Who can exhibit at Ornamo Design Christmas and other FAQs

The Ornamo Design Christmas 2018 takes place 7–9 December at the Kaapelitehdas venue in Helsinki. We have put together a series of frequently asked questions to help prospective exhibitors and others interested in the event. Registration for Ornamo and Grafia members opens on 7 June, with non-members invited to apply from 13 August.

Who is eligible to exhibit at Ornamo Design Christmas?

All Ornamo and Grafia members are automatically eligible to exhibit at the Design Christmas market. Non-members with a relevant HE degree are also able to apply at a later stage, but they will be chosen on the basis of a selection process.

What are the benefits of Ornamo membership?

The Design Christmas event is automatically available to all Ornamo members and members also receive a discount. All Ornamo and Grafia members will additionally be given priority registration. Members will also be able to attend training events run by Ornamo on marketing and communications that are specifically designed to allow members to make the most of the Design Christmas event.

What’s changed since Lumi Accessories started producing the event?

This will be the fifth time Lumi Accessories have produced the Design Christmas event. The person responsible for coordinating the event is Mika Åhman. Over the years, as the event has grown, we have acquired more sponsors and other partners. Through Lumi’s involvement, we have been able to create a more consistent brand and concept for the event. We learn something new every year and we endeavour to continually improve the experience for our exhibitors and especially for our visitors. Over time, the event has become more commercial, in the best sense of the word. In addition to our well-established loyal following it has also caught the attention of new audiences with an interest for Finnish design.

Can I pick the location for my stand?

All prospective exhibitors can include details of their preferred stand location in the application form. Please ensure that your description is as clear and comprehensible as possible. However, exhibitors are unfortunately unable to reserve a specific stand. Happily, we know from the feedback that we receive that exhibitors tend to be very happy with their allocation.

What’s included in the stand?

The stand is an area within the market that you can furnish using your own or hired furniture. Please specify in your application form if you would like to hire items. Electricity is available via extension lead. The stands benefit from shared lighting and have Wi-Fi access.

How will I locate my stand?

All exhibitors will be sent a map of our venue at Kaapelitehdas by email. All stands will also be name tagged. We will be sending a wealth of useful information along with the venue map. An information pack will be sent out around four weeks before the event. The venue map will be sent approximately a week before the start of the event.

Why can’t you send the map earlier?

We will continue to accept registrations late into the autumn and before we can circulate the map we will need to have it approved by fire protection officials. It is very important that as few changes as possible are made to the map following approval as the officials will need to have an accurate idea of how many square meters of the venue is taken up by stands.

When can I deliver my goods to the venue?

All exhibitors are responsible for delivering their sale goods and any furniture and other props they may be using. We have staggered the arrival slots to ensure that things run smoothly on the day. The information pack will include a map of the venue with marked entrance.

Do I have any control over who will be in the stand next to mine?

Unfortunately, we are unable to allow exhibitors to pick their neighbours, as it would make the process of organising the venue plan for too complicated. Also, we will begin to allocate stands at the earliest possible opportunity when registration remains open. However, please don’t hesitate to make us aware of your preferences and any special circumstances. We have previously had exhibitors with a shared card payment machine and have always made it possible for them to occupy adjacent stands.

How much time will I have to set up my stand?

Exhibitors occupying the smaller 4–6 m² stands will have access from Friday morning until the start of the event. If you have opted for one of the larger stands, you will be given access from Thursday afternoon.

How much time will I have to clear up afterwards?

We have allocated 2–3 hours for the clear up but, in our experience, exhibitors usually only need one hour.

What else can I do in preparation?

Invariably, people will always be looking for extension cables and tablecloths. We also recommend that you give some thought to the lighting at your stand, as there are no freestanding lighting fixtures available. Also, do remember to bring plenty of Christmas cheer! And it’s always a good idea to make sure that your Finnish Designers portfolio is looking great.

What’s the deadline for submitting social media marketing materials to Lumi and what sort of material are you looking for?

As a rule, we ask that people send us their logos and photos of their products or any other relevant images. We are also always looking for stories we can use on Facebook. This year, we want to get the promotional material out earlier to ensure that everyone who is interested are given plenty of exposure. We find that publishing content three times a day takes away from the impact.

I still have more questions. Who can I talk to?

If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Mika Åhman, the event’s producer or Petra Ilonen, Project Manager at Ornamo. You can reach Mika Åhman by email at mika.ahman@lumiaccessories.com. Petra Ilonen’s email address is petra.ilonen@ornamo.fi and you can also contact her by telephone on 046 878 2572.

The FAQ answers were provided by Ornamo Design Christmas producer Mika Åhman and Ornamo Project Manager Petra Ilonen.

Text and photo: Jenna Heino