The fantastic Just a Card initiative, founded in 2015 in response to dwindling sales at independent shops, galleries and design shows, has launched Just A Card Week 2018, taking place from 18-22 June.
The Just a Card campaign has gone from strength to strength, bringing designers, artists, shop owners and the general public together for a truly thriving creative community. Independent retailers, their suppliers and customers are invited to participate in the week long campaign.
People are asked to share their personal stories on Social Media and also post images of the hundreds of Just a Card stickers, encouraging people to support independents, which are already popping up in shop windows all around the country.
Just a Card is running various initiatives to help small businesses during the week, including no nonsense Social Media tutorials with experts Emily Quinton from Makelight and Sarah Hamilton from Just a Card and a Giveaway, with fantastic prizes, including business mentoring by The Design Trust. There will also be a 5 day Instagram Challenge culminating, on Friday 22 June, with everyone doing a real life happy dance – to remind people of the ever popular phrase:
The campaign began when Artist and Designer Sarah Hamilton read a quote by gallery owners who’d been forced to close: She commented: “If everyone who’d complimented our beautiful gallery had bought ‘just a card’ we’d still be open”‘.
It was a call to action. Just a card, just a book, just a pot, just a gift – that’s all it takes. Every sale however small, even just a card, is the difference between a vibrant creative community or boarded up businesses. The message has struck a chord – as the campaign winning the publicly voted for Aviva Community Award in just one day proves (voting usually lasts a month!).
Thousands of artists, designers, makers, museum and gallery owners and curators also put up posters, use the logo and take part in events – Just a Card’s alternative to Black Friday, Indie Friday made such an impact it featured on BBC Radio. The campaign is run by a team of 8 passionate volunteers (with practically no funding) – all are artists, makers or creative business owners. The team are incredibly grateful to many businesses including Top Drawer, The GCA, Moo, The Design Trust, Made by Cooper, Mollie Makes Magazine, Printed.com and Cardgains for their most generous support in kind.
Just a Card pins cost £10.00 each (plus p&p) to help with campaign running costs. Please order from justacard.org
Shop window stickers are available by sending an A4 SAE with A LARGE LETTER STAMP to: Michael Fram, The Leaping Hare Gallery & Framers, Easingwold, Yorkshire, YO61 3AE
Every time you buy from a small business an actual person does a happy dance!
For more information about Just a Card week and the campaign visit: website: www.justacard.org
Twitter – @justacard1
Instagram – @justacard
