Accessories Resource Team (ART), the association for the home accent and accent furniture industry, will hold its 20th annual conference in New Orleans this year, from May 17-20, at the Ritz Carlton. This year, the program has been enhanced to incorporate more speakers and, for the first time, attendees will participate in a community project.
Speakers will include: John Gidding, host of HGTV’s “Curb Appeal: The Block,” who will present a seminar titled “The Role of Accessories in Curb Appeal,” which will detail his experiences in residential and urban design from the show and his private practice; interior designer Barry Dixon, who will give the presentation “The Bespoke Process to the Individual Interior,” which will discuss the customizing process of interior design and Dixon’s experiences with that; Mike Anderson, The Center for Sales Strategy, Inc. will talk about consumer trends and strategies in the seminar “Elm Street Economics and How to Connect with Consumers and Cash-in on Consumer Trends;” Donna Schroeder, who does brand marketing for Pratt & Lambert Paints, a division of Sherwin Williams, and who will discuss color trends in the multi-media presentation “color collective 2013: Trends in Color in Design;” Jennifer Ledet, Ledet Management, will talk about “Time Matters;” and Crystal Vilkaitis, Snap Retail, will present “Proven Retailer & Vendor Success Using Social Media: How they did it and how you can too!”
In addition, the conference will include its first community project, partnering with the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative of New Orleans and installing home furnishings in at least one living area of each of four new construction houses in New Orleans’ “Central City.” Currently, this organization is still working to place and provide for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. All construction will utilize green building practices. Product and service donations are eligible for tax deduction.
ART members can attend the conference for $599 and retailers, $299. The non-member attendee price has also been reduced. The Ritz Carlton’s nightly rate is $189 for a single/double room. To guarantee hotel reservations, conference registration ends April 24.