Apr 5, 2011

23rd Annual ARTS Awards Call For Nominations

DALLAS –Dallas Market Center, the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace, and the Accessories Resource Team (ART), the trade association representing the decorative accessories industry, today announced the call for nominations for the 23rd annual ARTS Awards. Dallas Market Center and ART encourage anyone in the home furnishings or decorative accessories industry to nominate their peers for these prestigious awards online now at www.dallasmarketcenter.com/artsawards.

The ARTS Awards, presented each January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, recognizes top manufacturers, retailers, product designers and sales representatives from every region of the United States. The 23rd annual ARTS winners will be revealed during a gala event on Saturday, January 21, 2012. This year’s awards will recognize excellence in 28 different categories.

Anyone in the home furnishings industry may nominate in all categories. Neither membership in ART nor representation at Dallas Market Center is necessary. The nomination deadline is July 1, 2011. Submit your vote online now at www.dallasmarketcenter.com/artsawards.

The awards categories are as follows:

Manufacturer Awards
Accent Furniture, Area Rugs, Decorative Accessories, Home Textiles, Lighting Fixtures, Outdoor Living, Permanent Floral, Portable Lamps, Tabletop, Wall Décor and the Green Award

Retailer Awards
International Retailer, Regional Furniture Stores, Regional Lighting Showrooms and Regional Home Accent Stores

Individual Awards
Product Designer of the Year, Regional Sales Representatives of the Year, Rising Star and Academy of Achievement

For additional information regarding the ARTS Awards, please contact Lindsey Villarreal at 214- 655-7654 or lvillarreal@mcmcmail.com.

Make plans now to attend the next Dallas Total Home & Gift Markets: June 22-28 and September 10-12, 2011. Attendees may contact the Dallas Market Center’s in-house travel agency, Market Travel®, for substantial travel and hotel discounts by calling 1-800-DAL-MKTS.

About Dallas Market Center

Founded in 1957, Dallas Market Center is the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace. Within its marketplace of more than five million square feet, retailers from around the globe source products ranging from home furnishings, gifts, decorative accessories and lighting to textiles, fashion accessories and men’s, western, women’s and children’s apparel. With more than 50 markets each year attended by more than 200,000 retail buyers from all 50 states and 78 countries, Dallas Market Center offers hundreds of events and seminars geared toward helping retailers expand business and increase profits. As a result, more than $8 billion in estimated wholesale transactions are conducted annually within the Dallas Market Center complex. The Dallas Market Center website is available at http://www.dallasmarketcenter.com/.

About the Accessories Resource Team

The Accessories Resource Team (ART) is the association representing accessory manufacturers, retailers, representatives and other industry individuals and companies interested in promoting the decorative home accessories industry. The association’s goal is to enhance the market position of decorative home accessories. Each year ART sponsors programs such as the ART conference, regional educational seminars and the ARTS Awards. The Accessories Resource Team website is available at http://www.accessoriesresourceteam.org/.

About the ARTS Awards

The ARTS Awards is the premiere awards program dedicated to the home decorative accessories industry. Twenty-eight categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Sales Representative, Rising Star and Academy of Achievement. Anyone in the industry can nominate including manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives, designers, suppliers, consultants and other industry officials. The Academy of Achievement honoree is selected by an ARTS Awards committee each year. Companies that have won the ARTS Awards five times are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame members are: BJ’s Home Accents, C.S. Wo & Sons, Distinctive Designs International Inc., Feizy Rugs, Fine Art Lamps, Global Views, Montaage, Natural Decorations Inc., Palecek, Paragon, Robb & Stucky and Schonbek Worldwide Lighting.