F R O M T H E C E O d o u g l a s k . h u c k e r
Many of our efforts during this COVID crisis have focused on providing helpful tools to allow our members to be productive and improve their exposure during times when business is either closed or severely curtailed. Our ongoing digital series,“Marketing During COVID-19,” has been very well received.The series highlights many of the supports that our industry can access, including free gemstone photography to enrich members’ websites, as well as free access to several years of recordings of our AGTA GemFair ™ Tucson Seminar Series that provides gemstone knowledge, marketing tips and up-to-date information about new gemstones and new sources.The marketing series also contains dozens of help- ful hints on how to maintain contact with your clients, upgrade yours skills as well as those of your staff, and improve your digital and web-based footprint.You can visit the “Marketing During COVID-19” resource page here: https://agta.org/covid-19/
Some very rewarding feedback we have received from our members and members of the trade is their enthusiasm and desire for the AGTA to continue the AGTA Spectrum Awards ™ competition for 2020. Even though many of us are sheltering at home during this pandemic, our design and lapidary commu- nity’s creative passions have not diminished. Continuing the AGTA Spectrum Awards ™ allows us to focus our energy, working in our home or in responsibly safe visits to our studios and shops, to continue to create. It gives us an outlet for our ambitions, keeps our inner muse vibrant, and provides us with a wonderful plat- form for our work product to be highlighted to our peers and clients. In response to this outpouring of support, the AGTA is committed to continuing the thirty-six-year tradition of inviting designers to showcase their work in the AGTA Spectrum Awards ™ competition. Even before the advent of COVID-19 we were actively communicating with our community of artists to improve and evolve our competition. In meetings and surveys, we listened to you and have instituted what we feel are improvements to the event. Return to October dates for Competition The dates of the competition have been moved back to the October dates when we traditionally judged the competition and hosted our Media Event.The deadlines for entries are September 25, 2020 in Dallas; or October 6, 2020 for the NewYork Drop-off. New Awards and Category This year we are introducing a new Category to the AGTA Cutting Edge Awards ™ , North American Gemstones, celebrating cutters who create gemstones mined exclusively in the United States or Canada. The second category is a new “Best Of ” award. The Best of Single Entries will be selected from among those applicants who submit only one entry into the competition. Best of Single Entries will be awarded in both the jewelry and the Cutting Edge portions of the competition. Early Bird Registration Program Finally, we are providing opportunities for people to purchase discounted entry into the competition with our Early Bird Registration program.The deadline for entries is still September 25th, but you can send your entry fee by August 14, 2020 and receive a 10% discount. We know how important the AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition is to the hundreds of our col- leagues who have entered over the years.We also appreciate the trust and confidence each of you has in us to provide you with an opportunity to stay engaged, stay creative, and compete in the premier jewelry design competition in the industry.We are here for you; we are with you. For complete information about the com- petition visit: https://agta.org/2020-spectrum-awards-information/ We look forward, once again, to seeing the magnificent works of art and to joining you all next February at the AGTA Spectrum Awards™ Gala in Tucson to celebrate all of the winners.
Best,
Douglas K. Hucker, CEO
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