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Coverings announces program highlights for 2021 Orlando event

Coverings has announced the exciting events planned for this year’s Orlando showcase.

Coverings is the largest international tile and stone exhibition and conference in North America. This year’s tile and stone showcase will take place in Orlando, Fl., from July 7 to 9 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). 

For the first time, Coverings will be sharing the convention floor with National Wood Flooring Association’s 2021 Wood Flooring Expo. Coverings will be in the North Hall, while NWFA’s expo will be in the South Hall. Registration to only one event is required to access both halls and both events. 

Coverings will also be extending convention hours, a first for the event. The Coverings 2021 exhibit hall will be open July 7 and July 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT. On July 9, the event will go from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  

This year’s event has some old favorites as well as some new, exciting events. 

New to Coverings 2021 are the Coverings Lounge and Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) exhibits.

In the new Coverings Lounge, Luna Mosaic Arts and National Tile Contractors Association will unveil stunning mosaic tile projects. Luna Mosaic Arts will be creating a 10-by-10 ft to 10-by-20 ft tile mosaic throughout the showcase, and there will also be additional mosaic pieces on display. The NCTA will present a live broadcast demonstrating the process of designing, building, and installing a mosaic tile project. The association hopes to highlight the importance of tile installation as an artisan craft. 

“We are thrilled to share the steps and advanced methods used by our NTCA artisan team to design a custom mosaic creation, specifically for Coverings 2021,” said Bart Bettiga, executive director of the NTCA. “Our members comprise contractors, distributors and manufacturers who are gearing up for Coverings 2021 to gain access to the most innovative tile and stone products, networking opportunities and new business skills and growth.”

The SAMA will also showcase the artistic potential of the tile through two exhibits in the North Hall Lobby. One of the exhibits is titled “One Hundred Moments in Mosaic,” which will showcase a non-juried collection of work representing the association’s diverse membership. Both seasoned professionals and newcomers will be featured in this project, which will feature 100 moments of life rendered in mosaic design by global artists. 

The association’s second exhibit is their Mosaic Arts International exhibit, which will be composed of multiple separate juried exhibits featuring the best in contemporary fine art, architecture, community, and site-specific mosaics from SAMA members. Features returning to the conference include international pavilions, tile and stone exhibits, live installation demonstrations, Coverings Installation and Design (CID) Awards, Rock Stars, and educational opportunities. 

Jennifer Hoff, president of Taffy Event Strategies, the event planning company for Coverings, spoke about the many educational opportunities available for guests of the event.

“We are mindfully and actively planning a full tile and stone onsite experience that will supply those who attend Coverings 2021 in-person with the products, knowledge and connections they need to advance their businesses and sales.”

These educational opportunities include Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and feature sessions, demonstrations, roundtable discussions, live interviews with industry leaders, as well as industry forums. 

The popular Installation Demonstration Stage will return, providing attendees the opportunity to observe live demonstrations of tile installation techniques. This demonstration is created to engage individuals of all professional trade segments.

The annual Coverings conference has exhibits from all realms of the tile and stone industry world.

According to Rick Church, executive director of Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA), many members of the CTDA are excited about attending the event.

“They are looking forward to seeing the event’s incredible products, connecting with national and international suppliers, and discovering ground-breaking trends, techniques and tips they can use to grow their business.”

Last year’s event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coverings’ organizers are thoughtfully considering and planning health, cleaning, and safety measures for this year’s event. More information on the showcase’s health and safety plans is available on their website. 

House Tipsters has previously attended the event in 2019. Coverage of this year’s event is to be determined. 

For more information on registration, visit coverings.com. 

 

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