2017 Exposition of 20th Century Decorative Arts

Exhibitor/Advertiser Application 

The Art Deco Society of Washington (ADSW) invites your participation in the 34th annual Exposition of 20th Century Decorative Arts, April 29-30, 2017. The 2017 show marks the second year of our highly successful partnership with D’Amore Promotions, operator of the DC Big Flea.

Unlike prior shows where the Society struggled to promote a small standalone show or got lost in the shuffle in partnerships with other mixed antiques shows, the partnership with D'Amore preserves the Expo as a separate show. D'Amore handles national and local advertising for the combined shows, expanding exposure well beyond what the Art Deco Society could accomplish on its own.

D'Amore also promotes the show on TV and radio. ADSW continues its postcard mailings to thousands of prior attendees as well as aggressive social media advertising through Constant Contact and Facebook.

The new partnership worked in 2016. Expo attendance more than quadrupled. Dealers generally reported strong sales, several indicating they had their best show ever. And, the partnership attracted new dealers including several who typically display at other modernism shows such as 20th Century Cincinnati, the Michigan Modernism Show, and the Pier Show. Still others sell on high end websites such as 1st dibs.

Held in the North Hall of the newly expanded Dulles Expo Center at the same time the wildly popular DC Big Flea is held in the adjacent South Hall, modernism customers are able to enter the show through a separate entrance but still have easy access to the Big Flea for further shopping. Large openings allow easy passage between the shows.

Started in 1983 primarily as an Art Deco show, the Expo gradually expanded to include other design movements of the 20th century. The show now includes the sale of all 20th Century design movements, including Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts, Art Deco, Art Moderne, Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern, and Atomic.

Under an agreement between the Art Deco Society and D’Amore, additional space has been made available to significantly expand the number of modernism dealers in the 2017 show. That space will be used, in part, to reintroduce two concepts from prior Expos:

• The Garment District, a grouping of fashion dealers offering clothing, jewelry, and accessories from the 20th century. In a new twist, first suggested by D’Amore’s MarthiaSides, Art Deco Society models will work with participating dealers to select garments and accessories to display during a series of mini fashion shows held right on the sales floor.
• The Collectors Club, a special section where individual members of the Art Deco Society and a variety of clubs with similar collecting interests can sell their wares. Club members can rent a 6-foot table complete with floor length drape and chair for $125. Among those eligible for this special section are members of the International Perfume Bottle Association, American Art Pottery Association, Mid-Atlantic Antique Radio Club, National Capitol Radio and Television Museum, Pen Collectors of America, Czech Collectors Association, National Depression Glass Association, and the Capitol Beltway Postcard Club.

The Dulles Expo Center's new North Hall offers many advantages:

• An abundance of corner booths
• Many booths back to outside walls, providing space to lean artwork
• Excellent lighting, limiting the need to purchase electricity
• Easy, level load in through huge rollup doors in the front and side of the building
• Restrooms and food service in the rear of the building
• Separate ticketing and admissions

Modernism dealers currently participating in the DC Big Flea are encouraged to take a listing in the Expo Show Program. The show program, available for free at the show and posted on the ADSW website, contains contact information, including email, phone numbers, and website addresses for participating dealers. For Big Flea dealers it will include their booth location in the South Hall. Dealers choose how much, or how little, they want included in their listing.

Dealers can obtain additional exposure by purchasing an advertisement in the Expo Program. Ads range from $35 for a business card ad to $100 for a full page. For Big Flea and Expo participants, purchase of an advertisement comes with a free program listing. Advertisements will be full color on the ADSW website and Facebook page, but will be printed in black/white for the show.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

ADSW offers dealers two payment options:

• Pay in full at the time of application using either Paypal or personal/business check.
• Make a deposit of at least $100 by check and pay the balance by March 31, 2017.  Choose pay by check on the registration form and send your payment to ADSW, c/o Jim Linz, PO Box 221011, Chantilly, VA 20153. Paypal cannot be used to make partial payment.

No dealer will be allowed to set up until fees are paid in full. All applications subject to ADSW approval. Participating dealers must comply with rules and regulations established by D'Amore Promotions.

I hope you will join us for this exciting venture.

Jim Linz

Expo Chair

Register Now!