

The education program is an essential element of Florida Craftsmen’s mission, providing the building blocks which will empower the fine craft artists of Florida. During the past year, a test program of courses was offered and met with great success. Suggestions for further workshops were solicited from class participants with enthusiastic support for continued offerings.

The classes are structured so that the instructor receives a percentage of the workshop fee per student rather than a flat fee. This eliminates the possibility that a workshop would lose money if offered. However, in an effort to keep the workshops affordable, fees are low which limits the amount and type of marketing and support expenses which can be spent. It also limits the ability to video the courses to advance an on-line option which would benefit artists throughout the state and take this program to the next level.

Evaluation Plan

Overall success of the mission of the organization is realized by the number of visitors who come to the galleries on a regular basis, by the number of artists who participate in the retail, exhibition and education programs and by the increasing numbers of people who attend CraftArt each year. Sales in the gallery are up by 14%, memberships have increased by 62% and media reviews of exhibitions and the overall organization are consistently glowing.

Success of the education program will be evidenced in the number of participants in the workshops and their feedback. At the end of each workshop, participants fill out an evaluation form to rate the quality of the instruction and subject matter and suggest future workshops. After review by the Executive Director who heads the Education Program, this information is used to determine the success of the workshop, whether to repeat it, any changes which would improve the class and what other classes need to be offered. Instructors are given feedback from the evaluations.

The number of artists who successfully take their products to market after completing the course sequence will also be evidence of the success of the program. The program would include yearly monitoring and mentoring of artists who have enrolled in the program with avenues for written and/or oral feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of the program. The current website is being redesigned to include forums and blogs.

Ultimately, the program must be self-sustaining so enrollment figures, satisfaction ratings and effectiveness will be the deciding factor in the continuation and expansion of the program. Currently, there is a tremendous need by artists who have developed a quality product but do not have access to the information they need to build their businesses. Florida Craftsmen is stepping up to open doors for artists who have not previously had access to these key ingredients for their success.

Applicant Accessibility

Question	Response
Does the applicant have policies and procedures (including a complaint process) that address non-discrimination on the basis of disability?	Yes
Does the applicant have a staff person that is responsible for compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and Florida Statutes 553?	Yes (Janie Lorenz)
Has the applicant completed the Section 504 Self Evaluation Workbook from the National Endowment for the Arts (linked) in the last 5 years?	Yes

Accessibility

Located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida Craftsmen's large windows provide an inviting peek into the colorful and eclectic mix of fine craft inside. Entry into the retail and gallery spaces is always free, and volunteers and staff have been selected and trained to be welcoming and attentive to all of our visitors' needs. All spaces are ADA compliant and upper floors are accessible through the elevator or stairs. Though the layout of the gallery is often changed, pedestals and free standing displays are positioned so that visitors in wheelchairs have access to all areas on the floor.

Efforts are made to bring diverse audiences into the galleries.Florida Craftsmen regularly host visitors from Creative Clay, an organization which provides art education and services to adults with physical and developmental challenges.

The Experience Collection, a compilation of artworks which can be experienced by those who are blind, deaf or otherwise challenged, was assembled in 2009 to be experienced by people of all abilities and to educate those fortunate enough not to have such challenges. It traveled to the Lighthouse of Pinellas in 2009, and there are plans to travel this collection in the near future.

Required Documentation

IRS 501(c)3 Determination Letter

Support Materials

1. Letter from Executive Director, Diane Shelly

2. Florida Craftsmen Organizational Chart

3. Florida Craftsmen Board of Directors List

4. Florida Craftsmen State Regional Map

5. 2011-2012 Exhibition Schedule

6. Artists' Career Development Course Descriptions

7. "The Professional Artist" course syllabus

8. Education Program Evaluation - Wendy Rosen Workshop

9. Florida Craftsmen Rack Card

10. Fabricated Exhibition Invitation

11. Closet Artists:Art To Wear Exhibition Invitation

12. Closet Artists:Art To Wear Exhibition Review in Creative Loafing

13. Out of Hand Exhibition Invitation

14. CraftArt 2010 Invitation

15. The Experience Collection Information and Audio CD