In partnership with the Dallas Market Center, the Accessories Resource Team sponsors the annual ARTS Awards program.

Nominations for the 20th ARTS Awards are closed.  The finalist list will be announced in early August.                   19th ARTS Awards Gala   19th WINNERS ANNOUNCED   19th ARTS Awards Winners Press Release   19th ARTS Awards Academy of Achievement Named: Arlette Baker, Carls Furniture

Now in its 20th year, this one-of-a-kind annual recognition program honors outstanding achievement in retailing, manufacturing, sales representation and product design. The annual Academy of Achievement Award is presented to the man or woman who has made important contributions to the decorative accessories industry. A new award recognizes Rising Stars-retailers and manufacturers who have been in business three years or less.

The 19th Annual ARTS Awards Judging took place in mid-November 07 at the Dallas Market Center. Exclusive behind-the-scenes photos above show you what takes place on this long but exciting day. Click on thumbnails for a bigger view.

[From left-right]
1. 19th ARTS Awards Judges: from left – Cheryl Van Duyne, Cheryl Van Duyne Interior Design; Janace Clarke, Texas Christian University; Edward Walker, Designer, Trading Spaces;Kelly Ryan Kegan, Home Editor, Better Homes & Gardens and Special Interest Publications; Kristine DeMesse, Winterthur Museum Garden and Library. The judges put in 2 full days of work examining product and company binders to choose the winners. They score each binder individually. The ballots are sealed and delivered to a tabulator after the judging is complete.

2. Each manufacturer nominated is required to submit product and a company binder for judging. Great care is taken to display the product for the judges to see how it displayed in the manufacturer’s showroom.

3. All fixtures are assembled, hung and lit to give the judges a complete understanding of how the fixture would look in a buyers home. All products submitted are displayed to advantage.

4. Every effort is made to display & merchandise the product submitted to resemble the finalists showroom efforts. Binders only are required of Retail, Product Designer and Sales Representative finalists. Each binder is expected to be complete with information about their business including marketing, merchandising, professional information and community service examples.