Maine Fiberarts Tour Map: Studios & Farms,
2009-2012 Guidelines

About the 2009-2012 Tour Map

Building on our successful Tour Map of 2006-2008, the 2009-2012 Tour Map is being completely redone to include sites signing up at this time. It will locate fiber destinations statewide to draw tourists and residents to Maine’s fiber resources and to promote our fiber assets throughout the region and beyond.

Maine Fiberarts Tour Map: Studios & Farms is a two-sided, full color, 24x36” (folding to 4x9”) map, printed in 60,000 copies. All its sites will be open to the public throughout 2009-2012 with visitors encouraged to phone ahead.

As an added event, a Fiber Arts Tour Weekend is held August 7, 8, 9, 2009 at the height of the summer season when sites open their doors to the public and host special demonstrations. New this time: Sites registering to be on our printed Tour Map may choose whether or not to be open for the Fiber Arts Tour Weekend in August. Both year-round use of the map and our featured Fiber Arts Tour Weekend are emphasized in all promotional materials.

Listings on the map will include a five-word profile of each site, 25-word driving directions to each, and a listing on the Map Index. There will also be descriptions and images of fiber work and farms, art-related information, logos of major sponsors and a special sidebar listing of educational fiber art, farm, and craft associations.

The Tour Map will be heavily promoted and distributed in all state tourism regions—Aroostook County, The Maine Highlands, Downeast & Acadia, Maine Lakes & Mountains, Mid-Coast, Greater Portland & Casco Bay, and Southern Maine Coast—through Maine State Visitors Centers, participating sites, the hospitality industry, Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Portland (Amtrak, Portland Jetport, Commercial Street and Deering Park locations), the Internet, regional volunteers, art festivals, agricultural fairs, Maine Fiberarts’ Center in Topsham and website, and others.

About “fiber”

We define “fiber work” as that which is comprised of fibrous material (plant or animal), derived using fiber techniques (e.g. knitting, plaiting, weaving), or that which documents fiber topics. Fiber art includes, but is not limited to, basketry, beadwork, clothing design, collage, crochet, dyeworks, embroidery, felting, handmade books, knitting, lacework, mixed media, needlework, paper, quilting, rug braiding, rug hooking, rug weaving, sculpture, sewing, spinning, surface design, textile design, and weaving. We seek artists and craftspeople working in fiber to put themselves on the map. In addition, we seek producers and suppliers of fiber materials (alpaca, llama, rabbit, cashmere, mohair, wool and flax) and products (fleeces, rovings, handspun yarn, millspun yarn, finished items, fabrics, and dyed fibers). Call us with questions at 207-721-0678.

Eligibility and Requirements

• Artist studios, fiber producing farms, suppliers (yarn shops, fabric stores, basketry supplies, etc.), learning centers, galleries, processing mills and other sites physically located within Maine where fiber-related activity is a significant component of the enterprise are eligible.
• Restaurants, websites, non-fiber shops and services, mail order catalogs, guilds, natural attractions (gardens, parks, scenic byways), and sites primarily carrying imported finished work are not eligible. A limited number of lodgings will be added for travelers’ convenience.
• Maine Fiberarts reserves the right to determine a site’s eligibility for the 2009-2012 Tour Map.
• Each site must offer an appealing and informative experience to visitors. Sites must have clearly readable signage from the road, adequate parking, and safe access and site conditions for visitors. Sites are encouraged to carry appropriate insurance.
• New this time: Sites registering to be on our printed Tour Map may choose whether or not to be open for the Fiber Arts Tour Weekend: August 7, 8, 9, 2009 from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Hours for other times will be indicated as one of the following: open regularly, open by chance or appointment, or open seasonally with visitors urged to call ahead.
• Participants are asked to pick up Tour Maps, posters, and locator signs either from Maine Fiberarts or from a regional representative (contact us to learn who the rep is for your area). Maine is a large state geographically and our resources are limited. We rely on your help in distributing and promoting the Map and Open Weekend to make the project a success.

Other Considerations

Visitors enjoy sites that offer activities—demonstrations, hands-on learning, educational experiences, and even related chores—and sites are encouraged to offer such activities. Visitors are often attracted to areas where many sites cluster in near proximity to each other. If you know of sites in your area who might participate, please contact us. Maine Fiberarts encourages collaborations between participating sites. Farms may want to incorporate art and craftwork in their farmstands, and studios may wish to add farm products and materials to their studios. Artists may want to show the work of other artists. You may need a “sitter” to open your space during the August weekend. Call for referrals from Maine Fiberarts’ database or use our Photo Image Library to discover and to support each other.

Studio, Retail Shop or Gallery?

If you are deciding whether you qualify as one of these sites, please use this guideline: If over 25% of the contents of your site (not your attached home, but the site itself) is available for sale, define yourself as a "retailer." If over 25% of the contents of your site is devoted work in progress and/or the making of work, consider yourself a "studio." 

Registration Procedure

Our preferred way to receive your Tour Map information is for you to register online. Even if you were on the 2006 map, you will need to re-submit your information on our new form. You can do this at most libraries if you do not have a computer. Go to www.mainefiberarts.org/TourMap, fill out the form, click the “submit” button, and mail your payment to Maine Fiberarts to activate your registration. If you are unable to access the Internet, you may fill out our printed “Registration Form” and mail it in with your check to Maine Fiberarts.

Fees and Deadlines

Please refer to the “Registration Form” (on-line registration form) for details and fees. The fee is due January 15, 2009, payable by check (made to “Maine Fiberarts”), VISA or MasterCard mailed to our Topsham Center. Applications received too close to print date will be refused. No refunds will be given after January 31, 2009.

The fee entitles the site to the following information on the Tour Map:

• three years’ listing on the printed Tour Map with wide distribution, plus online listing throughout 2009
• one located position on the Tour Map, with one site name, one applicant’s name, one site address, one telephone number, one email address, one website address
• a five-word site description of that site
• twenty-five words maximum describing driving directions. We will edit to 25 words.
• a listing in the Map Index
• searchable web listing with site contact info (site name, applicant’s name, site address, telephone number, email, website, and five-word description) listed throughout 2009
• live web link connecting directly to your website if applicable (a reciprocal link to www.mainefiberarts.org is appreciated)

Membership

Maine Fiberarts is a statewide nonprofit organization supporting Maine fiber work—art, craft, farm, school, and business—through education, display, celebrations, and networking both within Maine and beyond. Active membership in Maine Fiberarts covering 2009 is required to be listed on the 2009-2012 Tour Map. Membership rates are as follows:

• Individual $35
• Professional $60
• Supporting $100
• Sustaining $250
• Advocate $500
• Patron $1000

You may include your membership with your Tour Map registration fee on one check to immediately receive member benefits.

Publicity

In addition to the publicity efforts Maine Fiberarts undertakes, participating sites are encouraged and advised to distribute Tour Maps to local B&Bs, hotels, coffeehouses, bookstores and other destinations where people will find them. All participating sites are asked to provide Tour Maps at their sites and to send maps to potential clients on their mailing list, or to distribute Fiber Arts Tour Weekend posters (we provide). We urge you to actively participate in this project in order to derive the most benefit from it.

Schedule

• Application deadline January 31, 2009
• Tour Maps printed March-April 2009
• Distribution begins May 2009
• Fiber Arts Tour Weekend: August 7, 8, 9, 2009
• Tour Map promotion and distribution continues throughout 2012.
• Website listings active throughout 2009.

Sponsorships

We seek fiber-loving sponsors to partner with Maine Fiberarts to make the Tour Map possible. Please contact us for information about the benefits you will receive as a Tour Map sponsor.

Major Funders 

• Anonymous Donors
• King and Jean Cummings Foundation
• National Endowment for the Arts—Challenge America Program
• Otto Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation—Greater Piscataqua Region
• Phoebe Haas Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation—Greater Piscataqua Region
• Maine Community Foundation—Expansion Arts Fund
• The Betterment Fund
• Tour Map participants and Maine Fiberarts' members