David Campbell | Crieff Art Festival Pop-up Exhibition | Opening Night
Photo credit: Blue Noun
English Class Topic: Black Friday
Yesterday’s English class began by briefly discussing the American shopping phenomenon Black Friday, which has now become a regular event in the UK.
Last year, in Britain alone, Black Friday generated upwards of five billion pounds in sales over one weekend by whipping potential shoppers into a spending frenzy by promising unbeatable discounts.
We then looked at an alternative shopping movement that we love, called JUST A CARD.
Then we visited a pop-up group Christmas exhibition showcasing local Crieff and Perthshire artists to meet the makers and to see the show.
JUST A CARD publicity campaigns and merchandise.
Image Credit: JUST A CARD
“The JUST A CARD campaign aims to encourage people to support, value and buy from artists, designers, independent shops and small businesses by reinforcing the message that all purchases, however small, even ‘just a card’ are so vital to their prosperity and survival.”
JUST A CARD website, 2020
JUST A CARD | Campaign for Artists
The JUST A CARD campaign came about when artist & designer Sarah Hamilton saw the quote:
“If everyone who’d complimented our beautiful gallery had bought ‘just a card,’ we’d still be open.”
This prompted Sarah Hamilton to action!
Designers/makers, independent shops, galleries and small businesses need a voice, and JUST A CARD was formed.
“People seldom realise the considerable costs involved in exhibiting at design shows or keeping a shop open.
Stand fees, power, materials, wages etc need to be met before even a penny of profit can be realised.
Running a shop is often a labour of love. Without dedication and passion, and crucially sales, it would be another boarded up eyesore.”
Sarah Hamilton, JUST A CARD website, 2020
JUST A CARD | A Topic for English Class for Creatives
We looked through Instagram at the numerous crafts people and designers taking part in the latest JUST A CARD Week.
“Since 2015 we have been highlighting the value to both customers and independents of shopping small to keep our towns, high streets, markets, events and online small business economy vibrant. Whilst our campaign is UK based we have thousands of supporters from across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Australia and Africa all united in spreading the JUST A CARD message”.
JUST A CARD website, 2020
Here’s an example of local crafter Leslie Mac (Comrie) using the JUST A CARD campaign to reach new audiences.
Image Credit: Screenshot of LeslieMac Instagram post.
An Opportunity for Strathearn Artists
Crieff Art Exhibition | Opening Night
Photo credit: Blue Noun
Crieff Art Exhibition | Pop-up Christmas Show
Blue Noun Language School were there of course (many of our partners and guest artists on Blue Noun’s Meet the Makers Immersion English Programme were exhibiting).
Buy Local | Support Artists | Just A Card
If you are local,
the Crieff Arts Festival Pop Up Shop is open
10 am – 5 pm daily
until 22nd December.
Crieff Art Exhibition | Artworks for Sale
Photo credit: Blue Noun
If you have enjoyed visiting this Crieff art exhibition with us, you might like to read our interview with June McEwan (maker of the large wicker horse in the exhibition).
Our Art and Design English Course Talk Sculpture
A quick note from the author
We began the Blue Noun blog back in 2019, when we called ourselves a ‘language school’ (we now call ourselves a language hub) and we were building up our business completely from scratch.
Our first few months were spent making friends in the community, researching homestay hosts for our language guests and finding out about all the good local places and activities to take our language learning guests.
In 2021 we moved the Blue Noun website to a different platform. We had the option of deleting these old blogs – they are very different form our current, more pedagogic style of posting, but I think they are quite charming to see how our young business grew, turning from a language school run by an artist – into a language hub which really began to focus on coaching artists in English by immersing them in creative environments.