Press Release: SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – Emerald Expositions, LLC, announced its acquisition of the American Craft Retailers Expo (“ACRE”) from IndieMe, Inc.
Founded in 2006, ACRE consists of two shows that take place annually in Las Vegas, NV and Philadelphia, PA. The events connect wholesale American and Canadian makers of handmade products with national and international buyers from art and fine craft galleries, modern gift and home stores, independent retailers, guilds & arts institutions, e-retailers, national retail chains, museums and other influencers in the home, gift and lifestyle marketplace.
ACRE features hundreds of juried artists among six distinct showcases, with an emphasis on emerging artists highlighted throughout. Product categories primarily fall within the following areas of focus: Handmade Gifts and Accessories, The Gallery of Fine Crafts, Handmade Jewelry, High Design Jewelry, Handmade Wearable Art and Retailer Resources.
ACRE Philadelphia will take place February 18 – 20, 2017 at the Philadelphia 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 over 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. Emerald’s COUTURE show takes place at the Wynn Las Vegas the same week, with free shuttle service for buyers between shows.
“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. “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.”
“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. “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.”
The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.