Demonstrations Chair Job Description  

Primary Responsibilities 

 Organize demonstrations by OPA members showing a variety of techniques.   Members volunteer to demo when they fill out a Ceramic Showcase  

application. Recruit additional members if necessary.  

Education / Experience / Skills 

 Excellent organizational skills.  

 Excellent communication skills.  

 Some “technical skills” necessary to set up sound and stage equipment.   Some computer skills to collect and forward digital images for the demo kiosk.  

Specific Duties/Timeline 

January 

 Prepare the demo schedule. Obtain a list of demo volunteers from the work shift  chair. It may be necessary to recruit members to round out the demonstrations. It  is preferable to have a variety of techniques represented.  

Scheduling  

 Each demo lasts 1 hour with 15 minutes before and after to set up and clean up, for  a total of 1 1/2 hours. This counts for a full 3 hour work shift.  

 Schedule the final Friday demo for 4:00-5:30. This gives time to set up for awards  and music.  

 Schedule the last Saturday demo for 7:00-8:30.  

 Schedule the last Sunday demo for 2:30-4:00.  

March 

 Contact equipment rental chair to order pipe and drape, banquet tables,  audience chairs, and an easel for your demo schedule sign. Try to plan the space  with a minimum of drape which is charged by the linear foot. Check prices with the  Equipment Rental chair.  

 Arrange for the use of a wheel for demonstrations. Arrange with donor  (Georgies) the pick up and return of the wheel.  

 Arrange for clay to be used in demos. In the past clay was donated by various  distributors. Most recently Georgies has donated demo clay. Potters with specific  clay needs provide their own clay.  

 Arrange rental of PA system. It is rented from Rose City Sound in Portland.   Arrange pick up/return of demo stage mirror from storage. 

 Send finalized schedule to work shift chair by their announced  

deadline. Provide schedule to Webmaster for website.  

 Provide images for the demonstrations kiosk to the Display-Kiosk Chair.  April (4 weeks out)

 After the information packets go out (5 weeks out) to Ceramic Showcase  participants, call or write demonstrators to make sure they know the time of their  demos and to bring their own tools. Note that they should contact you if they have  any special needs.  

 Make a sign to acknowledge and thank any distributors that have donated clay  and/or equipment for the demonstration. Include a schedule of demonstrators for  each day. This sign will be displayed in the demo area.  

 Make small signs to be placed in each demonstrator’s booth that announces the  time of their demonstration.  

 Make signs for artists with name, demo title, and time slot to display on stage  during the demos.  

Wednesday Set Up 

 Set up the demo area: Bring rags, buckets, an extension cord, and a large sheet  of plastic to put under the clay demo area. The plastic needs to be secured with  duct tape around the edges. The plastic makes clean-up much easier.  

 Have a few standard pottery tools available in case an artist forgets something.  

Budget - Expenses include sound equipment (from Rose City Sound) and miscellaneous  supplies (plastic and cleaning supplies for the stage area).  

Committee Needs - Chair plus 2 members. Committee member work is during the show.  Work Shift Needs - Approximately 12 to 14 members are needed to demonstrate as part of  their work shifts. Demonstrations occur on the stage during each work shift unless the stage is  being used for other functions such as awards or special events.