Over 18,000 professional fine craft artists throughout the U.S. and Canada nominated nearly 600 galleries, retail stores, arts nonprofits, museums and guilds for the 2007 NICHE Top Retailer Awards.

The awards program recognized 33 retailers and gallery owners this year. Criteria for nomination were based on NICHE Magazine's Retailer Guide to Best Practices, which details the characteristics of craft retailers who are committed to fair business practices and to growing and strengthening the American craft community.

“The Gallery of Fine Craft’s mission is to expose as many people as possible to fine craft,” according to Cathy Nolan, WheatonArts vice president of sales and marketing.

The museum store staff develops programs to bring the local community to WheatonArts. The staff organized an Easter Egg Hunt and hands-on craft projects in April. Over 2,000 brightly colored eggs were stuffed and hidden on the WheatonArts grounds. Over 500 local children and 1,000 adults participated in the program that day. They visited the stores at WheatonArts during the day. More than 100 visitors participated in the hands-on craft making in the stores.

“It is an honor to recognize these retailers,” noted Wendy Rosen, publisher of NICHE Magazine. “Their dedication to American craft artisans ensures the strength and growth of the arts and small businesses in communities throughout the country.”

WheatonArts is home to the Museum of American Glass (one of nine accredited museums in New Jersey), the Creative Glass Center of America International Fellowship Program, the Down Jersey Folklife Center, a hot glass studio, several traditional artist studios, The Gallery of Fine Craft, and museum stores.

In addition to daily glassblowing and craft demonstrations, WheatonArts features special exhibitions, programs, workshops, performances and several weekend festivals throughout the year. The New Jersey State Council on the Arts has named WheatonArts a “Major Arts Institution” and awarded the organization “A Citation of Excellence.”

For more information about WheatonArts visit www.wheatonarts.org or call 800-998-4552 or 856-825-6800.