Clay Fest Steering Committee Meeting Minutes, October 30, 2008

Attending: Susan Roden, Paula Mance, Frank Gosar, Karen Washburn, Rhoda Fleischman, Jerry & Shirley Huft, Holly Dubrasich, Merry Newcomer, Annie Hubbird, Elaine Pruett, Susie young Avi Harriman, Robin Russell, Michael Fromme, Linda Williams, Faith Rahill, Traci Manso, Barb Haddad, Leslie Friedman

First the Financials:

Frank - Treasurer -

• There was a small discrepancy between tags & the money collected. $147 more in tags than monies collected.
• There are many bills still to come in, but it appears that we should break even or lose very little money.
• Most sales were with plastic, ie: debit or credit. We collected less that $20,000 in cash/checks.

Linda W - Security, Karen - Registrar, Rhoda - Demo, Hufts - Gallery Display, Faith - Sales, Tracie - Workshifts, Michael - Visa/Credit, Linda S - Signage, Merry - Cash

• These chairs have no outstanding bills

Avi - Set-Up

• $88 over budget: purchased lights & constructed pedestals, these are non-recurring expenses

Elaine & Susie - Publicity -

• The bill from Register-Guard is still coming
• We have paid $128 of $820 bill to KLCC

Holly - Mailing

• Just submitted $20 fee

Robin - Sales Tags

• Just submitted bill for $60 for half of printer

Mary H - Building

• Just submitted Electric bill

We have not collected sponsorship money from Georgie's, yet.

The Friday Night Gala Opening cost:

• $760 for the building
• $350 for the music
• ~ $300 for food
• Pipe & Drape & audio was ~ $660 more
• Friday night cost us less than $2000 - Friday night commissions about covered the Gala Opening expenses. Not bad for a first time event.

Next the GOODS or POSITIVES of the Show:

• Extra time to set-up: the 2 half days, instead of 1 rushed day, for the artists and the Set-Up crew
• The music was great, it really added to the atmosphere
• The free food drew people
• We were able to draw in a "Post Work" crowd on Friday evening
• We didn't have to send customers away as we set-up on Friday, as in past years
• The sound system worked perfect from the start, for the first time
• Publicity had many positives, including:
  • Register Guard story on Frank
  • TV interview
  • North West Passage interview
  • OPB TV plug
  • Color ad in the Register Guard
  • QuARTerly Article
  • Sunday Register Guard Article on Clay In Ed
• Many (strong) new participants in the show
• The Mayor came, and proclaimed October: Clay Month
• The weather cooperated (no rain at move in or move out, too)
• UofO Football game was Saturday evening, not during our open hours
• Frank was able to print award certificates before presentation of awards

BADS that cost us:

• The economy - Wall Street didn't help at all
• The Register Guard did not run the multiple ads that were prepared & submitted to them, they kept running the same ad

OTHER BADS / NEGATIVES - Things to discuss in '09

• A disgruntled potter had the electrical box in his booth without his knowledge beforehand. (Karen noted for next year that booths # 48 # may lose 6" in the back of their booth)
• Tracie - Workshift Chair - Workshift & Committee jobs need to be clarified: hours required, and the number of people needed. This issue needs to be addressed in '09
• Publicity: (A new person) at Lane Events Center did not post Clayfest on their website until mid September, while the Home Show was posted in August.
• Were there not enough shopping baskets or were they not where they were needed? Placing a stack at corners / aisle ends could solve shoppers problem.
• Signs to inform customers of Central Sales (got lost in bottom of a box at Info Table - won't happen again)
• The door on the way to Bookkeeping was used to exit with parcels. We want to make it an Emergency Exit Only.
• Need to stress use of removable stickers for price tags, and of correct size.
• The Security Committee was short people
• Security Committee could use more people for Set-Up
• Aisle Host is a Workshift that could be examined - many just visited w/ other potters
• We need to stress that potters / booth holders need to be observant of the customers / and exit doors.
• The downtown banner read 10am - 6pm on Sunday - It needs to be changed
• Graphics did not get enough new photos from artists this year
• The building was cold
• There was an issue w/ someone bringing a (big) dog to the show (they were admitted !?)
• The Gallery was overwhelmed at the physical set-up (placing of pots). Hopefully won't happen again.
• Pipe & Drape and the Gallery physical Set-Up are one committee, and should be considered 2 committees - Address this in January
• Regarding 4pm Sunday close of the Show: There were still customers there. But Sales drop significantly after 3pm. Potters liked the early close.
• We did not clarify that the Friday Night food is for our guests not the potters.
• The Fairgrounds gave us some broken chairs - remember to check them out before show opening.
• The perpetual Fire Extinguisher problem Consider asking National Firefighters to come to Clayfest to approve fire extinguishers, as they came to the Home Show to do that
• Committee Chairs need to reconfirm their supplies & Signs a week before - Last minute requests are hard on all involved.
• The Museum parking lot does not belong to us
• Sales needs to include in next years budget: power cords. They used some of Paula's this year.
• Kid's Clay is not a babysitter for 2-year-olds on Friday night.

Possible revisit job point allocation in January

Clay-In-Ed Chair & Show presentation:

• Local Clay Chair needs to know they have a display at Clayfest to arrange.
• Show Chair need to be able to deal with the Clay In Ed Chair during the show

Avi Harriman will be willing to Chair Clayfest in 2009, if someone will take over Set-Up Chair

• Previously mentioned that Set-Up Committee is ready to be divided into Pipe&Drape and Gallery Physical Set-Up
• Barb Haddad came to talk with Avi about Pipe&Drape Chair
• Leslie Friedman said she would be Clayfest Secretary, as Barb changed to Pipe&Drape
• Will ask Michael Baines if he is interested in Chairing Set-Up w/out P&D

A hand vote was requested to accept Avi as Chair and he was unanimously voted in.

Paula showed the form to reserve EWEB rooms for our meetings, and submissions are accepted from Nov 1 on

Avi set meeting dates on the second Tuesday of the month at EWEB (pending acceptance by EWEB): January 13, February 10, March 10, 2009