Applications for the 2006 NICHE Awards are now available online at www.AmericanCraft.com. A revamped web page provides artists with the choice of completing an online application or downloading a paper version that can be printed and mailed. Other useful information includes updated rules and guidelines, as well as information about the 2006 NICHE Awards ceremony, special display and finalist notifications.

The NICHE Awards, sponsored by NICHE magazine, celebrate excellence and innovation in American and Canadian craft. Entry deadline for professionals is Sept. 7; entry deadline for students is Sept.30, 2005.

Categories include Ceramics, Fiber, Glass, Metal, Wood, Jewelry, Lighting, Clocks, Clothing, Decorative Fiber, Garden Art, Goblets, Judaica, Mixed Media, Narrative, Recycled, and Teapots.

Judging criteria are based on three main distinctions:

? Technical mastery, both in surface design and form
? Market viability
? Adistinct quality of unique, original and creative thought

Finalists are invited to display their work in the NICHE Awards exhibit at the February Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft, Feb. 17-20, 2006, and will be included in the Winter 2006 issue of NICHE magazine. Winners will be announced at the February 2006 Buyers Market and featured in the Spring 2006 issue of NICHE magazine.

The Rosen Group publishes NICHE magazine, www.nichemag.com, the exclusive trade publication for fine American craft retailers, as well as AmericanStyle magazine, www.AmericanStyle.com, the exclusive arts lifestyle magazine for enthusiasts and collectors. The Rosen Group also produces the biannual Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft, the nation¹s largest wholesale craft show.

JCK