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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Art Show Directors to Convene in Lancaster as Part of Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival.

LANCASTER, PA -- Since its founding 29 years ago, the Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival has been gaining more and more attention in the national arts community. Not only has the fine art and craft show ranked higher and higher on national ratings scales, but it’s caught the attention of other art show directors across the country. It’s probably no surprise that the National Association of Independent Artists has selected the Long’s Park show to host its eighth annual art show directors conference.

The NAIA art show directors conference will take place two days prior to the Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival Labor Day weekend. The August 29 and 30 NAIA conference will be held at the Eden Resort Inn & Suites, 222 Eden Road, Lancaster. The learning experience will explore ways art show directors can keep their shows current and original, the impacts of technology on art and creative solutions for the challenges today’s art shows are facing. The conference is designed to support the work of directors, staff and board members of developing, new, and established art shows. Organizers of nonprofit and promoter shows should also attend.

“We are elated that the National Association of Independent Artists has chosen to come to Long’s Park and learn from us,” said Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival managing director Amy L. Marberger. “Over the years our directors have attended their conferences to learn from others and improve our festival. We are honored to be their hosts and to introduce these national arts leaders to the thriving Lancaster arts community.”

NAIA executive director Ardath Prendergast added, “Long’s Park is considered to be one of the country’s finest art shows. Consistently it receives high marks from artists as one of the most ‘artist-friendly’ shows and attracts show patrons from a five-state area through its successful marketing. Coming to Lancaster allows us to expose show directors and others to the Long’s Park show so that can learn more about its methods through a behind the scenes visit to the festival.”

The nonprofit National Association of Independent Artists was formed in 1995 to help enhance the careers of fine artists and expand public knowledge and interest in art. Additional information on the 2007 NAIA art directors conference can be found online at www.naia-artist.org/work/dc/2007/index.htm.

The 2007 Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival will bring to Lancaster 200 of the foremost fine artists and craftspeople in the country Friday, August 31 through Monday, September 3. This local treasure draws applicants from almost every state in the nation and several foreign countries. The festival was recently named the fourth best fine art and craft show in America by The Harris List. ArtFair SourceBook, another national rating organization, again named the Lancaster County event its sixth best in the country.

With proceeds underwriting the free Long’s Park Summer Entertainment Series at Long’s Park, the show is held in the beautiful Long’s Park on the northwest edge of Lancaster City at the intersection of Harrisburg Pike and Route 30.

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