SNAG Publishes Second Installment of Professional Guidelines

For Immediate Release
June 15, 2004
CONTACT: Harriete Estel Berman (650) 345-4078

Society of North American Goldsmiths Publishes Second Installment of
Professional Guidelines

The Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), the association of
jewelers, designers and metalsmiths, has published the second
installment of its recommended Professional Guidelines on its web
site at
http://www.snagmetalsmith.org/infocentral/professionalguidelines.asp
(downloadable pdf files).

The two new topics are (1) Open Studios: Artist Checklist and a Guide
for Organizations sponsoring an Open Studio event, and (2)
Fundraising Auctions: Issues and Checklist from the artist’s
perspective. Separate sections on Fundraising Auctions are
forthcoming from the additional perspectives of the Art
Organizations, the Galleries, and the Collectors.

The first installment of the Professional Guidelines was published
two years ago and adopted by many institutions, encompassing
Exhibitions; Model Consignment Agreement (annotated); Discounts;
Claims for Damaged Work; Juried Exhibitions; and an exhaustive
bibliography of legal and profes-sional advice.

The guidelines provide practical advice and checklists on recurring
issues within the art and craft communities; their relevance is not
limited to jewelers and metalsmiths. Studio jeweler Andy Cooperman
has been working with Harriete Estel Berman, who spearheaded this
entire project, and her committee on the most recent topics.

“The lack of clear professional guidelines has become more and more
of a problem. These Guidelines advocate certain good practices and
discourage others,” said Dana Singer, SNAG executive director. “SNAG
remains committed to our original, primary goals: the creation of
equitable guidelines for everyone working in the crafts field, and
the protection of the artists’ rights within that context. We hope
that these suggestions will gradually become standard practice.”

Additional installments are planned over the next few years and
topics will include Museum Acquisitions, Sales Representative
contracts, and Fair/Show= Applications.

SNAG provides a range of programs and services to its 3,500+
members. SNAG publishes Metalsmith magazine, and a 16-page
newsletter, each 5 times a year. The next SNAG conference is in
Cleveland, June 22-25, 2005, featuring = Keynote Speaker Gijs Bakker.
Visit us at www.snagmetalsmith.org, or contact the SNAG/Metalsmith
Business Office at (630) 852-6385 [METL].