Information for Prospective Art/Craft Vendors:
The following guidelines are set forth for the purpose of jurying crafts in order to determine whether the proposed craft is eligible to be sold at the market operated by Watauga County Farmers' Market. 100% of all crafts sold at the market must be hand crafted by the vendor. Any crafts that a current or potential vendor intends to sell at the market must be approved by the jury. Crafts that have been juried previously do not have to be submitted to the jury again. Craft juries will be held once a year.
Definition of Crafts: Crafts, for the purpose of the Watauga County Farmers' Market shall be determined to be: an item made by hand, which an observer of the craft can appreciate the technique and special skill used in the craft's production.
Non-farm crafts are produced from materials not grown or harvested by the crafts person and must be juried. Farm crafts are value added farm products produced predominately from materials grown or harvested by the crafts person. These crafts do not have to be juried by the Crafts Committee but do have to pass all other farm inspections.
The Crafts Committee and Jurying Process: All crafts must be juried by the Crafts Committee prior to being sold at any market operated by Watauga County Farmers' Market. Each person making crafts to sell at the market must be juried in individually. Separate crafters may only apply under the same membership if they are immediate family members. The names of all individual crafters selling under a single membership must be on file with the market manager. The Crafts Committee will consist of 3 to 4 community craftspeople who do not vend at the market and who are invited by WCFM to judge the craft jury. The Crafts Committee recommends to the Board of Directors whether or not the proposed craft is eligible to be sold at the market. The Board of Directors has the final determination as to whether or not a craft item can be displayed and sold.
To be juried, craft vendors will be assigned a number by the Market Manager. They will set up their crafts and will then leave the premises. Potential craft vendors will not be present at the jurying to ensure open and frank discussion. The Craft Committee will not know the name of the potential craft vendor. Crafts will only be known by number. The craft vendor will be notified by email of their acceptance. There will be no crafts juried on Market day.
Specific Criteria
All crafts must be hand crafted by the vendor.
Crafts must be the product of a home or cottage type industry using a personal type of technology rather than an industrial type of production. To be considered "hand crafted", the item must show evidence of manual skills obtainable only through a significant period of experience and dedication. Examples of unacceptable items would be, but not limited to: tracings of paint by number, ceramics or pottery from commercial molds, wood carvings using duplicating machines, kits in any form, and any other items that do not reflect originality of design.
All crafts will be juried with the exception of farm crafts, defined above. Craft vendors who add a new category of crafts after jurying will still have to have the new category craft juried. Everything that a craft vendor wants to sell at the market must be represented at jurying. Pieces too large to be carried easily can be represented at jurying by photographs. Judges reserve the right to ask craft vendors to bring the item if it is in question.
All crafts will be photographed at jurying to ensure what each craft vendor sells at the Market has been juried.
All crafts must be of excellent workmanship both in quality and design.
All craft vendors must comply with and abide by all Rules and By-Laws used to govern the Watauga County Farmers' Market. They must also be a member of the Market in good standing.
The Market Manager has the discretion to immediately remove any craft item that he/she considers objectionable. The Board of Directors must review the manger's decision within 14 days and make an official ruling on the matter.