Stewarding the SAQA Gallery at Festival of Quilts, Birmingham NEC

SAQA Europe & Middle East - Call for Exhibition Stewards at FoQ 2019! 

 Once again Sandy Snowden is volunteering to organize the stewards for the SAQA global exhibit "Dusk to Dawn" at this year’s Festival of Quilts from 1-4 August 2019 in Birmingham, UK.

 If you are planning to attend the FoQ this year, please consider donating a bit of your time there to steward the exhibit - after all, it’s YOUR exhibition and your your chance as a SAQA member to talk with the audience about SAQA, its benefits and its mission and it’s a prime opportunity to meet fellow SAQA artists not only from the UK and our region but from all over the world!

 It’s a lot of fun - and you are getting something in return, too. As in previous years, the time slots will be 1 ½ hours. AND each volunteer will receive a ticket for the whole 4 days of the show!

 Times are as follows: 10-11:30; 11:30-13:00(1:00pm); 13:00-14:30(2:30pm); 14:30-16:00(4:00pm); 16:00-17:30(5:30pm).

The list of volunteers will be submitted near to the time for the Festival of Quilts show. As in previous years, tickets will be held at the box office and can be collected there.

 To reserve your spot on the list, please email Sandy (snsnowden@harmonyinformation.com) with your preferred time slot and date soon! I’m personally looking forward to meeting many of you in person at the FoQ!

 See you soon,
Birgit

Birgit Schüller E/ME Regional Representative Studio Art Quilt Associates birgit.schueller@creativebits.biz 
www.saqa.com

SAQA UK Pod Meeting - response from Elizabeth Michellod-Dutheil

Dear Christine, thank you very much for this report. The reflections that have been on the agenda reflect very well the potential of the textile as Art but the difficulties to make recognize our passion as such are evident especially in Europe. The gallery owners take no risk in the world of Art and the textile is not recognized as an artistic medium but is seen as craft. As long as this point of view or belief is not eliminated, there is little chance of exhibiting in large spaces and few will be offered to us. My best friendly greetings. Google translation

Chère Christine, merci beaucoup pour ce compte-rendu. Les réflexions qui ont été à l'ordre du jour reflètent très bien le potentiel du textile en tant que Art  mais les difficultés à faire reconnaître en tant que tel notre passion sont évidentes surtout en Europe. Les galeristes ne prennent aucun risque dans le monde de l'Art et le textile n'y est pas reconnu en tant que médium artistique mais est vu comme de l'artisanat. Tant que ce point de vue ou cette croyance ne sera pas éliminé, peu de chances d'exposer dans des grands espaces et peu nous seront offerts. Mes meilleures salutations amicales

Elizabeth MICHELLOD-DUTHEIL
http://www.elizabeth-michellod-dutheil.ch  (2015..)
http://www.maaevalais.ch  (2000-2015)

Thank you, Elizabeth, for responding to our report on the UK Pod Meeting.

Ready to volunteer for SAQA?

SAQA's activities depend on members' willingness to volunteer, and here is a wonderful possibility to start getting involved. The following request has been posted to the reps, but is directed to every member: 

The membership committee is forming a subcommittee to brainstorm, researchand recommend new initiatives and avenues for membership recruitment both internationally and within the U.S. We anticipate that this subcommitteewill meet three to six times for an hour or so each time. Additionally thesubcommittee members will be invited to attend the monthly membershipmeeting to provide updates on their progress and make theirrecommendations.All meetings are held electronically and can be attended via computer, tablet or smart phone depending on where you are located. It’s importantthat this committee to be made up of both international and US basedmembers and we invite all members who are interested to email the committeechairs Diane Wright or Sue Bleiweiss via the SAQA members area of the website, 

or  get in touch with the co-reps.