I'm looking for advice for my guild's quilt show

[Robin G.]

My wonderful guild (Sinnissippi Quilters of Rockford, IL) puts on a terrific judged quilt show every other year. We have been approached by our venue's manager about the possibility of having a show EVERY year. I'd like to hear from anyone whose guild stages a quilt show every year - how large is it? do you have a core of people who do the same tasks each show? how many quilts do you hang? about how many people attend each year? are you dependent on your quilt show for income to fund guild activities? do you always have the same format or does it vary?

I would be very grateful for anyone who has anything whatsoever to say about this. We are just now starting to explore the possibility. Thanks.

[Robin G.]

That sounds like a lot of work for every year, depending on how large your show is and how many volunteers you can get to plan and work on it. My guild uses the same venue as another large guild in our area and we alternate years. My guild has a show every odd year and the other in every even numbered year. Both shows take place during March. My guild does their large charity quilt project in the even years when we do not have a quilt show.

Good luck!

[Robin G.]

Hi Robin, I hope I can catch up with you at Paducah to give you more details, but I'm part of two organizations that put on annual shows. I'm one of 7 members of the committee that puts on our local show. We hang about 200 quilts each year. The 7 of us do most of the work, but we get support from our chamber of commerce and financial support from one of the local banks. I'm also one of the volunteers for the Ogallala quilt show, a regional show held annually in Dimmitt, Texas. Ogallala also hangs about 200 quilts (slightly more this past year). The board of directors for that show meets monthly for planning the show, and the same people have the same tasks from year to year, with some rotation or chances every year. One of my friends is in charge of volunteers, and she usually has about 175 volunteers set up—these vary from people like me who are there for the whole week (start setting up Monday afternoon, hang Tuesday, judging with a nationally certified judge on Wednesday and Thursday, awards dinner Thursday night, show open Friday and Saturday, and take-down Saturday after 5) to people who only act as quilt angels for 2 hours during the show.

[Robin G.]

Robin, great information. The one thing that stood out in what you said was the mention of a sponsor. This is something we have never thought of doing and there are several organizations in town that might be receptive.
We generally hang between 300 and 350 quilts plus special exhibits like the Hoffman dolls or the Route 66 quilts. About 40% of our quilts are display only; the rest are judged by two NQA judges. The amount of work it takes to put on a biennial show is overwhelming but the idea of annual show is also intriguing.
I hope we'll have time to talk more in Paducah.

[Robin G.]

Hi Robin, I hope I can catch up with you at Paducah to give you more details, but I'm part of two organizations that put on annual shows. I'm one of 7 members of the committee that puts on our local show. We hang about 200 quilts each year. The 7 of us do most of the work, but we get support from our chamber of commerce and financial support from one of the local banks. I'm also one of the volunteers for the Ogallala quilt show, a regional show held annually in Dimmitt, Texas. Ogallala also hangs about 200 quilts (slightly more this past year). The board of directors for that show meets monthly for planning the show, and the same people have the same tasks from year to year, with some rotation or chances every year. One of my friends is in charge of volunteers, and she usually has about 175 volunteers set up—these vary from people like me who are there for the whole week (start setting up Monday afternoon, hang Tuesday, judging with a nationally certified judge on Wednesday and Thursday, awards dinner Thursday night, show open Friday and Saturday, and take-down Saturday after 5) to people who only act as quilt angels for 2 hours during the show.

Wow! It's amazing that a committee of only seven could pull this off. Maybe my guild could learn from you, too. It could be that too many on the committee makes it more challenging. When I was on the committee a few shows ago, there were about 15 members and I just learned that some of the positions for our upcoming 2015 Quilt Expo have been split. So, that means there are even more on the committee now. It's often difficult to get volunteers to fill all of those positions.

I was responsible for the program booklet and sponsor ads. Most of our sponsors also had vendor booths at the show.

[Robin G.]

You should also think about whether your guild members produce enough new quilts to stage a show annually.

[Robin G.]

As an attendee of quilt shows ... I will not even go to one unless there are OVER 150 quilts. My time is precious to me and I would rather be quilting then driving to a show that is small.

I would also want diversity in the quilts and style. I stopped going to several guilds where they all seemed to make the same quilts in the same style from the same pattern. I think that comes from having guild workshops and classes and everyone making the same thing. Great for the quilter but makes for a boring show.

I want to see the quilts hung full out on racks... I stopped going to smaller shows that display their quilts over church pews or chairs on tables. I liked the quilts but since it has become harder to get to and walk around quilt shows I have become more picky on how I spend my time.

I also want diversity in styles... love the old family quilts ( as long as they are clean and do not smell) the traditional quilts but also want to see art quilts, quilt challenges and modern quilts... whatever are the current trends.... I go for the inspiration and creativity shown by the shows. I dislike seeing the same thing over and over again.

I think this is one reason I stopped going to the AQS shows I use to go to several within driving distance as part of a vacation but for the last three years they have had QUILTS by the TENT MAKERS .... Yes they are beautiful quilts but after seeing them three years in a row I want to see something different. I also noted that many of the quilts I saw in Landcaster were the same ones I saw in GRAND RAPIDS, MI. I now try to go to shows produced by different production companies and guilds. I have been finding the shows put on by bigger regional guilds were sometimes better and more diverse than the shows put on by the big production companies. I do however want to go to a MACHINE QUILTING producer.... I have not done that yet.

That is another thought..... I like seeing all sorts of quilting methods... I prefer shows that do not judge long arm professionals against home (non professionals) longarmers against domestic quilters and hand quilters.... I think they each should be judged in their own categories. I think the judging of the quilting is just as important as judging of the assembled quilt tops.

Anyways that is my opinion.