Emerald Expositions Expands Its Portfolio with American Craft Retailers Expo

December 14, 2016

Emerald Expositions is on a buying streak, snagging another show recently - the American Craft Retailers Expo (“ACRE”) from IndieMe.

“I’m so proud of how far we’ve come with the ACRE events, and what we’ve done to help all constituents within the Maker Movement,” said Nancy Vince, president of IndieMe and founder of ACRE.

She added, “The timing was right for IndieMe to focus on our online marketplace, while handing over the ACRE reins to a first-class event company that can help it grow and add value for all who exhibit and attend.”

This is the fourth recent acquisition for Emerald. They previously bought the RFID Journal LIVE! Event - from RFID Journal; National Pavement Expo from AC Business Media; and Digital Dealer Conference & Expo from Dealer Communications.

Founded in 2006, ACRE is a wholesale craft exposition, consisting of two shows that take place annually in Las Vegas and Philadelphia.

The events connect wholesale American and Canadian makers of handmade products with national and international buyers from art & fine craft galleries, modern gift & home stores, independent retailers, guilds & arts institutions, e-retailers, national retail chains, museums and other key influencers in the home, gift and lifestyle marketplace.

“We are delighted to bring ACRE into our portfolio of leading handmade and jewelry events, which include NY NOW and COUTURE,” said Chris McCabe, executive vice president at Emerald.

He added, “Nancy is a passionate supporter of the artisan community and she and her team have built a great business over the last ten years. By leveraging Emerald’s scale, capabilities and experience, plus our adjacent and highly complementary brands, we expect to bring new and greater benefits to the shows’ exhibitors and attendees.”

ACRE features hundreds of juried artists among six distinct showcases, with an emphasis on carefully selected emerging artists highlighted throughout.

Product categories primarily fall within the following areas of focus: Handmade Gifts & Accessories, The Gallery of Fine Crafts, Handmade Jewelry, High Design Jewelry, Handmade Wearable Art, and Retailer Resources.

ACRE Philadelphia will take place Feb. 18 –20 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The event is expected to draw more than 2,000 wholesale attendees and 600 unique artists showcasing their fine art, gifts and jewelry in more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space.

ACRE Las Vegas, celebrating its 11th anniversary, will take place during Las Vegas Jewelry Week in early June. The show will be co-located at the Las Vegas Convention Center with Emerald’s Antique Jewelry & Watch Show and The Jewellery Box, a new curated event for high-quality, on-trend jewelry at affordable to moderate price points.

Emerald’s COUTURE show, for designer fine jewelry and luxury timepieces, takes place at the Wynn Las Vegas the same week, with free shuttle service for buyers between shows.

financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? 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Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.