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Since 1973, NEACA has promoted the study, appreciation, enjoyment, and preservation of original handicrafts.
The goal of our non-profit organization is to encourage craftsmen to continue and improve their crafts through workshops, meetings and craft shows. Currently, NEACA has over 100 members offering a wide range of handicrafts.
All proceeds generated by the NEACA shows are used to provide donations to Huntsville charities and 2 or 4 year scholarships for local students. Since 1973, NEACA has donated more than $1,000,000 to Huntsville area charities in addition to providing scholarships.
Please enjoy the photos and information contained on the following web pages, and thank you for taking time to visit our site.
History of NEACA
In April of 1973, a group of Huntsville people with a common interest in crafts, met with the hopes of forming an organization whose general purpose would be to promote the study, appreciation, enjoyment and preservation of original handicrafts, and to encourage craftsmen to continue and improve the quality of their crafts. A special emphasis was placed on young people and senior citizens to develop their talent in crafts. This was the beginning of the North East Alabama Craftsmen's Association (NEACA,) with the idea of sponsoring workshops and providing opportunities for craftsmen to meet and exchange ideas, as well as a means of selling their products through local craft shows.
Since that first meeting in a private home, meetings have been held at the Twickenham Hotel Fellowship Center, the Caretakers Building at Braham Spring Park, Ed White School, the City Council meeting room, the City Greenhouse and the Huntsville Senior Citizen's Center (our current meeting place). NEACA is a member of the Arts Council and many of our more than 100 members have the distinction of winning awards in various parts of the country. Workshops have been held in local schools and churches, giving many interested children and adults an opportunity to learn a craft of their choosing.
The first NEACA craft show was held in November 1973 at Dunnavant's Mall to benefit the Heart Association. A Spring show was added in 1974, followed by the first Christmas show which was held in Von Braun Center in December, 1975. Other shows were added in The Mall, Heart of Huntsville Mall, and Parkway City Mall. In 1975 it was decided to add a Fall show and to have all three yearly shows held at the VBC. These are now scheduled for the third weekend in March and September, and the first weekend in December. NEACA has continued to offer these shows without an admission price to the public.
Since 1973 NEACA has donated more than $1,000,000 to local charities including: Alzheimer's Detention Home, ARC of Madison, Arthritis Foundation, Chi-Ho, Children's Home, Harris Home, The Heart Association, CASA of Madison County, Cerebral Palsy, Helpline, HIV, Hospitality House, Huntsville/Madison County Rescue Squad, ITS, Madison County Veteran Memorial Fund, Meals on Wheels, Muscular Dystrophy, Robert E. Neaves Center, SCAN, Senior Citizen's Center, Senior Horizon, Thomas Davidson Senior Center, as well as many others. At present, 75% of our profits are donated to several of these organizations and many books on the subject of crafts have been donated to the Huntsville Public Library in memory of deceased members. In May of 1987, the first $1,000 Vocational Scholarship was awarded to a high school graduate to be used for any 2 or 4 year college program.
Board Meetings and General Membership Meetings are held quarterly, on Tuesday evenings, at various published locations.
* * * Special Announcements * * *
Unlicensed copyright material is not authorized to be sold at the show. Non-compliance will result in not being accepted into future shows.
Vendors who cancel more than 30 days before the show will be charged a $40 cancellation fee. Vendors who cancel within 30 days of the show will forfeit the entry fee.
You can find timely information about our upcoming show, its venders, and crafts, on NEACA's facebook page. Venders accepted at each show are encouraged to post items of interest to our facebook friends.
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