Sep 28, 2011

ARTS Awards Introduces Improvements to Submission & Judging Process

Dallas Market Center, the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace, and the Accessories Resource Team (ART), the trade association representing the decorative accessories industry, today announced important improvements to the ARTS Awards submission and judging process to simplify the system and broaden the judging panel.

Judging will now include a panel of judges, a peer panel of five ARTS Awards Hall of Fame members, and an ART membership vote. All finalist categories will have a digital component to streamline and enhance the process.

“The ARTS Awards continues to evolve to best recognize leaders in the industry,” said Bill Winsor, president and CEO, Dallas Market Center.

The judging process will include three elements. As in the past, a panel of judges, including a designated Green Award judge, will commence in Dallas in November to independently review submissions and manufacturers’ product samples. Each judge will award up to a maximum of 100 points per finalist. The distinguished judges previously announced are: Martha Griffin, executive editor of Design Guide; Donna Moss, interior designer, retailer and star of HGTV’s “Donna Decorates Dallas”; Melanie Belew, interior designer and owner of Belew Design Studio; and Susan Inglis, producer, importer, sourcing agent and broker in the home furnishings, fashion and gift industries and director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

Next, a peer panel of five ARTS Awards Hall of Fame members will judge a digital, edited version of the submissions. Cumulative scores will count as one judge, a maximum of 100 points. Peer panel companies or individuals with known affiliations will be excused from judging any category of conflict. Those on this year’s peer panel are: John Clements and Bill Fortson, co-owners of BJ’s Home Accents; David Gebhart, CEO of Global Views; Lendall Glassco, president of Paragon; Tom Hoffman, vice president of sales and marketing of Distinctive Designs; and Mary Taylor, consultant and former CEO of Montaage.

Finally, the membership of ART will vote anonymously via an online ballot including links to finalists’ websites and biography information. Finalists may receive up to five bonus points based on the membership vote. Like the nomination process, self votes are not accepted and only members in good standing are welcome to vote.

Every category now has a digital component to facilitate the new voting process, and sales representatives and designer submissions are now entirely digital. This allows sales representatives the opportunity to incorporate a three to five minute YouTube video.

The ARTS Awards is the premier awards program for the home decorative accessories industry and is held each January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market (January 18–24, 2012). The awards will be presented during a gala event on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the ARTS Awards new location, the Hilton Anatole Hotel.

The 23rd annual ARTS Awards are sponsored by Contract Lighting, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, HFN, Home Accents Today, Home Fashion Forecast, Home Lighting & Accessories, Overcoffee, Residential Lighting and the Sustainable Furnishings Council. For additional information regarding the ARTS Awards, please contact Lindsey Villarreal at 214–655–7654 or lvillarreal@mcmcmail.com.

About Dallas Market Center

Founded in 1957, Dallas Market Center is the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace. Within its marketplace of more than five million square feet, retailers from around the globe source products ranging from home furnishings, gifts, decorative accessories and lighting to textiles, fashion accessories and men’s, western, women’s and children’s apparel. With more than 50 markets each year attended by more than 200,000 retail buyers from all 50 states and 78 countries, Dallas Market Center offers hundreds of events and seminars geared toward helping retailers expand business and increase profits. As a result, more than $8 billion in estimated wholesale transactions are conducted annually within the Dallas Market Center complex. The Dallas Market Center website is available at www.dallasmarketcenter.com.

About the Accessories Resource Team

The Accessories Resource Team (ART) is the association representing accessory manufacturers, retailers, representatives and other industry individuals and companies interested in promoting the decorative home accessories industry. The association’s goal is to enhance the market position of decorative home accessories. Each year ART sponsors programs such as the ART conference, regional educational seminars and the ARTS Awards. The Accessories Resource Team website is available at www.accessoriesresourceteam.org.

About the ARTS Awards

The ARTS Awards is the premiere awards program dedicated to the home decorative accessories industry. Twenty-six categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Sales Representative, Rising Star, Green Design and Academy of Achievement. Anyone in the industry can nominate including manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives, designers, suppliers, consultants and other industry officials. The Academy of Achievement honoree is selected by the ARTS Awards committee each year. Companies that have won the ARTS Awards five times are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame members are: BJ’s Home Accents, C.S. Wo & Sons, Distinctive Designs International Inc., Feizy Rugs, Fine Art Lamps, Global Views, Montaage, Natural Decorations Inc. (NDI), Palecek, Paragon, Robb & Stucky and Schonbek Worldwide Lighting.