Textures Handmade Market

Thanks for your interest in Textures Handmade Market. If you have any further questions after reading through this information, please feel free to contact us. If you are interested in selling your work at Textures, please fill out the application (pdf version and online version available below) and send it back via email, snail mail, or bring it by the store!

Textures Mission:

Textures Handmade Market strives to nurture the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of local emerging artists and “craftsters” by providing a constant avenue to sell their products.

In doing so, Textures seeks to enrich the Tallahassee community by introducing unique, locally handmade products in a stylish, modern boutique that retains the thrill of a seasonal market while providing an affordable alternative to the standard mass-produced items in malls and other large retail stores.

Textures Benefits:

1. Be a part of a community of artists interested in promoting local handmade art.
2. Opportunity to sell your original handmade items through a unique, artist centered, retail boutique.
3. Each month, a different artist will be featured on “First Friday” and will be included in all press and advertising materials for that month (including the Textures website). That artist must provide postcards that we will mail out to promote their work. A schedule for the “Featured Artist” series will be available for artist sign up. Watch for details on this beginning July 2009.
4. Opportunities to plan and participate in community events. One of our goals is to partner with local non-profits by designating the Third Thursday of each month non-profit night. On these special nights, Textures will remain open from 6pm-9pm. 10% of all sales during that time will be donated to that month’s chosen non-profit organization. Textures will donate 5% of their profit and the artists will donate 5% of theirs to make up the 10%. The first Third Thursday will happen on July 16, 2009.
5. We will now be offering workshops. If you are interested in teaching a workshop, you must submit a written proposal with details. Selling your work in the store does not assure you a spot to teach a workshop. Textures reserves the right to select classes that are appropriate given the current workshop schedule and the content being taught. Part of the application process to teach a workshop may include a 2 hour trial run. We will schedule your class once and continuing the workshop will depend on the success of the session. Artist MUST fill out Workshop Proposal form.
6. All individual artists will benefit from the marketing and advertising that Textures will run from time to time.

Eligibility:

1. Local artists will be given first option for open spaces. Artists outside the local area will be considered as space allows.
2. Artist’s works will be evaluated once a month by Textures based on the following criteria:
   • quality of work and craftsmanship
   • originality
   • design
   • professional presentation
   • salability
   • uniqueness as compared to work currently represented in the store
   • Artist’s ability to produce adequate inventory to support demand
3. Artists must be the sole originator of their work.
4. New artist applications will be reviewed monthly by Textures owners. They will utilize discretion in selection of works to be displayed.

Textures Artist Responsibilities:

1. Each artist must provide a postcard with information about them (brief bio or a quote – something that ties in with their work) and a photo of their work to have present in the shop for customers to pick up and read. Business cards are important to have as well. Artists must also provide Textures with professional looking tags (with your logo) and digital files of your logo. Once accepted as an artist, we will provide you with guidelines and examples.
2. Artists are expected to heavily promote that their work is sold at Textures. Guidelines and ideas on how to promote yourself will be given once the artist accepted.
3. Artists agree to keep an ample amount of work in the store. The more inventory the artist has in the store, the more will sell. Textures Handmade Market has the final decision in determining what pieces of art are displayed in the market, including individual pieces brought in by any Artist. The market reserves the right to request that an Artist rotate their inventory from the display floor as well as to request an Artist to keep up with the demand for their work.
4. Payments to the artists will be made by the 10th of the month for the prior month’s sales. Artists will be provided with detailed sales and inventory reports.
5. The artist is solely responsible for all risk of loss or damage to their property while on the Textures Handmade Market premises, including but not limited to loss due to fire, theft, vandalism, or casualty. All inventories will remain the property of the Artist until sold.
6. Textures will be responsible for collecting and timely payment of all state sales taxes for all items sold in the store.
7. There is no assigned space within Textures Handmade Market. Artists’ work will be routinely moved within the store to create a fresh look. While the Artist’s opinions and suggestions will be considered, Textures retains the right to display all work in the manner that best serves the store.
8. Each Artist will be responsible for suggested retail pricing, and initial inventory list of their works on site. Artist agrees to consult with Textures before changing any retail prices; placing items “on sale” or offering any mark downs or discounts of their work. If the Artist offers their works for sale in other local venues, efforts should be made to maintain a consistent pricing policy throughout the market area.
9. Each Artist will be strongly encouraged to stop in the store for Textures events. Textures events will be on the calendar at least 30 days in advance. Examples of events: First Fridays, Third Thursdays, Store Anniversary, Christmas Trunk Show.Other events may occur from time to time. The Artist’s presence is desired to help create a connection between the customers and the artist.
10. Artists will pay a flat monthly Base Rental Fee to sell items in the store. The Base Rate is $50. If necessary, Textures reserves the right to increase the fee up to $100 per month. If it ever becomes necessary for the increase, we will let the artist know well in advance. For the first month, the artist will pay the Base Rental fee at the end of the month allowing them to pay the fee out of the profits they have made during the course of the month. In each subsequent month, the Base Rental fee will be due according to the guidelines laid out in term 11. (Artists interested in selling work strictly on a 60-40 consignment should contact us. We will review requests on a very limited basis.)
11. After the first month, the monthly base rental fee is due by the 10th day of each month and can be deducted from the Artist’s sales revenue from the previous month. If the previous month’s sales revenue is not sufficient to cover the Base Rent, the Artist is responsible for the difference. Base Rent Payments not received in full by the 15th could result in termination of the artist’s agreement and removal of their work from display in the store.
12. After the Artist achieves merchandise sales equal to the amount of their monthly Base rental fee ($50), Textures will earn 20% of all sales of that Artist as an administrative fee and the Artist will receive 80% of the net (not including sales tax) sales amount above the Base Rental fee.
13. Basic display fixtures (tables, shelves, etc) will be included in the monthly Base Rental fee.Any specialized or custom display fixtures will be the responsibility of each artist to provide and will remain the property of that Artist. All framed paintings, photography and other art to be hung on the wall must have a wire hanger or other means sufficient for attaching that work to the wall. A small installation fee may be charged for special display needs or requests and will be negotiated with Textures in advance. Textures also reserves the right to change all display styles and methods in order to maintain the overall aesthetic consistent with the store.
14. Pricing. Textures will provide interested applicants with suggested price ranges for their work.The overall pricing strategy is such that similar work will be priced in the same range to reduce inner-store competition.
15. Textures will evaluate our operations and finances on a quarterly basis and make changes as deemed necessary.Artists will be notified of changes at least 30 days before the end of their current agreement term. Monthly rental fees will increase by no more than 10% and the administrative fee by no more than 5% per agreement term.

Other Terms of Agreement: 

1. Both Textures and the Artist may terminate this Artist Agreement for any reason with a 30-day written notice.Written notice from an Artist must be mailed or hand delivered to:
   Textures, C/Maggie Willman, 1123 Thomasville Road,
   Tallahassee, FL 32303. Written notice to an Artist from Textures will be mailed to the address provided on this application; to a change of address provided in advance by the Artist to Textures; or hand delivered to the Artist.
2. Artists agree to help promote Textures and promote and support other Textures Artists.

Textures Handmade Market thanks you for your interest in our store. Our mission is to support independent creativity by providing artists with a constant avenue to sell their work.

Download and view the Textures Artist Application. Applications will be reviewed once a month.