On Friday, May 1st, Hello Craft will host its first ever Summit of Awesome in the heart of the Nation’s Capital!
Geared specifically for independent artists and crafters, the Summit of Awesome is 3 full days of seminars and hands-on workshops, which will provide business and technical education for those in the handmade arts community. The Summit also includes the D.C. premiere showing of the Indie Craft Documentary film, Handmade Nation – A highly anticipated film that captures the superstars of the indie craft world, and documents how the handmade community began and took its current shape.
The entire Summit of Awesome will take place in the independent shops, restaurants and bars in the MidCity area of D.C., along 14th and U Streets NW, including Miss Pixie’s Solly’s, DC9, Bar Pilar and Gate 54 at Cafe St. Ex. The Friday night film screening of Handmade Nation will be hosted at the DCJCC’s Theater J.
Special keynote speakers include Maria Thomas, CEO of Etsy.com, and Jenny Hart, Founder of Sublime Stitching!
Other speaker and workshop hosts include an impressive group from the indie crafting community from both the West and East Coasts.
Here is a small sampling of the speakers and demonstrators who will provide hands-on workshops and business seminars during the Summit of Awesome:
Seminars
- Tax Implications of Starting a Business with Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts
- Developing a Product Line. Deciding what to make and sell with Pistol-Stitched and This Chickadee
- Crafting a Green Craft with Urban Fauna Studio, Cosa Verde and Glue and Glitter
- Selling Successfully Online with Etsy Success & Virtual Labs and Cosa Verde
- What’s a Social Network and How to use it for Good with Etsy Success & Virtual Labs and WilloToons (that’s me, SF’s CoC Coordinator!)
- Craft Fair Booth Set up and Displays with Rebound Designs and Something’s Hiding In Here
- Branding and Identity with El Jefe Design
- and more!
Workshops
- Fun with Duct Tape with Kristina Bilonick
- Simple Mold Making with Adam Maron – Pearson Maron
- Fiber Demo with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera – Urban Fauna Studio
- How to Photograph your Work with Sherry – Dandelion Blu
- Sewing Demo with DC Threads
- Screen Printing Demo with Christy Petterson
Hello Craft is a D.C. based non-profit, launched in the Fall of 2008. Through the foundation of its interactive and increasingly popular website hellocraft.com, Hello Craft brings together crafters and makers to learn, grow and be prosperous in this ever-changing economy. With a desire to help sustain the handmade movement and support independent crafters within the community, Hello Craft welcomes all to its first annual Summit of Awesome.
EVENT: Summit of Awesome
WHEN: Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3
WHERE: MidCity, Washington, D.C.
WEBSITE/SUMMIT REGISTRATION: hellocraft.com
Use discount code willo25 for $25 off the cost of registration!
Coupon only applies to All Access Summit Passes, not day passes.
Coupon expires 4/29/2009.
If you’ll be at the Summit, please introduce yourself. I look forward to meeting you all!
~ Willo, WilloToons.com