Industry News

WHITE PLAINS, NY, Jan. 11, 2012 – Name brands already well-known to American consumers will expand the licensing and distribution of their images internationally through transactions at SURTEX®, the leading trade show for the art and design market to be held May 20-22 in New York City.

Newcomers National Geographic Image Sales, the licensing arm of the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC and WILLIAMSBURG, the licensing brand that supports the not-for-profit Colonial Williamsburg restoration in Virginia, will join more than 300 exhibitors at SURTEX 2012, reports Penny Sikalis, Vice President of GLM and Manager of the SURTEX show.

Already heavyweights in the licensing industry, National Geographic and WILLLIAMSBURG are joining the strong line-up of other well-known American brands that have exhibited at SURTEX – including The Norman Rockwell Estate Licensing Co., Hallmark Licensing, and the Curtis Publishing Co. (The Saturday Evening Post).

“More brands recognize the SURTEX marketplace as an invaluable means to expand their reach to manufacturers in a broad array of sectors through a single and comprehensive outreach campaign,” Sikalis said. As the only marketplace in North America dedicated to the sale and licensing of surface design for product of all kinds, SURTEX attracts more than 6,000 manufacturers, retailers, and other product developers from around the world, she noted.

Some 300 exhibitors from Europe, Asia, North and South America will be presenting new, original art and design during the show’s three-day run at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, now in its 26th edition. About 25 percent of the exhibitors will be new participants in the show, Sikalis said.

“SURTEX is recognized as The Source of both fresh, new art and of original art that has already achieved brand status, but can continually be adapted for today’s marketplace,” Sikalis said.

For example, National Geographic is a 125-year-old organization with archives of photographic and original artwork that extend back through the entire 20th century and include images by hundreds of contemporary photographers working today, she said.

“The National Geographic collection contains more than l0 million images by some of the most talented photographers in the world, from early autochromes and black-and-white prints to state-of-the art digital images,” Sikalis pointed out.

“The scope and quality National Geographic offers are unparalleled, and virtually untapped. It’s an enormous bank of new and fascinating material to be drawn upon for products across the board.”

Other exhibitors at SURTEX include designers and studios that sell or license artwork for a broad spectrum of markets, including decorative fabrics, linens and domestics, wall coverings and floor coverings. Manufacturers and retailers who annually attend the trade show seek ideas for these markets, as well as for apparel textiles, stationery, greeting cards, gift wrap and other paper products, tabletop, giftware, toys, ceramics, packaging and publishing.

About SURTEX
SURTEX is the annual trade show for the surface design industry, bringing together the owners and creators of surface design (artists/ designers/ studios/ agents/ brands/ licensors) and manufacturers, retailers, marketers, etc., that utilize surface design for their product development needs. The show also serves to connect, educate, inspire and support this community on a year-round basis through webinars, newsletters and other activities. Since 1986, SURTEX has been the single event and global resource offering the full scope of art selling and licensing under one roof. For more information on SURTEX, please contact Penny Sikalis at 914-421-3297, psikalis@glmshows.com, or visit www.SURTEX.com.