Melbourne 2010
Well the show has come and gone for another year. Here are the facts and figures-
The Awards went as follows:
Maurie made an announcement on receiving the award. He is 70 this year, and the display box holding the knife had an engraved plaque to show it was built this year. He has decided that that is the last Art knife that he is going to enter into the awards category, but not the last he will make. Maurie has decided he has competed enough. So, the King has stepped aside to give the rest of us a chance, long live the King. It is game on boys and girls, letís see what you got.
The show was a great success and had a fantastic feel to it. I know some people are going to argue that, some even commented that the show is dying or dead, but I am not going that way. Yes numbers through the door are down, so are makers attending. But the people who came to the show wanted to buy knives and they did. Makers who came to the show wanted to sell, and they did. We sold big knives and small, skinners and Art Knives. Several guys had their best show ever or one of the best in years.At one point I thought I was going to have to beat people away from Del Rasoís table with a stick. John Foxwell got blisters wrapping up knives for customers.
We do need more makers to attend the show, no doubt. We are losing our older members faster than we gain new ones. Many have passed away, some have new interests. But I also spoke to enough makers who will be back next year and more who have decided that it is time to get back in, to know that next year's show will be bigger. I also spoke to a few new makers with lots of enthusiasm. I think one or two of them will come next year. If we show some encouragement these guys will be back again and that's how we will grow again.
We also need to do more to get people through the door. Traditional advertising is expensive and really does not get large numbers through the door in comparison to cost. We need to do some more grass roots stuff. Keep a list of your customers; send them a flyer for the show. If you attend a gun show take flyers. They will be posted on the website and you can download and photocopy them. Talk about
the show on the knife forums. Look up your local hunting and fishing clubs, see if they want you to give a talk, those groups always need speakers for meetings. Knives have taken a hammering here in Melbourne; I have little doubt bad publicity played a part in less people attending this year. The only way to change this is to speak to the public and get them interested and informed.
The show committee has changed for next year. Peter Del Raso has passed on the gauntlet, after a total of 9 shows I think we all need to give Peter a huge thanks for his efforts. I will be on the show committee for next year then it will be time for me to hand off as well. It is time for new blood to run the show.
John Foxwell has come on board for next year as has Barry Gunston, so thanks guys. I look forward to working with you. Dean Johnson also continues to help as he has for the past few years.
Thanks to Barry who manned the door for the entire weekend, never complaining and had every bit of information recorded for posterity. Dean Johnson & Ray Mende also donated their time to help man the door, so a huge thanks to all three for the outstanding job. This is the second year these guys have run the door and we would be in trouble without them. I am pretty sure they are going to have display tables next year so if you can volunteer time on the door do so.
If you have an idea for the show, speak to the show committee to see if it is a go. Then do it. We all have ideas, hell I have a million of them. What we need is stuff done. New people have come on board to do things this year, let's keep that momentum rolling and we will be back to thirty tables and 400 through the door.