Utah Woodturning Symposium Discontinued

[Dennis J Gooding]

I am sorry learn that this symposium is going the way of so many. I have attended many times and it probably has been my favorite, being large enough to have an excellent selection of demonstrators and vendors, while not being overwhelming.

 

[John King]

Here's what's on the Utah Woodturning Symposium website.

"We are postponing our 40th Anniversary Symposium to May, 2020. Watch for the details and dates in the weeks to come."

No announcement on website that it has been permanently discontinued. - John

PS - Information source? - J

 

[Dennis J Gooding]

I received the following message this afternoon:

Dear Woodturning Friends,

This email is to inform you that the Executive Board for the Utah Woodturning Symposium has determined to discontinue the symposium. Although this was not an easy decision, a variety of factors have combined which make us question the continued financial viability of the symposium while still maintaining the level of quality we strive for and have enjoyed in past years.

We express sincere appreciation to the hundreds of volunteers who have helped make the Utah Woodturning Symposium a success over the past four decades. We also thank the many world-class presenters who openly shared their hard-earned expertise. Most of all, we thank the thousands of participants who supported the symposium by their attendance, many who returned year after year creating a family-reunion type atmosphere. We have made wonderful life-long friendships and have fond memories to last long into the future.

As you may know, the Utah Woodturning Symposium was initiated in 1978 by Dale Nish and became a groundbreaking model for many other woodturning symposiums. It continued for 39 years making it the longest running woodturning symposium in the world.

It has been a great run and we feel honored to have been part of it. Thank you again for your past support.

Sincerely,

Utah Woodturning Symposium, Executive Board

Rex Burningham, Kip Christensen, Mike Mahoney

 

[Dave Landers]

I got the same email. I only made it there once, a couple years ago. I had been planning to go back this year... then changed those plans to next year...

Helping out with the Rocky Mountain symposium (in a very minor way), I have seen the effort it takes to pull off something like this every year. It ain't easy.

 

[Mark Wollschlager]

Sad to see it go.
I went a couple of times since 2010.
It was a very nice symposium, very congenial.
Very much a family affair.
After Dale Nish died it took the wind out of it. Super Wednesday was cancelled and for me it became less attractive to travel that far.
I hope the woodturning community in Utah can pull something else together in the future.
Regional symposiums are an important part of the turning ecosystem.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Perhaps several of the groups could get together and organize a traveling symposium that makes a 3-year circuit, West Coast, Midwest, East Coast rotation.

 

[John Jordan]

Perhaps several of the groups could get together and organize a traveling symposium that makes a 3-year circuit, West Coast, Midwest, East Coast rotation.

They could name it the AAW.

John

 

[hockenbery]

hope the woodturning community in Utah can pull something else together in the future.

The west coast has quite a few woodturners and few regional symposiums.
The Oregon symposium appears to be the only option and it is every other year.

The Desert Roundup was not held in 2018 and it may not come back.

It takes a lot of work to organization to start and run a symposium.
Finding a affordable venues and volunteers to run it is a challenge.

There is no profit in running a symposium.

 

[john lucas]

That's what I was going to say John.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

There is no profit in running a symposium.

While that's probably partially true I'm not sure that it is completely true. I am given to understand that Turn On Chicago has been a succesful symposium, and there are likely others.

What seems to make one symposium succesful and another not might be a valuable discussion to have (perhaps at a chapter level).

In the meantime you're all invited to Turn On Chicago July 23 - 26, 2020.

 

[hockenbery]

While that's probably partially true I'm not sure that it is completely true. I am given to understand that Turn On Chicago has been a succesful symposium, and there are likely others.

Good point most regionals are successful.
The AAW is successful.
But not profitable. They cover expenses with little left over a good model for a not for profit enterprise.

The 2019 Florida symposium exceeded expenses by enough to distribute $1500 to the 7 chapters that own the Symposium.
These funds must be used by the chapters to support education of the chapter members.

As an educated guess that is a 7% profit over expenses. Now if the the symposium paid for the many hundreds of hours of volunteer labor and loaned equipment the profit will be more like 3%. Unless they have a bad attendance year. And then they could loose money.

Not a good business risk.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

have enjoyed Florida symposium....more like retreat

 

[Charlie Knighton]

there has been a bit of rivalry between utah & tennessee....it may be just in my mind that they would try to outdoo each other....will see if others step up to fill that date.....sorta good time for road trip

 

[john lucas]

Tennessee is simply trying to mlm put on a high level symposium. If any thing they and Florida have to compete to get the demonstrators. And I'm sure all of the symposiums that are.within driving distance of each other compete for attendance. Not many of us can afford to go to more than a few a year.

 

[hockenbery]

Tennessee is simply trying to mlm put on a high level symposium. If any thing they and Florida have to compete to get the demonstrators. And I'm sure all of the symposiums that are.within driving distance of each other compete for attendance. Not many of us can afford to go to more than a few a year.

TheFlorida symposium is held at the lake Yale Baptist retreat as a consequence the time of year floats from mid January to mid February depending upon the higher priority Baptists events want the facility.

When they meet the same weekend the real,completion is for vendors. There are plenty of demonstrators to go around. But several of the vendors go to both and when it is held the same weekend they have to pick one or the other.

 

[Mike Johnson]

With the new technologies being adopted by many of the clubs and woodturning professionals perhaps a virtual Symposium held once a year on the internet and they could archive the various events and publish them on a set of DVD's or electronic download. When attending a Symposium you never have enough time to attend all of the meetings, classes and events offered. A virtual attendee could post questions to presenters and provide live feed back responses to questions and surveys. This would be a very cost effective way to bring a large number of professionals together at one time and there efforts would be easily paid for by the revenue stream from the on-line event and sales of the DVD's or electronic downloads of the event afterwards. The overhead costs of the facilities, travel. lodging, meals adds up for everyone involved in these affairs, a virtual Symposium would remove these costs from the equation.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Mike very interesting proposal....would miss the vendor area and instant gallery of course both could be electronicly ju s t no hands on.....maybe a region could try this.....really lot of technical help donated needed....not sure that much talent avaliable.....sort of different from sweeping up and getting some bottled water. I do like the idea

 

[hockenbery]

there efforts would be easily paid for by the revenue stream from the on-line event and sales of the DVD's or electronic downloads of the event afterwards

Maybe the online event would sell. The DVDs probably not.

The AAW for many years made a DVD set of the symposium. Two techniques videos each of which had four edited demos and another of the events at the symposium. Instant gallery, trade show, opening ceremonies

They were discontinued because of poor sales around 2011

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Yikes! As enamored as I am of live remote demonstrations, I don't find the idea of a virtual symposium even a little appealing.

I am attending Raleigh. Besides the presentations I need to be there for the venders, the instant Gallery, the auctions and the socializing. But besides being there to be "present", I need "there" to be somewhere else, somewhere that isn't my house.

 

[hockenbery]

One attribute that makes SWAT and the Florida symposium successful is the buy-in from the clubs that own the symposium. Other regional symposiums have multiple chapters too.

FWS is owned by 7 chapters. SWAT by more than that. Throughout the year the chapter representatives report On the planning that is under way for the current and future year symposiums. This creates a sense of ownership and a desire to participate in the local chapter members. It’s the place to go with fellow chapter members and a place to interact with turners from other chapters.

The multi chapter ownership also provide a larger pool for recruiting and developing the leadership boards of directors for the symposiums. When symposium is run by a single chapter or worse with a reliance on a single individual there is the risk that one day no one will be there to run it.

With the SWAT & FWS models board members are nominated by the chapters. Those repeating for years provide continuity first time board member bring new ideas and have the opportunity to learn from the experienced board members.

Both of these symposiums also include a slate of regional demonstrators that both showcases the accomplished demonstrators from the region but also introduces some new faces to give them their first chance on a big stage.
This adds to the buy-in from the local chapters when one of their own is in the Symposium.

 

[john lucas]

I find being able to talk to vendors, seeing online friends and personally viewing the instant gallery are the main reasons I go. A virtual symposium would not interest me at all.

 

[Mark Wollschlager]

IMHO the one thing to be avoided by any symposium is a "race to the bottom", trying to make everything a cheap as possible.
There is always room for 'DIY' mini symposiums. I have wanted to do something like that for years, just not the organizing type.
The virtual symposium would be the death of..maybe not the organization but the soul of it.
There has to be some reason for people to want to be part of something when it is a craft.
Actually meeting and sharing methods and seeing the physical work cannot be duplicated with video ( live or recorded ).
Not saying video would not be useful for some things. This has been proven.
It is not a replacement for the reality that is turning.

 

[Tom Beatty]

SWAT is Aug 23 thru 25 in Waco tax. Largest regional symposium sponsored by 28 clubs from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. We have been at 1000+ attendees and around 50 vendors. This is our 29th year and we are still going strong. If you want to have a good time come in a relaxed friendly environment come see us in Aug. we have a large gallery of excellent Woodturnings , large vendor area and 2 1/2 days of demonstrations from 7 lead demonstrators and 18 regional demonstrators. Lead demonstrators include Eli Alvisera, Malcolm Tibbitts, Donna Zils Banfield, Sam Angelo, Carl Jacobson, Andy Chen and Kurt Hertzog. Regional demonstrators come from around the USA. There will also be demonstrations in the vendor area from well known turners including Jimmy Cleve’s, Lyle Jacobson, and others not yet confirmed. We even supply lunches. Also the gallery and vendor areas are open to the general public at no charge. Sorry got long winded, but really enjoy SWAT and being involved in its execution

 

[John Torchick]

Just a thought- I attended the 2018 GA symposium as it is about 30 miles from me. I enjoyed it but was told that is was down from the previous year- attendees, vendors, turners. The Tennessee Symposium and the NCS would entail overnight expenses. Budget doesn't allow that kind of expenditure.

 

[Mike Johnson]

This internet thing is just a fad along with the AAW forum and website????

 

[Donna Banfield]

Chiming on my personal experience...I attended my first AAW Symposium in 2010 - Hartford, CT. I started turning in 2002, and until then my Symposium attendance was limited to a few local/regional ones.

If I had attended Woodstock - the original in 1969 - that is what I would use for comparison. The AAW/Hartford Symposium blew me away. When I got back to my hotel room on Friday night around 10:30 pm, I called my husband to share everything I did and learned. He swears that I didn't inhale for at least 10 minutes during our conversation. There's an energy, an electric charge that you experience when you're there in person. I've only missed one Symposium since then. I now look forward to every one, and consider this the vacation I WANT to have. I've met people I knew virtually through this forum and other online venues. And every year I look forward to a family reunion of my woodturning tribe.

I know that woodturning symposiums are struggling, and eventually end their run. But I really hope that the AAW doesn't become one of them. Streaming online is just not the same. I leave tomorrow for Raleigh, NC, and I am so excited I may not get any sleep tonight If you can't join me this year, hey, I invite you to Louisville, KY next year!

 

[Bill Boehme]

A virtual me might be interested in a virtual symposium, but the real me wants the real symposium.

 

[Mike Johnson]

As shopping malls and big box stores are replaced by online retailers, you will see the same with other marketable goods and services. A decade ago if you wanted to read a book you went to the book store or the library, now you can download and read your selection within minutes all at your fingertips. Years ago if you wanted to watch a movie you went to a movie theatre or went to the video rental store and rented your movies for the week, now you punch in the movie you want to watch and you are viewing your selection in minutes from your home without leaving your recliner. A decade ago if you wanted to buy some tools, a lawn mower or a barbeque you would visit your local Sears store and haul your acquisition home. Time and technology has caught up with all of these markets, many more markets will be impacted as time passes.

 

[Mark Wollschlager]

True, you can just order turned items on line from your recliner and skip that part too.
No need for tools or skills.

 

[Bill Vanderhoof]

I like to look and feel anything that I am going to pay a lot of bucks for. I am currently in Raleigh for my first Symposium attendance. I have been to the Florida symposium a few times but the last time ( 2 years ago ) I had cough up $11.00 just to walk into the main gallery. I did not have the time to spend all day at the event but just had to get one thing from one vendor and it cost 11 buck extra. No Savings and I wonder if the vendors ( Very few ) felt the pinch.
Bill V

 

[R Henrickson]

It hasn't been mentioned in this thread so far but the Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild is presenting its "Turning 2019" symposium October 18-20. A great regional symposium.