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You are cordially invited to attend and exhibit at the Guild's 19th Convention/Exhibition, June 11-15, 2008 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. When we had our first GAL meeting in 1974, who would have thought it would become such an institution in the lutherie community - often copied, but never duplicated! If you are a luthier, or want to be one, this is the must-attend event!
The Guild Convention/Exhibition serves to bring luthiers of all specialties and skill levels from all over North America and the world together to meet and share information and inspiration in a spirit of cooperation and camaraderie; to give luthiers opportunity to show their work to and receive feedback from fellow luthiers; and to provide stimulating educational lectures and demonstrations on a wide range of topics of interest to the lutherie community.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
LECTURES: We have assembled a full slate of top-notch lecturers to speak on a wide range of topics.
DEMONSTRATIONS and WORKSHOPS: These are smaller and less formal than lectures, and involve a hands-on learning component. Several will be going on concurrently.
See CONVENTION PRESENTERS for a complete listing of all our lecturers and workshop presenters.
INSTRUMENT EXHIBITION: Here's where you put on the show! Expect to see hundreds of handmade instruments and talk with the builders who created them. It's the ultimate lutherie show-and-tell, so be sure to bring something to show.
WOOD and SUPPLIES for SALE: Expect a fabulous selection of lutherie woods, tools, and parts for sale at the tables of the many suppliers who will attend. Here's your chance to hand-pick the wood, supplies and tools you will use in the next several years.
CONCERTS: We've arranged three nights of concerts in PLU's state-of-the-art Lagerquist recital hall.
BENEFIT AUCTION: Our popular benefit auction gives members the chance to support the Guild with their donations of lutherie treasures, and have a ton of fun in the process!
GAL CONVENTION SCHOLARSHIPS: The Guild will be offering a few partial scholarships to selected applicants who need financial assistance in order to attend the convention. This will cover registration fees only (not lodging, meals, or travel) and will enable the participant to attend all convention events and exhibit if desired. We hope to assist some younger folks who are studying lutherie or just starting out in the field, as well as others who may have special barriers to overcome.
Those who would like to apply should contact Deb Olsen for more information.
OUR CONVENTION SITE
This will be our eighth convention at Pacific Lutheran University, which is located close to Guild headquarters, and has received the most favorable reviews from our members.
What's a GAL Convention like?
Follow this link to read about our 2006 Convention in Woodwork magazine.
Follow this link to see our photo coverage of past conventions.
We suggest you read at all our information first and if you question still isn't answered, click here.
