Cynthia, one of DHA’s wonderful volunteer organizers, is also helping to organize a Call for Entries event to benefit the local nonprofit Buntport Theater. It’s not a vending opportunity, but it could be great exposure and just a fun way to do something different with your masterful crafting skills. It sounds like a fun event and a great way to support another great local organization!

In collaboration with Create Denver Week (put on by Denver’s Office of Cultural Affairs), the Denver Handmade Alliance is sponsoring a craft market and day of interactive handmade fun. This is a call for local vendors of fantastic handmade goods.

When: April 17, 2010, 11 am – 7 pm
Where: Events Warehouse and The Flower Garage at 15th and Delgany
Application Deadline: March 12th

You will be notified of your acceptance by March 17th. Payment must be received by March 22nd to secure your space. Your notification letter will provide instructions on how to deliver your payment to us. There are no refunds for cancellations.

The application can be found here: crafty ballyhoo app
Email completed application to events [at] denverhandmade.org. Applications can also be dropped off at Tomte. Modern Craft, 1644 Platte Street.

We are excited to bring the French Nest Open-air Market back for the 2010 market season! Creative people like you are what make the market such a unique shopping experience for northern Colorado and with all of the emails we have been receiving we are certain the market is going to be better than ever!

We have confirmed the 3rd Saturday of every month from May to October! The time and location have remained the same: Civic Center Park from 9 am. to 3 pm. Actual dates and details are listed on the attached application.

To entice you further, we are offering a $50.00 discount for those vendors who commit to a minimum of five markets this summer. And, as the old saying goes… the early bird gets the …nest? Or $50.00 off off the nest! That’s right sign up and pay for a minimum of 5 markets by April 15th and we will give you an additional $50.00 off of your summer registration fees!

Thank you for being as wonderfully creative and determined as you are! We have already had many people asking when the markets will start-up again, meaning the word is spreading. You can help this along by forwarding this information to anyone you think would be interested.

That’s it for now! Take care and stay warm as you continue dreaming of and planning for summer!

Best,

Laura and Christy
French Nest 2010 application

For those of you who were unable to attend don’t worry we plan on scheduling future photography workshops and for those of you who did attend we plan on future photography workshops that will build on the information covered in the first session and explore other topics based upon your feedback.

Keep an eye out for upcoming workshops:

“An Introduction to Intellectual Property, Copyrights, and Branding” led by Greg O’Connor – April

“Buzz Box: Intro to sales tax” hosted by Mile High Business Alliance – May

Registration information to follow.

Old South Gaylord Festival takes place this year May 29, 30, & 31 10am-6pm. Vendor applications are due February 16th. More information and applications can be found here: http://www.southgaylordstreet.com/events.html

We are not familiar with this festival, so if anyone has first hand knowledge or impressions please post in the comments!!

Just a friendly reminder that our first workshop is quickly approaching. If you have not yet registered we encourage you to do so as class space is limited. Check out the information below!

Photography is Your Friend!

This hour and a half workshop will explore how crafters and designers use photography and how to achieve a more professional look to your photos with the camera you already have.

Erin Algiere is currently attending the Art Institute of Colorado for Photography in preparation for grad school. Erin has spent the past decade working for small businesses, promoting DIY endeavors and investigating the difference between communicating visually and via the written word. The thing she likes most about photography is how deceptively simple it is.

Her DIY clients include AIC Photo Club, Eye Spy Eyeware, Epidemick Clothing and Design, becky’s buttons, Vinluan Creative and MCA Denver.

When: Wednesday February 10th 7PM

Where: The Other Side Arts (TOSA) 1644 Platte Street

Who: This workshop caps at 20 attendees

Cost: $10 donation (this money goes towards space rental and printed materials, our instructors generously donate their time).

How to Register: DHA workshops are open to everyone but fill up on a first come first serve basis, to register please visit Tomte Craft and drop off your workshop donation to ensure a space in the class. Tomte Craft is located at 1644 Platte Street and is open Tuesday – Saturday 11AM-6PM and Sundays 12PM-5PM. If you are located outside of Denver or cannot make the hours listed above please email Becky Wareing at becky@denverhandmade.org

Sincerely,

Your Friends at the Denver Handmade Alliance

Project Hello has announced the date for their first event, here are the submission guidelines. For more information on Project Hello visit: http://projecthello.posterous.com/

submit your idea for a work centered on the concept of introduction. this piece should reveal who you are as a creative individual, and will be considered for exhibition inclusion by a jury of your fellow creatives to be presented at project hello at the TAXI complex on May 1, 2010.

project submission guidelines
(email application by march 1, 2010 to: projecthellodenver[at]gmail.com)
your name
your company’s name (if applicable)
website or 5-7 images (jpegs) of your work from the last 2 years
email
phone #
a detailed, written description, and drawings or photos of proposed project
brief bio/statement
please let us know if you would like a table space or wall space, and special needs for exhibiting your project.
details

event: project hello
date: may 1, 2010, 12-7pm (set-up: 10am-12pm, breakdown: 7pm-9pm)
location: TAXI, www.taxibyzeppelin.com, denver
project submission deadline: march 1, 2010
acceptance notice: march 10, 2010, via email
participation fee: $10 = 6′ table space (participants supply their own table) or $20 = 4×8′ plywood wall (provided)
participation fee is due w/in 10 days of acceptance via paypal.
project hello is an indoor event.
creatives will have up to an 4×6′ foot space to work with. please let us know if you are a musician, performer, new media artist, or any other creative that needs additional space.
participants will need to provide their own tables and chairs.
to connect our community, please plan on being present alongside your work for the entire event, including setup and breakdown.
please feel free to contact us with any questions or just say hello:
projecthellodenver[at]gmail.com
follow us: project hello facebook page

Introductions-
The Denver handmade Alliance is a group of crafters working to promote handmakers in the Denver area – fostering creativity, supporting buying handmade & shopping locally, and providing resources for small craft based businesses. We formed last fall with a small group of people when the opportunity to put on a craft fair presented its self. We are now looking to formalize the organization and get more people involved.

Create Denver Expo-
The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is putting on Create Denver Week April 10-17.

We are looking for people to organize an event or events and possibly put together a proposal. The deadline for proposals is coming up fast, so we need to get organized pretty quickly. The proposal deadline is January 29th.

Ideas for programming generated at the meeting:
-A craft fair including maker demos, a ‘make and take away’ table, kid’s craft table, or kid’s shopping booth.
-A video interviewing crafters to be shown at the craft fair or a panel discussion during Create Denver Expo on April 10th.

The craft fair idea mostly needs a group to finalize craft fair programming so a proposal can be written. We’d like to have a meeting early next week to do that.
The video proposal needs a leader to head up the project. If anyone is interested, please let us know. As of now, we haven’t had any formal volunteers. We need someone commented to filming on the short time line before we submit the proposal.

If you’d like to help organized the craft fair, please email Crystal[at]denverhandmade.org with your availability next week.
If you’d like to pursue the creation of the video, please respond to this forum thread: http://denverhandmade.org/discuss/index.php?topic=8.0

Summer Market-
We want to do a large scale outdoor market this summer. If you’d like to help organize, please contact Brett at brett[at]vitalindustries.com.

Non-Profit Status-
We are looking to get set up as a proper organization. If you’d like to help out planning our organization structure contact Crystal. Anyone is welcome, and knowledge of the process is even better. We’re thinking of having a meeting the first week in February, so forward along your availability that week. Also, we are on the look out for possible board members!

Forums-
We now have forums up and running! Please feel free to use these to connect with others in the community. Uses for the forums that people generated at the meeting: sharing skills, sharing business knowledge, setting up equipment / tool shares, sharing craft fair experiences, ect.

Etsy Street Team-
Brett submitted to Etsy the names of those that signed up at the meeting. Etsy is working on developing more resources for teams and we will keep you posted as teams ramp up. If you haven’t signed up, the only requirement we have at the moment is coming to a meeting or event. While there get in contact with Brett and he will take your name down.

Member Links on the website-
If you signed up on the team sheet at the meeting, you will be added to the website. Otherwise, if you aren’t listed let Crystal know. Requirements for a listing on the website are the same as the team at the moment. At some point we may have a more formal member ship (possible dues?). We will deal with that when we get to it.

Calendar-
The website has a calendar with DHA events listed. This is also the place where deadlines and dates for craft fairs can and will be listed.

Blog-
We are encouraging people to contribute to the blog. So, if you have any handmade crafty topic you’d like to write about we’d love to have you. At one point we had thought of having a series interviewing crafty friendly shops in the area (those where you can sell your wares or purchase craft making supplies).
To contribute to the blog: click on Site Admin under Meta in the bottom right side bar. Create a user name and password. Then, email Crystal and she will enable you to write posts. If you need an in-person demo, let us know.

Workshop ideas-
Social media
Etsy
A couple people expressed interest in leading one of these workshops. Please contact Becky at becky[at]denverhandmade.org to work out the details. Also, if you have any other ideas, please let us know.

Misc. ideas/talking points-
Creation of a labs (similar to Etsy labs) where creatives can meet and work on projects.
DHA booths at craft shows (highlands street fair, national events)
Any ideas for planning a social event in February?

One last thing: Vital Studios is not ideal for these gatherings, so if anyone has location idea/leads we’d love to hear them!

Thanks!
The DHA team

The Highlands street fair is held annually on the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend, on 32nd Avenue between Perry and Julian Streets. The family friendly event is for all ages and it’s free. Attractions include a children’s area, classic car show, food courts and beer gardens, along with the vendors featuring everything from jewelry, photography, paintings, ceramics, leather goods, and clothing along the 32nd and Lowell intersection each year.

Sponsored by longtime neighborhood businesses such as Community Bank, the day-long event in the historic northwest Highlands neighborhood has become a draw for visitors from Denver, Colorado, and around the country. Visitors can explore the mix of shops, boutiques and services, listen to three stages of live music, browse artisans wares and sample food and drinks.

Applications and vendor information can be found here: http://www.highlands-square.com/fair/vendor.asp

EDIT: Booth fees are a bit expensive. Sharing booth space is allowed. Or we can do a DHA booth. If you are interested in participating in a DHA booth post here. If we get enough commitment, we will put in an application.