CCI-Stoppress-1998-9

The Crafts Council of Ireland welcomes the opportunity to print letters from members of the Register and of Guilds in our Stop Press, subject to available space.

The following letters relate to a letter sent out by the Chairperson on the 5th March, 1998 concerning the recent geographical changes at the Crafts Council.

BRUCE MAC DONALD Waterford Woodcraft Dunabrattin Annestown Co. Waterford Thank you for your letter of 5/3/98.

I think your reforms of the Crafts Council were timely and successful, so far. I'm impressed by the pragmatic approach to insurance and marketing you have taken and the activity as evidenced by the amount of paper which comes through my letter box!

Could I make some further suggestions from someone who has been in the business for over 20 years and made and sold our own woodturning through our own outlet: ® Promotion of quality craft retailers, identification of volume of the home market, award(s) for good practice and presentation, a "Good Craft Shop/Design Gallery Guide" © Another "Showcase" or something smaller pre-Xmas, in September, to bring suppliers and retailers together; the current situation is disorganised ® Very few Irish people know the Crafts Council exists, I know you are trying, but the "home decorating" market must be worth a lot of money.

Thank you, Yours, Bruce Mac Donald.

Chairperson's

reply:

I am happy to say that your recommendation to introduce a guide to quality craft retailers is now a matter of fact. A 1998 guide to the best of Irish craft and design retailers is at present being distributed around the country, a copy of which will be sent on to you.

The Board of the Council has your other recommendations under constant review, with particular regard to what is on offer by way of autumn/preChristmas fairs.

STOPRESS

LETTERS

markets served by the Crafts Council registered makers.

JEWELLERS & METALWORKERS GUILD OF IRELAND 4/5 Eustace Street Dublin 2 The committee of the Jewellers and Metalworkers Guild want to voice serious concerns over the "strategic alliance" between the Crafts Council and the DESIGNyard, and urgently seek clarification on a number of points.

The J M G has misgivings over: 1. The manner of the announcement, as the member Guilds do not appear to have been either consulted or forewarned about this major change.

The Guilds form an important part of the membership of the Crafts Council, and as such offer a major source of experience in the retailing and promoting of crafts.

2. The late announcement of this move, coming as it did so close to the proposed change-over.

3. Whether any attempt was made to find premises in Dublin which would accommodate a retail outlet and the administration department.

4. Obviously a main concern for our members is what the policy of the combined organisations will be towards the stocking of jewellery, given the presence of the ground floor Jewellery Gallery, and the different

5. No mention has been made regarding retail policy to be followed, both in the purchase of stock from the makers and in the commission rates levied on sale or return work.

Given the fact that the Crafts Council received substantial government funding, not available to every retail outlet, the J M G feels that the current policy on sale or return should be maintained.

Yours sincerely, E n a n Molloy.

Chairperson's

reply:

The Board of the Crafts Council of Ireland are empowered to manage CCol Ltd. having either been elected at an AGM of the company members or having been nominated by the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Board of Directors ofCCol are trustees, whose brief is to ensure that the company is managed in accordance with: (a)

(b)

the Memorandum and A rticles of Association or the statutory obligation placed on directors to provide sound financial management for a company in their charge.

In relation to your guild members' concerns over CCol stocking policy in the new gallery, the Council is offering its registered jewellers the opportunity to exhibit in the DESIGNyard Jewellery Gallery with a CCol quality brand.

As one of Europe's leading galleries, with an established reputation and rapidly expanding sales turnover, the gallery offers an excellent marketing opportunity. CCol registered jewellers selected for quality carry the branding, "Crafts Council at DESIGNyard - selected for quality", and therefore this branding will exclusively identify and promote the products of Irish jewellers amongst their European counterparts. Sales of your members work in the DESIGNyard gallery who hold the CCol brand have been extremely good in the first months of 1998, and we look forward to that continuing throughout the duration of the new alliance between DESIGNyard and CCol. As a selective promotion, this will not benefit all your Guild members whom, as you describe in your letter, serve different types of market.

However, given the CCoI's jewellery skills courses for professional as well as apprentice jewellers, and given the market opportunities on offer at the Council's Showcase trade fair, your general membership's interests are well served by CCol activities.

BERNADETTE MADDEN The Studio, Haddington Road, Dublin 4. and MARY JACKSON Ballyreddin, Bennettsb ridge, Co. Kilkenny.

With reference to your letter to craftworkers of 5th March 1998 outlining the Crafts Council of Ireland's development plans and move from Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, there are a number of points about which we, as members of the location sub-committee are concerned. These concerns are mainly with the move to DESIGNyard.

The Committee's recommendation to the Crafts Council of Ireland Board, based on detailed discussions at the meeting of 11th June 1997 was conditional on a number of points including the following:

1) The Craft Council of Ireland's retail gallery was to be sited on the ground floor of DESIGNyard.

2) The allocated space was to be approximately 1,000 sq. ft. for which an initially early rent of ÂŁ 6 5 , 0 0 0 was to be paid.

We were surprised, therefore, when we learnt through the Council's newsletter that the retail gallery had, in fact, moved to the first floor of DESIGNyard, a considerably smaller space for, we understand, the same financial consideration.

This is completely at variance with our recommendation to the Board and we are most concerned that your letter may have given craftworkers the impression that our committee somehow recommended or approved this move.

We were disappointed that our recommendation had not been accepted given that the minutes of the 11th June meeting clearly state that DESIGNyard were fully in favour of the plan and that the proposal from DESIGNyard themselves was completely in line with the unanimous decision of the location sub-committee. Any location in DESIGNyard, other than on the ground floor was never considered.

Y o u will understand that this is of great concern to us and we would appreciate if you would publish this letter in the next Crafts Council of Ireland newsletter in order to clarify our situation.

recommendations would have to be amended This was done, the new agreement was reached, and the sales figures of the CCol Gallery at DESIGNyard for the first months of 1998 have exceeded targets.

JOHN F F R E N C H 11 Main Street Stockbridge Massachusetts USA Thank you for your informative letter of the 5th which was forwarded on to me here, where I am at the moment.

I found your letter most interesting.

It seems a very sensible decision to move the Crafts Council to the Castle Yard in Kilkenny. I imagine the overheads are far more reasonable than they are now in Powerscourt Townhouse.

Some years ago I had several pieces of my work on display in Powerscourt Townhouse. Is it the Crafts Council's policy now in Kilkenny to have work on display from various craftspeople? I am not clear about this. I f it is possible to have my work shown in your new location how do I go about it?

Again thanks for your letter and keeping me informed.

Yours sincerely, John Ffrench.

Chairpersons

Yours sincerely, Bernadette Madden & Mary Jackson.

Chairperson's

reply:

The Location Sub-Committee did indeed recommend the points as stated in Mary and Bernadette's letter.

However, these were recommendations to go before the Board of Directors of the CCol for decision. Over a number of meetings and intensive negotiations, and again bearing in mind the financial position of the CCol gallery at that time, it became apparent that these

reply:

Our policy for the new gallery is constant despite the recent move emphasising the cutting edge of what is best in contemporary Irish crafts.

Recent individual promotions have included the ceramics of Cormac Boydell and the textiles of Mel Bradley, which shows the breadth the new gallery covers.

I know Lynn Stephens, the CCol Retail Manager, has written to you outlining the procedures involved in having your work shown in our new gallery in DESIGNyard.