AFP offers marketing class through PVCC
Augusta Free Press is offering a class on public relations and marketing through Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville.
The Nov. 1 class, PR & Marketing for Artisans, is being offered in conjunction with the Artisans Center of Virginia.
Artists, artisans and small-business owners are encouraged to sign up for the class, which will be led by AFP owners Chris Graham and Crystal Graham.
The fee for the three-hour, 6-9 p.m. class is $45.
AFP, founded in 2002, handles marketing, design and marketing for more than 100 clients in Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic and nationwide. Most recently, AFP has assisted in the development and marketing of a national-TV product for Awesome Wrestling Entertainment, a Waynesboro-based company that made its live-television debut on Oct. 15.
An AFP-led marketing campaign built up a Facebook fan base of more than 126,000 fans and drew more than a quarter-million unique visitors to the AWE company website the week leading into the TV show.
Other AFP clients include the Augusta County Fair, Barren Ridge Vineyards, Mathers Construction, Crescent Development and the Waynesboro Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
For more information on Augusta free Press, go to www.AFPBusiness.com.
About the Instructors
Crystal Graham is a 12-year veteran of the news industry in Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley and a graduate of Virginia Tech with a degree in communications. She primarily leads the efforts of graphic design and book publishing clients. She also is the sales manager for all divisions of Augusta Free Press LLC and handles the design of The New Dominion Magazine.
Crystal served as co-host and assistant producer of “Virginia Tonight,” a live news and public affairs program that aired weeknights from 2002-2004. Although the show was cancelled, a program that aired in 2004 on “The Passion of the Christ” was named a finalist for the national Telly Awards competition in March 2005.
In addition to television, Crystal also has an extensive background in print newspapers, having served as managing editor of The Shenandoah Valley Observer and The Charlottesville-Albemarle Observer. She began her career working as the lifestyles editor at The News Virginian in Waynesboro.
Crystal has won 10 Virginia Press Association awards for her design and writing work.
Chris Graham, a 16-year veteran of print and web media, radio and television, is heads up the web-development division at AFP and is in charge of all of the content made available online or in print.
He is also the marketing and web coordinator for Awesome Wrestling Entertainment, the web editor and media and public-relations coordinator for the Waynesboro Generals Valley League baseball team, and the web-content editor for the Waynesboro Family YMCA. He is a regular guest on numerous regional radio programs on both news and sports.
He has as well published two books, Stop the Presses, a humor column collection, and Judge Not, a political thriller. He also co-authored with Patrick Hite Mad About U: Four Decades of Basketball at University Hall. That book was released in September 2006.
Chris is a veteran of The News Virginian, a Waynesboro-based daily newspaper, and The Charlottesville-Albemarle Observer and The Shenandoah Valley Observer, both weeklies.
In 2010, Chris was honored by Mental Health America-Augusta for his work in writing on mental-health issues.
He has won 17 Virginia Press Association awards for his reporting and writing.
Register Online
- Link to PVCC Workforce Services website
- Important: Enter Course Number 50250
Local projects among those awarded state tourism grants
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today nearly $800,000 in tourism marketing grant funds for more than 40 local tourism initiatives across the state, including five in Waynesboro.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation awards the grants. Each grant is matched by funds from a minimum of three local organizations and used to support marketing initiatives including advertising, Web development, online marketing and brochures. The 3-1 matching funds provided by local partner organizations leverages the $800,000 in grant funds into more than $2 million invested in tourism marketing. In total, more than 180 public and private partner organizations will work together as a result of the grant program.
The Waynesboro projects receiving funding are the City of Waynesboro’s rebranding and marketing initiative, which received a $28,211 grant; the Artisans Center of Virginia’s “Take Home a Piece of Virginia,” which received a $10,000 grant; the Shenandoah Valley Art Center’s River City Fall Foliage initiative, which received a $10,000 grant; the Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department’s Run the Valley Series, which received a $5,000 grant; and the Tourism Association of Greater Waynesboro’s mobile marketing program, which received a $4,642 grant.
“Tourism is an integral part of the Virginia economy – providing nearly $18 billion in revenue and employing more than 204,000 people,” McDonnell said. “These grant funds are designed to spur economic development through tourism. The state’s investment maximizes local marketing funds – allowing for localities to double and sometimes triple their marketing power to attract more visitors to local destinations.”
The Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing through partnerships and to extend the Virginia is for Lovers brand. The objective of this program is to leverage limited marketing dollars, resulting in increased visitor spending. A minimum of three entities must partner financially to apply. Partners may consist of Virginia towns, cities, counties, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other entities.
“Virginia’s tourism marketing has a proven 5:1 return on investment, meaning that every dollar the state invests in marketing provides $5 back in tax revenue alone,” said Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the VTC. “These grants are a tremendous resource for localities that helps get attention for local destinations and generate the revenue and jobs that tourism creates.”
AFP to offer marketing, PR class through PVCC, Artisans Center
Augusta Free Press is offering a class on marketing and PR through Piedmont Virginia Community College and the Artisans Center of Virginia.
The class – being offered on Thursday, March 31, and Tuesday, May 3, at The Stultz Center on the PVCC campus in Charlottesville – is geared to teaching techniques for self-promotion and marketing for small-business owners and artists.
The one-day, three-hour class will offer tips for simple and affordable ways to enhance your website as well as time-saving tips for extending your social media channels. Not comfortable boasting? Learn practical tips to help you toot your own horn without blowing it.
Instruction will cover how to position your PR online, write press releases that catch an editor’s eye and create printed materials for events that will draw your audience in.
By the end of the session you will have a sound foundation to begin putting your public-relations strategy into immediate use.
Chris Graham and Crystal Graham from Augusta Free Press LLC will serve as co-instructors for the class.
The class fee is $45 per person.
Register online at www.pvcc.edu/instructional_divisions/workforce_services/register.php.
Artisans Center of Virginia issues call for membership applications
ACV Juried Artisan membership is open to all crafts artists living in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Jury applicants submit images of their work for a two-part peer and professional review jury. If approved at the digital image level, applicants are invited to submit work for the object jury.
Once accepted, members retain their Juried Artisan Membership for life by paying annual dues and participating in the activities of the Artisans Center of Virginia.
The schedule
- March 1 Application & Digital Images Due
- March 21 Request for Objects (you will be notified)
- April 15 Objects Due
- May 16 Notifications
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Artisans Center of Virginia launches education series
The Artisans Center of Virginia and Piedmont Virginia Community College are teaming up to offer a series of business classes for artisans.
ACV Studio School courses are offered at The Stultz Center for Business & Career Development, 501 College Drive, Charlottesville, at the intersection of I-64 and Va. 20.
To register, call 434.961.5354
The course schedule includes:
Creative Ways with Polymer Clay
Instructor: Judy Ligon, ACV Juried Artisan
Five Tuesdays, Feb. 1 – March 1: 10 a.m. to noon
Rigid Heddle Weaving 101
Instructor: Donna Carty, ACV Juried Artisan
Five Wednesdays, Feb. 2 – March 2: 1-4 p.m.
Business Plans for the Creative
Instructor: Robin Hoffman
Four Thursdays, Feb. 3-24: 1-4 p.m.
Design Your Own Fabric Print Repeats
Instructor: Donna Carty, ACV Juried Artisan
Three Mondays and three Thursdays, Feb. 7 – March 24: 10 a.m. to noon
Advancing Your Art with Facebook
Instructor: Katie McCaskey
Monday, Feb. 14: 1-4 p.m.
Shout it Out! – PR & Marketing for Artists
Instructor: Chris Graham, Augusta Free Press
Tuesday, Feb. 22: 9 a.m. to noon
Precious Metal Clay for Beginners
Instructor: Melanie Bentley Shockley, ACV Juried Artisan
Saturday, Feb. 26: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Make-Your-Own Glass Ornaments
A glass-blowing benefit in support of the Artisans Center of Virginia. Saturday, Nov. 13, and Sunday, Nov. 14, at the Frozen Motion Glass Studio, McGuffey Arts Center, Charlottesville.
Invite your friends and family to join you in creating your very own, special blown glass holiday ornaments. Fun is guaranteed and no experience is necessary. Pick your own colors and patterns, and blow your own glass ornament with help from expert ACV Artisan Charles Hall. Create a personal holiday gift for someone special and discover your glass blower within!
The cost is $25 per ornament and you may make as many ornaments as you wish. Net proceeds benefit the Artisans Center of Virginia and its mission to promote Virginia Artisans and the culture of craft throughout the Commonwealth. Reserve your place now! Space is limited!
For more information, contact ACV board member Richard Christy at 540.946.3294 or info@artisanscenterofvirginia.org.
Online at www.ArtisansCenterofVirginia.org.
Artisans Center kicks off new artisans trail
The Artisans Center of Virginia, the state’s official craft organization dedicated to promoting Virginia artisans and their work as a viable economic and cultural industry in Virginia, announced this week the Artisan Trail Network kickoff of the Monticello Artisan Trail with two town-hall events designed to begin the enrollment period.
- Tuesday, Nov. 16, 6-8 p.m. at the King Family Vineyard in Crozet and hosted by Albemarle County
- Thursday, Nov. 18, 6-8 p.m. at the Hill Top Berry Farm & Vineyard in Nellysford and hosted by Nelson County
Trail sites along the Monticello Artisan Trail will include artisans, farms and craft venues that are members of the Artisans Center of Virginia and meet certain criteria as well as supporting trail site businesses that provide food, lodging or are a point of interest.
The Artisan Trail Network with its community loops are designed to attract visitors to artisan studios, agri-artisan farms and local craft businesses.
“The Monticello Artisan Trail is a major advance for the artisan and agri-artisan community in the rural areas of Albemarle and Nelson Counties. Our farmers and artisans who foster tourism, local culture and tradition, and sell locally grown food are important to our economic vitality and valued allies to protect our scenic views and natural resources. The work of private owners and rural businesses is essential to county goals in open space protection,” said Ann Mallek, a member of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.
Those interested in becoming a trail site are invited to attend one of these town hall events to learn how they can participate. Individuals and businesses who wish to open their home studios and businesses to visiting tourists will receive information on local licensing and public visitation guidelines applicable to each county as well the Artisan Trail Network Tool-Kit explaining the details of becoming a destination on the trail. A special team of trail ambassadors made up of artisan and agri-artisan peers will be on hand to answer questions and assist with enrollment.
Busy season for the Artisans Center of Virginia
The Artisans Center of Virginia is having a busy August, announcing this week several initiatives and programs aimed at promoting the work of Virginia artisans.
The Waynesboro-based Artisans Center will be collaborating with the Lynne Goldman Studio located in Barracks Road Shopping Center in Charlottesville. Lynne Goldman Studio is celebrating 18 years of being at the forefront of artisan jewelry and unique shopping. In addition to Goldman ’s custom designs, the studio is known for showcasing emerging designers. Lynne Goldman Studio continues this tradition by adding the handmade jewelry, sculpture, pottery and textiles of the Artisans Center of Virginia.
“Lynne Goldman Studio offers Virginia artisans a unique opportunity to feature their one-of-a-kind artist works in an inviting retail environment that represents the highest quality products to it’s patrons and we are proud to facilitate this relationship between our ACV artisans and such a well-respected artist-entrepreneur,” ACV executive director Sherri Smith said.
Recognized for its stringent artisan jury process, ACV will facilitate from its eligible professional artisan membership, the consignment of exquisite and unique craft items to expand the Lynne Goldman Studio’s repertoire with retail products that represent the highest quality craft that Virginia has to offer.
Virginia artisans interested in being considered for representation by the Lynne Goldman Studio must first be practicing ACV Juried Professional Artisans and members of ACV. All Virginia artisans are welcome to apply to the ACV’s Jury.
The application deadline for the next jury session is Sept. 1, 2010. Visit ACV’s website at www.artisanscenterofvirginia.org to download the application materials.
Another collaboration will have the Artisans Center partnering with Piedmont Virginia Community College to offer classes and workshops in PVCC’s Stultz Center for Business and Career Development in Charlottesville.
“ACV is proud to establish our Studio School program in this strategically state-centralized location and looks forward to working with PVCC to establish accessible entrepreneur-based arts educational programming for students and artists from all over the state.” Smith said. “The artisan industry in Virginia is one of the state’s greatest untapped economic assets. Skilled craftsmen and women, with expertise in design and manufacturing techniques, form the backbone of the creative economy in many communities across the Commonwealth and thus we look to them to help us create a sustainable education program that strengthens and perpetuates Virginia’s greater arts industry.”
The ACV Studio School at its core is a workforce development initiative that focuses on the vocational and trade skills of Virginia artisans while providing them with the business training needed to advance their marketable talents and sell their products and services. In addition to entrepreneur development courses, incorporated in the practical applications that give an artist a broader functionality or transferability of skills, they will be encouraged in an attempt to offer cross-training in skill based trades utilizing similar equipment and procedures.
The ACV Studio School will include educational outreach to the next generation of Virginia artisans, facilitation of programs in a wide variety of artist-entrepreneurial, contemporary and traditional craft courses, establishment of The Artisans Center of Virginia Instructor’s Bureau, for the purpose of offering rural communities satellite education opportunities and the development of an official craft vocational syllabus in support of the Virginia Department of Education’s “Career Pathways” for the arts.
“The ACV Studio School recognizes that artists and craft-persons are a vibrant part of our economy,” said Valerie Palamountain, Dean of Workforce Services. “PVCC is very excited about this new venture, and our involvement in developing this sector. We look forward to offering classes designed specifically for the arts and crafts industry in entrepreneurship, business, and skilled crafts, and are honored to be associated with the ACV.”
Craft courses will be taught by practicing, ACV juried Virginia artisan members, many of whom are nationally renowned. ACV welcomes any Virginia craft artisan not yet an ACV juried artisan to apply to the Sept. 1, 2010 Jury, should they be interested in teaching a craft course at the Studio School.
A third collaboration announced this week will have the Artisans Center of Virginia teaming with Artisphere to open a new ACV Gallery in Arlington featuring professional juried Virginia artisans from all corners of the state.
“This unique gallery will be solely dedicated to ACV professional juried artisans and their work with every piece of artwork hand-crafted by Virginia artisans,” Smith said.
Combining the newly-renovated former Newseum space with the existing Spectrum Theatre next door, Artisphere’s multi-disciplinary cultural offerings will permeate this 62,000 square foot cultural campus seven days a week, 12 hours a day, offering more than 100 events per month.
Recognized for its stringent artisan jury process, ACV, serving as Artisphere’s fine craft purveyor, will select from its eligible professional artisan membership, exquisite and unique craft items to create an inviting retail venue representing the highest quality craft that Virginia has to offer.
ACV’s mission of bringing economic opportunity to Virginia artisans while strengthening local economies is realized in this sustainable alliance that combines ACV’s networking and artisan jury strengths with the retail and marketing reach of the Artisphere’s locality and support systems.
“Artisphere is ‘Arlington’s art space for everyone,” says Mary Briggs, cultural development director for Arlington Cultural Affairs. “To be able to provide a prominent showcase in the DC metropolitan area for artisans from throughout the state of Virginia helps us to fulfill that mission.”
Virginia artisans interested in being featured at ARTISPHERE must be practicing ACV juried professional artisans and members of ACV. All Virginia artisans are welcome to apply to the ACV’s Jury. The application deadline for the next jury session is Sept. 1, 2010. Visit ACV’s website at www.artisanscenterofvirginia.org to download the application materials.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
ACV honors outstanding artisans
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The Artisans Center of Virginia recently honored three Virginians for outstanding achievement by Virginia artisans, organizations or individuals who support and encourage the craft industry in the Commonwealth.
The 2010 ACV honorees were:
- Woody Crenshaw, Floyd, president of ‘Round the Mountain and Owner of Crenshaw Lighting. Crenshaw is a vital conduit for positive change, advancing Virginia’s craft industry. Crenshaw continues to be instrumental in developing the Artisan Trails of Southwest Virginia and is a voice for artisan entrepreneurs as important assets to the economic development of Virginia communities. Continue reading “ACV honors outstanding artisans” »
Artisans Center to host craft leadership event
Staff Report
News tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The Artisans Center of Virginia has announced plans to form a Statewide Leadership Council for Craft, dedicated to coordinating artisan efforts from all areas of the state.
The ACV plans to convene the first meeting of the leadership council at its biannual Virginia Craft Conference and Business Institute on Saturday, Jan. 23, in Roanoke.
“ACV is proud to facilitate a synchronized effort to bring together champions of craft from every corner of the Commonwealth and in doing so create a coordinated awareness with the potential for collaborative opportunities that strengthen the sustainable framework of Virginia’s artisan industry and help artisan entrepreneurs meet the challenges of the current economic climate,” said Sherri Smith, director of the Artisans Center of Virginia, which is headquartered in Waynesboro. Continue reading “Artisans Center to host craft leadership event” »
Artisans Center hosting state conference
Staff Report
News Tips: freepress2@ntelos.net
The Artisans Center of Virginia is hosting a conference and business institute for artisans Friday, Jan. 22-Sunday, Jan. 24, at the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center in Roanoke.
The event will explore old and new ways of supporting the culture of craft and insure its place as an economic mainstay and its importance to the vitality of Virginia communities.
The theme for the conference is “Virginia Artisans: Responsive & Ready!” The ACV has facilitated a proactive program that highlights creative initiatives, fresh ideas and visions that represent positive change and lasting strength for Virginia’s artisans. Continue reading “Artisans Center hosting state conference” »
Shepherd Bliss | Oklahoma City, Columbine, Virginia Tech and now Fort Hood
Posted by afp on November 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment
They are each sites where Americans killed Americans in a culture whose violence extends from here to places like Iraq and Afghanistan. They are symptoms of a deep problem not likely to disappear without serious intervention.
Connections exist among the violence here at home and American violence in wars abroad, which indicate a pattern. These incidents are among growing signs that we should analyze carefully, now, before additional warnings happen and perhaps even worsen. The root causes of such eruptions should be studied. Continue reading “Shepherd Bliss | Oklahoma City, Columbine, Virginia Tech and now Fort Hood” »
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with artisans center of virginia, columbine, fort hood, mass shootings, virginia, virginia tech