September Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale is top spot to see and shop best-of-the-West arts
From top left: Jackson Town Square; art by Liz Comer Hess; ShotgunChelle on the Runway of the WDC Fashion Show; WDC Exhibit + Sale Floor in Snow King Event Center.
Jackson, Wyoming – July 24, 2024 – Though technically small in year-round population with roughly 11,000 residents, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is officially BIG-time in the art and design arena. The community is top in U.S. public arts spending and home to the leading event in Western design, the four-day Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale (WDC), September 5 – 8, 2024. Each September, thousands of visitors arrive in Jackson for the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, offering 50-plus arts-related events over the course of 12 days – all kicked off by the Western Design Conference Preview Party + Fashion Show on September 5, followed by 3 days of the Exhibit + Sale with nearly 100 juried artists and designers showcasing the best of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted functional artwork in the form of furniture, home décor, clothing, jewelry and more.
As reported by the Jackson Hole News & Guide, a recent study determined that Jackson tops the nation in per-capita spending on public art. Though typically known for its superb skiing and access to national parks and mountains, the town is an incredibly strong arts and culture community, with September events cementing that strength by bringing together artists, collectors and visitors who revel in the visual art scene and immersive experience that events like the Western Design Conference provide.
L to R: Montana Dreamwear on the Runway of the WDC Fashion Show; SR Woodworking; Northern Lights Steel Sculptures
Jackson’s art-friendly attitude also recently got it selected as the “art in abundance” destination by Mountain Living, which called the September fall-arts feeling in town “electric” and “buzzing with excitement.” The WDC Preview Party, with its live auction, runway fashion show and catered food and cocktails is “a must,” writes the magazine, describing the vibe as a place where “guests step into a magical elevated Western world, chockfull of handmade items from Native American beadwork to fine furniture, to silver jewelry and one-of-a-kind pairs of cowboy boots. Writes Mountain Living, “Nothing is mass-produced; the art is the handiwork of artists from the U.S. and Canada, and it’s everything from cowboy to contemporary.”
A favorite with the artisan attendees, nearly $20,000 is awarded for design excellence each year by a panel of five judges in a variety of categories. New this year is the Western Artistry award, a $1,500 honor judged by presenting sponsor Mountain Living.
L to R: Custom boots on the runway at the WDC Fashion Show; Sleeping Beauty Auction item, Mirta Tummino Studio.
Following the WDC opening Preview Party + Fashion Show on September 5 at the Snow King Events Center, visitors can attend the daily Exhibit + Sale Friday-Sunday, September 6 – 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., browsing and buying from talented artisans and makers representing 27 states throughout the U.S. As Allison Merritt, executive director of the WDC, tells Mountain Living, “The design conference always serves to unite buyers and patrons in love with this work. You will find traditional pieces and the outrageous. There will be organic interpretations and delightful kitsch. It’s the people that make this design conference; it’s the artists, the pieces, the stories they tell.”
Expanding on those stories, new to the WDC this year is a design lecture series hosted by Build Magazine on Friday September 6, and from selected exhibitors on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8. A total of six lectures will run on the half-hour from 11a.m. – 2 p.m., each including a Q&A section – and with daily happy hours on offer in the adjacent lounge area, as well as spirits served out of the mobile horse trailer bar from Wild Wagon Saloon.
L to R: Jackson Hole Beadwork; Art by Deneena Hughes; Happy Hour is served at 2 p.m. each day at the WDC.
Guests can secure tickets in advance online for the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale, including for the Preview Party + Fashion Show on Thursday, September 5, from 6 – 10 p.m. General admission tickets for the opening-night event are $100 per person, which includes meet-and-greets with the exhibitors, a runway show, a live auction and local culinary creations paired with signature cocktails from an open bar; VIP tickets with reserved seating are available for $175. The event continues through Sunday, September 8, with day-passes available for $30.
Visitors can fly into Jackson, Wyoming, via Alaska, American, Delta, and United Airlines, arriving and departing from the stunning, newly renovated Jackson Hole Airport (JAC). Driving is also an option, enjoying the fall colors and perhaps adding a road trip to Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park to experience the extraordinary scenery and wildlife that often inspires the Western artists’ masterpieces.
The Teton Range photo courtesy of Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board
About the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale:
Celebrating 32 years in 2024, the annual Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale is a four-day, multimillion-dollar event that brings together craftspeople, collectors, interior designers, architects, and fashion designers with a love of the West. The Western Design Conference was founded in Cody, Wyoming, to promote contemporary artists working in historical American craft methods. The Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale moved to Jackson Hole in 2007, where Executive Director Allison Merritt continues the strong commitment to Western arts in Wyoming while expanding the reach of the show. Additional information, including schedules and tickets, is available at westerndesignconference.com and on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contacts: Allison Merritt, [email protected], 307.690.9719; Amy Stark, Word PR + Marketing, [email protected].
