Why the high cost for table space at the gathering???

[LewisWilson]

Why is the cost for one table at the bead bazaar $180. This is just an insult. As a founding member in 1993, I remember how we discussed having a bazaar and that the cost was "TO BE MINIMAL". The original premise for having a bead bazaar during the gathering was to help recoup cost to get there. Is the bead bazaar being used to generate funds for ISGB? It should not .
Also-up front-I would like to suggest that only fully paid conferance members be allowed to sell in the bead bazaar. This is a sticky point that has been brought up many times.
Here are two questions that I would like answers to.
1) How many tables might be sold for the bead bazaar? This is a figure that for now is unknown, so maybe, how many were there last year? Also, with this bad economy, there are likely to be fewer selling. Also at $180 a table, fewer selling.
2) What is the cost of the hall for the one day? And we know that the bazaar cloeses earlier than any bead show in this nation. But lets just go for the one full day cost of the hall. That might make some understand the high table cost.
I am just trying to figure out how this $180 a table cost comes from.
Please answer these simple---yes VERY SIMPLE questions.
Lewis C Wilson

[Kendra Bruno]

Lewis, I am happy to answer any questions that you have and I know that any Board member would be happy to as well. I will try and make my response as straight forward as possible.

First, let me say that the $180 is a MISTAKE. The correct cost is $160 and it will be corrected in online registration and refunded to anyone who doesn’t see it appropriately and pays the higher price by mistake, if they register on paper.

We just discovered it shortly before you posted when we were proofing the Regonline registration online system. It has taken several hours to try and get the word out in all of the correct places. A message has already gone out on Facebook and on LE and we sent a Constant Contact message to all members a short time ago. We will note this on other sites as quickly as we can. We do apologize if our not catching that earlier caused frustration.

We kept the 2011 price the same as 2009 Miami and 2010 Rochester, even though our electrical costs for the Bead Bazaar in Louisville are much higher. Electrical is included in the cost of a Bead Bazaar table as you know.

ISGB does not try to profit from/off of our members in the sale of Bead Bazaar tables. We try to cover costs for the Bead Bazaar.

Here is the history of Bead Bazaar table rental fees since 2004, with all being 8ft. tables except Kansas City:

2004 Portland Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $150
2005 Louisville Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $150
2006 Kansas City Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $120 (6ft. tables)
2007 Minneapolis Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $150
2008 Oakland Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $150
2009 Miami Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $160
2010 Rochester Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $160
2011 Louisville Bead Bazaar Table Rental - $160

The above price per table has to cover everything related to the Bead Bazaar.

In Rochester, we collected $13,520.00 in Bead Bazaar table fees from participants which was divided (not evenly) for whole and half tables.

There were 90 tables set up to give us a variance in how the wholes and halfs were divided.

We sold 84.5 tables in the end.

We paid out in expenses (only related to the Bead Bazaar) advertising, Security, Facility Attendants, electrical, printing, table and chair rental and a portion to the total sum of the facility rental - $13,089.43. The remaining $410.57 or $4.56 per table from what we collected was used to pay for Gathering overall cost. ISGB did not profit off of the fee that members paid for the Bead Bazaar.

Our cost for the convention center is an overall negotiated fee based on the conference as a whole and not just the Bead Bazaar. It is not broken down by event.

The cost for the convention center in Louisville for the days of use that we need is $13,200.00 with a $25,000.00 minimum in food.

I don’t think I recall anyone mentioning previously that they would like the Bead Bazaar to be open later. If they did, we don’t have it in any notes at this time. There is nothing that really would have prohibited that other than the Saturday evening banquet, Hall of Flame Award and Live Auction. If this is something that members want us to look at, we certainly can for Seattle in 2012, but we would need to change other event times, etc. if it were to run later.

I hope I have answered what you wanted Lewis. Thank you.

-Kendra

[LewisWilson]

I just had a very nice talk with Kendra . Thank you for posting all the information about the fees with the bazaar.
Let me preface this by saying that last weekend Barb and I exhibited at Beadfest Santa Fe. Talking with over a dozen lampworkers in the show, we only met one that was going to the gathering. Talking with another 50-60 lampworkers that dropped by the show, not one other said they were going to the gathering.
Now here is the big one-almost all we spoke with were bothered by the high cost of attending and or buying a table. Many using the words"most expensive one day show". My table space at Beadfest was $450 for four days with very serious buyers from around the country. This came out to $112 a day. The gathering is just very pricey, and the buyers are more local and regional.
Then the Convergence three came up and the jury fee was a major problem. This all added the conversations to trend towards the gathering being out of touch with the cost of doing a show or going to a conferance.
Barb and I had wanted to submit something for Convergence, but thought that the $50 jury fee was way out of line. Barb told me months ago that the jury process should be free, then, if accepted, you pay the fee, knowing that
it will be used to set up the show . This would allow many more to submit and only pay if accepted. barb is way smarter than me in many ways.
It is sad that the table fee is so high. this prevents many from attending and using the bazaar to help with expenses. The fewer sellers at the bazaar affects the amount of vendors in the tech area. Lowering table fee will get more to the bazaar and that will make more vendors. It will bennafit all.
Putting on shows is hard. I did it for many years at very big venues. I believe that is why so many people feel that they can complain to me and think that I will do something.
Maybe at the general meeting the hard figures for the bazaar could be given out .
One last comment. Why is there a goldsmith talking at our glass conferance? In my 38 years of working with glass I have seem many combinations of glass mixed with silver or wire wrapped. never have I seen gold work with glass added. For my money, i would rather see another high level glassworker lecture at out glass convention. Milon Townsend, Robin Mickelsen, Rogar Paramore, Shane Fero, Emillio Santini. TRhere are many that would truely inspire us to be greater than we are .
Lewis C Wilson

[Hayley]

Thank you, Kendra, for the information. I actually thought it was reasonable when I saw that the Bead Bazaar table went up slightly in the Gathering Booklet - even at $180, it's still lower than other shows we do. Understanding how conference costs keep raising, the ISGB was probably just covering its expenses.

I do have a question - is it possible to find out how wide the tables will be at Louisville? I was taken by surprise when I saw that the tables were only 24" wide/deep instead of the 30" ones we had in Oakland and Miami and had to scramble to re-arrange my table set up!

Thank you in advance!

Hayley

[Kendra Bruno]

Hayley, I will respond to your question first since it's a quick detail - the tables are 8' long and 30" wide right now. I am looking for a "better deal", so please do check back with me directly as we get closer to the Gathering. I don't want your booth design to be affected at the last minute. Many hotels and other facilities are switching to a smaller width, but we will keep all of this in mind, certainly. Thank you for the question and again...Happy Birthday,today!!!

Lewis, I really enjoyed our conversation. You brought up some really great points, ideas and suggestions. It is great to hear this feedback - not hearing hurts us. As you know from our talk and your new post above, I agree with many things regarding pricing and we do have to really look at what our conference costs to manage/run/present as well as what our members pay. We haven't increased costs and that has hurt us financially, but we must continue to be very pointed in our effort to look at how the operational costs can be reduced. We want our members to pay fair prices and we want our members to see their conference as affordable and valuable.

On Convergence, we absolutely can review how our fees are set and I know that the Board would join me in saying that we are very open to looking at anything - we have to watch our costs certainly, but we are very interested in ISGB adjusting, growing and changing on behalf of all of our members. This suggestion that you and Barb made is well worth exploring and considering and again, I thank you both for that - brilliant to look at this in another way!

Yes, when we are in Louisville, we can talk more about what the real final costs will look like there for the Bead Bazaar and I have added it to the agenda as requested.

Gathering presenters and instructors are one area where we get really good feedback. Our last Gathering survey brought us a wonderful list of individuals that members were interested in. I would need to check the stats of responses to that survey, but I believe it was well over 500+. Several people on the slate for Louisville came from that survey. Also, several of the people you suggested above were certainly mentioned. Emilio is already scheduled to be an instructor and presenter in Seattle at the 2012 Gathering. We couldn't work that into Louisville, but it is set for Seattle. I do know that Milon is headed for Louisville as an attendee - he's been in contact with us regarding several things. I've noted all of your suggestions for our continuing discussions for next year and thank you for those.

Lewis, I sincerely appreciate you bringing your thoughts and opinions and those of others to our attention. I don't know of any Board member who will not appreciate it as well, very much! You already know that I really hope you will continue to bring us suggestions and help keep us informed of what you "hear" - it really is so important! We need to know.

Thank you,
Kendra

[PamDugger]

Lewis, I am sure you had a great talk with Kendra, but just to give you another viewpoint, when ISGB had to switch to being in convention centers thus necessitating the rental of tables and chairs, when it became necessary to provide electricity to a large number of booths and provide outside security, the booth fees had to rise to cover what was being demanded by our space needs and the needs of our members.

I just went back and looked through some of my Gathering registration booklets, and in 1999, Scottsdale Gathering, the cost of the bead bazaar table was $75, while a half table was $45. Conference registration was $150. It is amazing that when we had to change to convention centers it added so much to the cost of the Gathering. You will probably recall from your Gathering in Albuquerque that the hotels basically gave us the meeting rooms to fill their hotel, and now we must pay many thousands of dollars for our meeting space.

With regard to your second discussion regarding the non-beadmaking presenter, I think we have always had one as a presenter, Milon Townson or Robert Michelsen or Josh Simpson, all non-beadmakers. Of course it does look like this year that almost half the presenters are not beadmakers, but if that is what the members want, then so be it. I've always enjoyed learning about different art forms, especially having to do with glass, but all art is interesting.

[LewisWilson]

I have no problem with non beadmakers. Most ISGB beadmakers do some other styles of glass, or want to learn. A goldsmith lecturing at out confeance is just lame. Excuse me---It is just the most lame thing I have ever seen in my life. Do you get my drift? This is a glass group. Next year do we get leather workers and potters? I hope that I did not just plant a seed.
Lewis the glassworker

[TerryHale]

Lewis, I really am interested in seeing if we can use your idea with the entry fees. That is a very intriguing idea! I put it in my notes so that the Board can research it further and see if we can do that and still afford to move the show(s) around to all the venues we hope to show in.

You may recall that the last couple of years we've sent out an online survey soon after the Gathering, while people still had fresh memories, about what they thought would make a better Gathering. We got pages and pages of feedback about all kinds of details, from what to serve at meals to possible location. Included in all of that data was what kind of speakers members were interested in having. The number of suggestions we received regarding speakers was quiet interesting as one comment that came up again and again was to bring in experts in fields outside of glass itself. Members spoke of wanting to know how these similar fields were marketing, how they viewed handmade glass beads and how hearing about/seeing these other artists' viewpoints, they might be inspired to take on some aspects of those other arts.

Will it be a hit? We'll know in Louisville. It's a risk you take when you ask for advice from a large group and try to incorporate their ideas. Rest assured, though, we don't plan to deviate from what we all love -- glass and making glass beads.

Pam, thank you for looking up that info and sharing it! It's amazing how costs have changed.

[SharonPeters]

Hey, Lewis - there's value to be had in a goldsmith's presentation. We'll probably see designs and learn about the artist's evolution to their current personal style, and we'll probably hear about techniques and how they incorporate other media into their jewelry. Many of our members work with silver and metal clay to make their own findings, bezel settings, endcaps, clasps, etc.to incorporate with their glass pieces, and I'm sure they'll be packing the room to see what the goldsmith has to say. Every opportunity we get to learn from somebody who creates in a different medium is an opportunity for us to snag an idea or technique or bit of inspiration to incorporate into our own work. Just plant yourself next to me and enjoy the presentation, Dirty Looie! *sharon*

[LewisWilson]

So Sharon, it will be good for us to be exposed to another art form. Right? So please explain to me why we have one keynote speaker, one international presenter and three master presenters---and only two work with glass. It is just wrong! Last I looked, we were a glass conferance.
And Pam. Concerning your mentioning three(Milon Townsend, Robert Mickelsen and Josh Simpson) that were non-beadmakers. Robin(Mickelsen) taught me to make my first beads using Kugler glass in 1992. Milon did three of my Best Bead shows with a a full selection of glass beads . Not sure about Josh, you are wrong on two of the three you called non-beadmakers. My point was and still is, they are superior glass workers. And we are glass workers. See how that firs together nicely?