Category Archives: Arts & Crafts

Fine Art Market

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Today we look at the global trade in fine art. This market is measured by looking at sales through public auctions as well as industry estimates of art gallery and private art dealer sales based on polls of over 6,500 dealers around the world. While the market in 2015 was down by 7% from 2014, the United State’s portion of the market grew, reaching 43% of the total. This is because the United States saw increases in fine art sales from both 2013 to 2014 and again from 2014 to 2015 while global fine art sales were dropping.

Globally, the market became more top heavy in 2015 with a rise in ultra-high-end transactions, those valued at over $10 million each. This portion of the fine art market accounted for 28% of the total in 2015.

Geographic reference: World
Year: 2015
Market size: $63.8 billion
Source: Alexander Forbes, “The 10 Most Important Takeaways from the 2016 TEFAF Art Market Report,” Artsy Editorial, March 11, 2016, available online here
Original source: The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) 2016 Art Market Report

Haunted Houses

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Pumpkins-2013-4

Halloween is no longer a one day affair and haunted houses aren’t just for kids anymore. Many haunted houses are Hollywood-style productions with animatronics, realistic special effects, and actors in professional makeup. Haunted houses of the past were often run by neighborhood organizations as a way to do a bit of fundraising. Today, many are straightforward profit making operations.

Some operators of haunted houses combine them with rock concerts, mud runs, and paintball battles. Others combine multiple sets with corn mazes and hayrides. The haunted house experience has become an evening’s entertainment for many. More than 31 million people are expected to visit haunted houses in 2013. Worldwide there are around 2,500 haunted house attractions, the vast majority in the United States.

Today’s market size is the estimated total sales generated by haunted houses in 2013 (dare we say, by the haunted house industry?). Now that is scary….

Happy Halloween

Geographic reference: World
Year: 2013
Market size: $300 million… still a fraction of the estimated $7 billion that will be spent on Halloween related items and activities in the United States this year!
Source: Martha C. White, “It’s Aliiiive! Haunted-House Industry Scares Up Big Money,” NBC News, October 6, 2013, available online here.
Original source: National Retail Federation
Posted on October 31, 2013

Summer Camp

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Today’s market size is the estimated annual number of people attending an organized camping experience of the sort run by the nation’s roughly 12,000 camp organizations. Of these organizations, about two-thirds are non-profits and the rest are privately owned. Most of the people attending camps are children enrolled in summer camps, camps which are tending increasingly towards specializations such as a focus on a particular sport, an artistic pursuit (e.g. music) or an academic area of study (e.g. science).

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2011
Market size: 11 million
Source: Natasha Singer, “When S’Mores Aren’t Enough,” The New York Times, July 10, 2011, page B1.
Original source: American Camp Association

Retail Arts & Crafts Supplies Market

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This market is very decentralized, the top three retailers accounting for only 16% of the market. Those leading retailers are Michaels Stores, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and A.C. Moore.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2008
Market size: $31 billion
Source: “Deutsche Bank High Yield & Leveraged Finance Conference,” October 1, 2009
Original source: CHA, equity research and public filings