The National Antiques Week 2013 campaign will pay homage to this very important sector of the antiques trade – the Young Guns (39 and under) in response to an impassioned outpouring from a large number of young dealers following an article Young Guns – A Shot in the Arm for the Trade by Young Gun George Johnson.

The judges will be looking for the most endearing story of how and why the entrant started their business. The young dealer will need to demonstrate a real and heartfelt commitment to the industry and show that they can generate confidence to encourage other young people to join the trade and visit antiques shops. This campaign reinforces one of the central themes of the mission statement of National Antiques Week:

1. To Promote and encourage a younger audience to visit antiques shops, fairs and auction houses during National Antiques Week.
2. To promote and endorse the green credentials of antiques and to highlight the exceptional value antiques represent compared with equivalent high street purchases.

The organisers of National Antiques Week believe that the future of the industry is in the hands of this vibrant young element of the trade and they know that are there are legions of Young Guns of the Antiques Trade working across all sectors of the industry – owning shops, taking over established and sometimes weary family firms, working as auctioneers, exhibiting at and organising antiques fairs and working hard behind the scenes to promote the trade via the antique dealer associations.

National Antiques Week campaign partners, The Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair will a host foyer exhibition during the Spring Fair 22-28 April 2013 to be called “Young Guns, The Future of the Antiques Trade” using exhibits from the fair and from entrants in the Young Guns awards scheme. Mark Hill, BBC Antiques Roadshow presenter and author (and himself a Young Gun) will be the curator of this exhibition working with the fair organisers and he will also host an “Expert Shopping Tour” of the fair as part of the prize package. This valuable opportunity to display pieces for sale in the foyer exhibition will be one of the prizes for all entrants in the awards scheme.