DALLAS–The judging panel has been named for the 20th annual ARTS Awards, which recognizes excellence in design, manufacturing, retailing and sales representation in the decorative accessories industry.
The 20th Annual ARTS Awards, co-hosted by the Dallas Market Center and the Accessories Resource Team, the trade association representing the decorative accessory industry, will be presented during a gala event on Jan. 17, 2009. The ARTS Awards are held each January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market.
This year’s judges include Mark McMenamin, senior editor at Interior Design magazine; Janace Clarke, associate professor of fashion merchandising at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, who also serves as the chair of the Department of Design, Merchandising and Textiles; and Rawlins Gilliland, a full-service consultant to wholesale and retail industries in apparel, gift and home venues, and columnist for The Dallas Morning News and Pegasus.com online news. Rounding out the panel of judges are Helen Erdman, founder of Helen Erdman Interiors and an advocate of addressing green and sustainable issues within commercial and residential interior design; and Pat Mayfield, founder and president of a business consulting company, Pat Mayfield Consulting LLC, and author and business trainer.
After the awards nomination deadline at the end of June, finalists are announced in August. Next, they must submit a detailed portfolio about their company, business philosophies and products. In November, the judges meet at Dallas Market Center for two days to separately review products and binders submitted by each company or individual. The judges’ ballots are sealed and sent to a designated accounting firm for tabulation.