Craft Focus - Dec 2017/Jan 2018 (Issue 64)

SHOW FEEDBACK The show’s seminars and Creative Stationery workshops sponsored by Craft Focus magazine were well attended, and exhibitors confirmed that they had picked up good leads. “The venue offered crafting experiences throughout both days at the Creative Stationery Workshops sponsored by Craft Focus , and they had full attendance from what I saw. I sat in on one about mindful colouring, which was about edding pens, using two colouring pens to create shading when just one pen was used. I thoroughly enjoyed doing something different from the norm, and equally other participants were really enjoying the experience. It’s a great way for a company to showcase its products and receive feedback on both price and availability. I also took away a very handsome goody bag,” says Retail Analyst Faika Khurram from Bright Disposition On the visitor front, the show’s Twitter feed was busy with comments including, from Toad Diaries, “Interesting day at the Manchester Stationery Show. Phil Pond’s seminars never fail to amaze us – great talk and inspiration!” and “Great visit to the Manchester Stationery Show. Can’t wait to add calligraphy products to our Christmas range coming soon,” from Sarah Sibley, founder of online business Got2Jot about exhibitor Manuscript Pens. “The stationery industry is a creative and fashion-led sector. We want to tap into this creativity and stage events that inspire and inform,” says the show’s Marketing Director Vanessa Fortnam. “We’re already planning how to encourage more suppliers to take advantage of this new industry event to network with customers and new contacts in 2018. We’ll also address the issue of visitor parking for next year. Many visitors were frustrated and delayed on the first day of the show as the show clashed with a Manchester United Championship League home game, and hope our decision to pull the show forward to the beginning of October next year will help with this.” DATE FOR NEXT YEAR’S DIARY The 2018 Manchester Stationery Show 2 nd - 3 rd October, 2018 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester stationeryshowmanchester.co.uk state-of-the art stationery 98 craft focus