T-Shirts and Fair Merchandise Committee

The T-Shirts & Fair Merchandise Committee designs merchandise based on the Fair theme, determines the products and their quantities, and then contracts for the production of the merchandise. They receive and keep an inventory of merchandise. They then sell to the Museum Shop and at Museum and Guild events as well as the Fair.

The Committee Chair is appointed by the Fair Chair. The Committee Chair may recruit others to assist and then recruits volunteers to help sell the T-shirts and other Fair merchandise at various Guild functions and other venues including the Indian Fair & Market.

The Chair:

  • Reports progress and problems to Fair Chair and attends all Fair meetings scheduled by the Fair Chair.
  • Invites the Fair Chair to all committee meetings. The Fair Chair will attend whenever possible.
  • Schedules sales venues and makes all necessary arrangements with the Museum Event Sales Manager.
  • Acknowledges, by thank you note or other means, appreciation for the work done by volunteers working on this committee.
  • Reviews the content of the public section of the Guild website to determine the accuracy and currency of the information pertaining to the work of the committee. Sends necessary changes to webmaster@heardguild.org.
  • At the end of the year, reviews the committee job description posted on the Guild website and in the Committee Notebook. They should both be the same. Makes any necessary changes and sends to the President Elect and to webmaster@heardguild.org. .
  • Attends the Indian Fair & Market Wrap Up Meeting and submits in duplicate the annual Committee Report (unbound) using the Sample Committee Report as a guide. These reports will be distributed to the incoming Committee Chair and Fair Chair. Also, a copy of the report in MSWord is be e-mailed to webmaster@heardguild.org for posting on the Guild website.

Tiimeline

March (of previous year)

  • With the incoming Fair Chair, participate in the selection of the Fair artist for the coming year.

Spring/Summer

  • Assist in negotiating with the selected artist to create or provide an image that will be featured on t-shirts and other Fair merchandise. An additional image may be supplied for the use of the Heard Marketing department for the Fair & Market literature and should be coordinated with the Museum Marketing Director.

Early Summer

  • Consult with the Museum’s Director of Marketing to determine what image they will use on the Fair “rack” cards produced for distribution at the September Santa Fe Indian Market and advertising in “Native Peoples” magazine. If this image will be used for the t-shirt and other merchandise, obtain the digital file from the Museum Graphic Arts Department.

August

  • Prepare and submit a budget to the Guild Treasurer.

Early September

  • If a new image has been created by the Fair Artist for use on the t-shirt and other Fair merchandise, arrange for it to be digitally prepared for reproduction and negotiate with a reputable entity to produce t-shirts & Fair Merchandise.

September

  • Consult with the Museum’s Director of Marketing to determine if they have a need for the new digital image.
  • Determine (based on past records) the styles, sizes and quantities of t-shirts and other Fair merchandise that the Guild will sell.
  • Determine if Fair merchandise will be sold by the Heard Bookstore and the quantity of Fair merchandise that has been promised to the Fair Artist.
  • Place an order for all t-shirts and other merchandise for delivery prior to the day of the first sales event scheduled in early December.
  • Prepare and submit a line item budget to the Chair of the Indian Fair & Market with a reference to any items pre-purchased by the Heard Bookstore and Café.

October

  • Based on merchandise “true” costs verify the Fair and pre-Fair selling prices.
  • Work with a graphic designer and printer to produce a Fair poster that will be used for advertising the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market.
  • By late October, if posters are to be sold, approve the final poster design and place the poster order for delivery by the first sales event in early December.

November

  • Attend the General Fair meeting.
  • Make arrangements with Museum staff for tables to be available on all sale dates.
  • Begin recruiting volunteers to assist in selling the merchandise at various Guild functions.
  • Traditionally, the first showing and sale of Fair merchandise is at the December Holiday Gathering where the Fair artist is the featured speaker. Thereafter, the merchandise is sold at the February Guild meeting, one general Fair Committee Meeting, and at other appropriate functions including Hoop Dance (with approval of the Museum Education Department Event Coordinator).
  • For all the pre-Fair sales events, arrange with the Guild Treasurer for a cash box, credit card machine, start up bank, and deposit proceeds to the Treasurer after each sales event.

December

  • Take delivery of all Fair merchandise.
  • Create “pre-Fair” price sheets and sales tickets to be used at all Guild and Fair meetings. “Fair” prices will be used at the Hoop Dance, Best of Show, and Fair.
  • If pre-purchased at the time of our initial order, deliver T-Shirts and other merchandise to the Heard Bookstores and Cafés on or before the day of the first sale event.

January

  • Send a proposed Fair Booth layout to the Staging Chair.
  • Frame Fair Posters to place in both Cafés and Bookstores of the Museum and in the Admissions area of the museum located downtown.
  • Mount Posters for delivery to about a dozen American Indian art galleries.
  • Send the initial request for Fair T-Shirt Booth volunteers to volunteers at the booth in previous years. If additional volunteers are needed contact the Volunteer Placement Chair.

February

  • Attend the General Fair meeting.
  • Confer with the Fair Chair, the Staging Chair, and the Signage Chair about booth and signage needs.
  • Submit a copy of the volunteer list to the Volunteer Placement Chair.
  • Arrange with the Guild Treasurer for receipt of cash boxes, start up bank, credit card machines, and money pickups during the Fair.
  • Make up any special signage, price sheets and sales tickets with “Fair” prices.

March

  • Set up the Fair Booth, display and sell merchandise at Best of Show and the Fair weekend. Remove all unsold merchandise at the end of the Fair.

April

  • Review the website committee job description of committee work and send changes to webmaster@heardguild.org. Make sure job descriptions are the same in the notebook and website. Send changes to the President Elect and to webmaster@heardguild.org.
  • Attend the Fair Wrap Up meeting and submit two copies of final report and send an electronic copy in MS Word format to the Webmaster.
  • Store left over merchandise for sale at a later date.

3/29/2010