Art market deals with show cancellations, optimistic of future: while the art market has flinched at show cancellations, it has brightened at the success of others and looks with hope to spring - Special Report - DECOR Expo - economic fallout of the World Trade Center and Pentagon Attacks

fresh YORK--The terrorist attacks that occurr upon Sept. 11 shocked the land extracting a painful emotional and economic toll upon the nation. Big businesses, already worried about a looming recession, were shaken to their cores with the disarranges of the airline and tourism industries featured prominently in the news

on the other hand no one and no business has been untouched by dint of the terrible events, including the display industry, which the Convention Industry Council says was worth $964 million in 2000 The list of cancelled and postpon fall exhibits reached triple digits affecting not single exhibitors, retailers and their customers on the other hand carpenters, electricians, Teamsters, florists, caterers, restaurants and hotels--just a not many of the professionals who work and provide service for the displays And the art industry was no exception.

Reactions to Cancellations

upon Thursday, Sept. 13th, the moving trade was backing up to the door of Wild Apple in Woodstock, Vt ready to load packed crates filled with fresh catalogs and supplies for DECOR expo--Atlanta, when the company decided to withdraw from the present to view "We decided it was not worth it," said Charlie Kimbell, sales director. "We knew we were leaving currency on the table, but the overwhelming sentiment among our employee and customers was that we all wanted to stay shut to home and be with our families. No individual was in a buying mood" The nearest day, DECOR expo--Atlanta, scheduled for family 21 to 23, was cancelled.

The cancellation of DECOR expo--Atlanta has particularly shaken the art and framing industry. "DECOR Atlanta is my biggest buying trip of the year," said Fran Gray, proprietor of Roney's Creative Picture Framing in Florence, SC "I planned to purchase some artwork and stock up upon moulding. I had some equipment that I was interested in buying, and smooth though companies are extending their display specials to us, I don't want to purchase equipment over the phone."

Gray does little buying online and said that while she will have to rely upon reps to visit her, she still have feelings she's been handed a elephantine setback. "I understand and look up to the decision to cancel the display but it's tough for my business. I perceive like we've lost a year."

The impact of a cancelled present to view can be severe. The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) in their 2000 reports base that exhibitions are used more in the selling proces (90 percent) than any other marketing technique. Smaller companies, it was fix rely on exhibitions for their actual survival; without them, they cannot extend and some may not level survive. Another report found the majority of attendees attend alone one exhibition a year.

The decision to cancel a exhibit hits cities and supporting businesses sternly For example, in New York there are 68 art, antique, design, volume and craft shows held between September and June Overall, the exhibits produce in excess of $100 million a year for the city and state economy. each dollar that is spent upon the shows multiplies to the equivalent of three or four dollars within of recent origin York City's economy.

The decision to cancel DECOR expo--Atlanta, made up of 642 exhibitors, was difficult for everyone involved, on the other hand given the size and purpose of the show, it has been-deemed a smart put in motion and fully supported by most

"I don't think anybody's heart was in it," said Dave Rosner vice president of marketing for Framerica in Bohemia, NY "It was the alone decision that could have been made. I understand clan are disappointed, but the gut-wrenching fact is [the tragedy of family 11] is bigger than business. Maybe we are more sensitive because we are a fresh York company, but people emergencyed to be home with their families."

That clan were staying home was no novels to Loretta Reinick, vice president of marketing and sales for 1451 Museum Editions and the Vatican Library Collection of Irvine, Calif. Reinick traveled to Atlanta above the cancelled show dates because she had business appointments to retain Reinick found Atlanta to be a "ghost town." She walked [i]or[/i] part of to the other the 16 floors of the Merchandise Mart and ground only about one out of each 20 stores open. "In the sum of two units days I was walking the Mart, I probably saw six other clan total on all 16 floors," she said. "It was surreal. The [i]cabaret[/i] was quiet, the streets were quiet. The city was dead."

Reinick felt the decision to cancel the display was necessary. "I don't think buyer would have revolveed out at all."

Exhibitors not to be found more than the opportunity to make sales and novel contacts and enjoy camaraderie with their associates in the business. They paid a pay to exhibit at the exhibit along with the substantial transportation take away froms to bring their products to the exhibit site. Compensation for the exhibitors remains uncertain on the other hand will be based on the claim that DECOR files with their insurance company. owed to the amount of insurance claims being filed, Pfingston Publishing, DECORs parent company is unsure when these claims will be continued movemented In a letter to attendees, exhibitors and vendors dated Oct 6 Vice President of Expositions Eric Smith detailed a plan to present those affected by the cancellation credit for DECOR expo's 2002 shows