WHITE PLAINS, NY, January 28, 2010 -- Mind your business, artists. That's the message of the SURTEX® 2010 Conference Program, “The New Reality of Art Licensing and Sales: Strategies for Business Prosperity in a Tough Economy.”

For three full days, May 16 - 18, more than 15 industry leaders will lay out the essential tools designers need now, for charting a successful path in the applied art field. In eleven hard-hitting sessions, a diverse group of professionals will offer timely advice, hands-on strategies and value-packed insights for building a successful enterprise amidst today's economic challenges.

“We're excited about this year's line-up of speakers, representing depth and breadth of experience in the very business arenas that working artists and product development professionals need to access,” says Penny Sikalis, GLM vice president and show manager. “These top-level presenters will be talking specifics, sharing nuts and bolts information on how to foster profitability and long-term viability in today's competitive marketplace.”

Leading the 2010 sessions will be licensing and marketing experts, media mavens, seasoned intellectual property attorneys, professional trend-spotters and other industry veterans. Session topics will be wide-ranging and loaded with takeaway tools, from developing a business blueprint to negotiating better contracts to understanding today's copyright laws to enhancing promotional plans and putting them into play.

“All of our sessions will offer a tough-minded approach to the tough economy we're in,” Sikalis notes. “Our speakers will bring first-hand knowledge from many aspects of the industry, and are set to demystify the world of art licensing and provide direction for a positive – and lucrative – future.”

To kick off the Conference Program, two sessions on the “Core Basics of Art Licensing” will cover fundamentals for beginners as well as strategies for established designers, including how to manage and promote a commercial venture and how to work with agents and licensees. Leaders are Jeannette Smith, president of J'net Smith and renowned for building the Dilbert comic strip from its infancy into a global icon; Viv Eisner, experienced artist/licensing pro and owner of Viv, Inc; and popular presenter Suzanne Cruise, head of another prominent licensing agency, Cruise Creative Services.

Two essential “Legal Workshops,” providing invaluable, up-to-date information, will be presented by attorneys Joshua Kaufman and Jeanne Hamburg. These intellectual property law experts will address legal issues vital to both licensors and licensees, including contract language and copyright and trademark protections.

“Leveraging the Economy to Enhance Your Business” is geared to an inclusive audience, including licensing directors, product managers, art directors and art licensors. Presenters will be dynamic media leader Warren Shoulberg, editor of HFN Magazine, along with veteran consumer analyst Janine Finkle, vice president of Market Intelligence/Design Research Reports, Inc. The session will address survival tactics and growth strategies for today's demanding business environment.

Additional in-depth sessions on the Conference agenda will include: finding and working with manufacturers who license art; understanding how retailers make product decisions; using the internet and social networking media productively; plus provocative trend forecasts.

“The 2010 Conference Program is geared to new and established artists, licensees and manufacturers alike, with a wealth of opportunities to learn, network and sharpen their business skills,” Sikalis adds. “It's basically a three-day intensive in how to achieve greater economic success in the new decade via top-notch business advice from accomplished industry professionals.”

Conference Program registration is separate from registration for the trade show itself. Rates vary for packages and individual sessions. For complete details on this year's conference sessions and to register online, visit www.SURTEX.com.

For further information on SURTEX 2010, contact Penny Sikalis, Vice President and Show Manager at 914-421-3297, penny_sikalis@glmshows.com or visit www.SURTEX.com.

SURTEX is managed and produced by GLM®, LLC.