From August 3 to 5, approximately 30 students will present their work at CCA's School to Market booth at the American Craft Council Show at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.

With more than 230 of the top contemporary jewelry, clothing, furniture, and home-decor artists from across the country, this is the largest juried craft show west of the Rockies, providing an unparalleled opportunity for students to exhibit their fine art and functional craft works in a high-profile venue.

About CCA's School to Market Program

The opportunity to participate in the American Craft Council Show evolved from a partnership between the American Craft Council (ACC) and CCA. Last year CCA faculty members Anne Wolf and David Cole, with student assistance, ran the first CCA School to Market booth at the ACC show in Baltimore, which exhibited the juried work of students and alumni -- representing the Ceramics, Glass, Jewelry / Metal Arts, Textiles, and Furniture Programs.

Etsy executives, magazine editors, museum board members, gallery owners, collectors, and store buyers all saw the work. Significant sales were made, but more importantly, students had the opportunity to test the market and learn valuable lessons through this hands-on experience.

CCA Craft Curriculum

The student feedback about the first venture was overwhelmingly positive. CCA's administration recognized that students in the craft studio areas need and want to learn more about marketing their work. To address this need, a "School to Market" course -- a craft workshop -- was introduced in the spring 2012 shared craft curriculum.

Cotaught by Wolf and Cole, students learned about different methods and venues for marketing work and had multiple opportunities to interface with artists who support themselves by selling their work. Previous course participants will also collaborate to run this year's School-to-Market booth at Fort Mason.

About the American Craft Council

The American Craft Council (ACC) is a national, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb. With a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft, we [the ACC] celebrate the remarkable achievements of the many gifted artists today who are working with a variety of materials.