Looking to the future My appointment as Chief Executive of the CCI began on April 30. It could not be denied that the past year has been an interesting one for the Council. I am confident that we have emerged from the experience with clearer objectives and a greater sense of purpose.
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To give you evidence of that, in December everyone on the Register will receive a special edition of the Newsletter which will summarise current Council policies and objectives. It will also introduce Board and staff members, as well as outline the structure and activities of the Council. The purpose of this CCI directory is simple. It is to make the Council as comprehensible as possible, and encourage the fullest use of our services. The six recent regional meetings showed that the Council can and will listen to the views of the members of the Register about our services and the way we However, the only thing we can be sure of is change, and I believe that we can again see important shifts in the market for Irish crafts as the Single Market encourages a freer flow of goods into Ireland. Some of our leading potteries are already feeling the effects of imported tableware on their Showcase orders, but equally all craft manufacturers are facing increased competition, from the third world as well as from Europe. Major entrants to Irish retailing, like Habitat (and soon IKEA), are perceived to offer good 'design' at competitive prices. Their products, sourced from all corners of the world, may also prove to be serious competitors for Irish craft manufacturers in the late 9O'sÂť"'but their approach to 'lifestyle' marketing of gbods may have just as important an effect on the craft economy.
deliver them. In future the Council will continue to respond to your views. It is also equally vital for the Council to study and analyse the markets you work in, and share any information on trends we see emerging. Having been involved with the Council for fifteen years (initially as an elected Board member from 1981 to 1987, and as Director of Training since 1989), I am well aware of the trends which have shaped the current craft economy. I remember the first Board meetings I attended continually seeking ways to help craftspeople deal with the high inflation and even higher VAT of the early 80's. Then the issue was one of survival. Also having many friends throughout the crafts, I know that those turbulent years were followed by a decade of relatively steady economic expansion and increased employment.
Our largest craft retailers are already moving towards a similar type of marketing and the work of craftspeople stocked-by them is increasingly promoted as contemporary interior or fashion design. The recent spate of magazines and television programmes devoted to interior design reinforce this view when promoting craft. They also promote . craft alongside factory made product - the clear presumption being that they are judged solely on their relative merits for use in interior design. Similarly, in a recent survey at the CCI gallery, buyers were offered a choice of reasons why they made their purchase. These were 'crafted by hand', 'made in Ireland', 'quality of design', 'unique object', and 'they collect crafts'. The leading choice by far was that of 'design'. 'Crafted by hand' was only the fourth most selected reason. How concerned do we need to be about the consumer perception of craft' and design'? As the following article in the Newsletter makes
clear, the sales in our own gallery are buoyant, no matter what our customers' reasons for buying work. Can we even take advantage of the trend and ensure that yet more crafts are sold no matter what perceptions are influencing consumer buying? Issues such as increased foreign competition and changes in craft marketing must raise these critical questions - critical because the answers will shape future CCI policies. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact the Council with your opinions on these or on any other matters of concern to you. Those of you who know me, or who have met me at the regional meetings, will know that I believe in dialogue and consultation with the industry the CCI is responsible for. As the new Chief Executive, I look forward to managing the Council's response to change with your support.
Leslie Reed, new Chief Executive, with samples of his tableware commissioned for a restaurant in 1995 Photograph by Tom Davitt