GCA podcasts – capturing greeting card history to inspire the industry of the future
The Greeting Card Association’s podcast series, Talking Cards with Industry Leaders, is a look at key greeting card designers, publishers and individuals whose passion, drive and talent has influenced and shaped the history of our industry.
It is hoped that listening to those who have made a major contribution to our industry talk about their journey, and advice they’d give their younger self, will help and inspire the next generation of our wonderful industry.
Skylight Media
Skylight are kindly sponsoring this Podcast. Skylight have worked with The Art File for many years, designing and running their website. Supporting the greeting cards sector since 2008, Skylight Media are specialists in integrated Shopify e-commerce for Trade & Consumer, providing beautiful and unique website styles that work with clients’ branding and product structures, whilst reducing administrative burden, increasing cost-efficiency and allowing for future flexibility and scaling
I’m so proud to have been working in partnership with The Art File since 2008; our first greeting card publisher clients.
Supporting their online sales systems, we’ve seen their business transform in this time, with truly global reach
Simon Pryce, Skylight
GCA Meets – Ged Mace of The Art File
Ged Mace’s career in the greeting card industry started in the mid-1980’s when he was employed as an area sales representative, working his way up to sales director before he decided to set up The Art File with his partner Karen. Now with central Nottingham premises their son James has joined the growing team.
In May 2024 GCA Council Member and Ohh Deer MD, Mark Callaby, spoke to Ged to hear about his journey and what he’s learnt along the way, including broken legs, bar codes, why he’s not flying a fighter jet and the role of Frank!
I’ve always admired The Art File, not only for their design but for the way that they deliver a customer experience that makes them stand out amongst the crowd, so it was great to speak with Ged and learn more about his career in cards for nearly 40 years.
Mark Callaby, GCA Council Member and MD of Ohh Deer
Ged speaks about the decision to start his own business and how he, partner Karen and their team built The Art File into the success it is today, and the constant drive to develop cards that “put a smile on peoples faces” .
The importance of teamwork is something that Ged highlights as key to The Art File’s success, speaking about the sales agents, artists and others crucial to the business, and how they work together to keep moving forward and growing the business.
Ged also speaks about the fantastic world-leading greeting card industry that we have in the UK and the importance of taking advantage of all the opportunities to network and learn from others, speaking about his time as President of the Greeting Card Association (GCA) and how useful the resources now available through the GCA would have been when he started out.
He also shares some personal reflections, and looks back at his time working for others and being self employed – and how he wishes he’d started 10 years earlier!
Timeline
1985 – Ged joined Accord Publications as a territory salesperson.
1988 – Ged became National Account Manager for Accord and then joining Hanson White / Accord.
1991 – Ged joined The Ink Group to help launch The Far Side to the UK market and then joined Portico Designs as Sales Director in 1993.
1997 – The Art File was formed.
1998 – The Art File’s first tradeshow, Spring Fair Birmingham
2002 – Started working with Ally Gore and Robert Reader
2005 – Opened accounts with John Lewis and Paperchase.
2006 – Alice Tillotson, Head of Product joined our team
2006 – Started working with Notes & Queries in the USA
2007 – Jo Bannister and Joanne McFarland became sales agents for London.
2009 – Jenny Sigsworth, Customer Service Manager joined our team.
2009 – Kerry Lister, first inhouse designer joined the team.
2010 – Ink Press launched
2012 – James Mace, Sales and Marketing Manager joined our team.
2012 – Paperchase and other retailers support Ink Press.
2013 – Purchased and moved into Weekday Cross, in the centre of Nottingham
2013 – Opened shop, Behind the Red Door
2014 – Launched Call me Frank
2015 – Started working with John Lewis on own brand Christmas – ran for 8 years
2015 – Won Gift of the Year with FORM
2015 – Launched Roll wrap
2016 – Launched Sara Miller London Collection.
2017 – Won the Queens Award for Enterprise (International Trade).
2019 – Won the Henry Cole Classic Award with Ink Press
2020 – Launched Tall Boy Prints
2022 – Launched BEAR
2023 – Launched Story Book
2024 – Launched 11 new Everyday collections and stationery, calendars, and tote bags
The Art File
The Art File are multi award-winning publishers of Contemporary Greeting Cards, Gift Wrap and Stationery. Their product range now extends into other categories and they export across the globe.
Based in the historic lace market area of Nottingham, where the business was created in 1997, The Art File has become a well-known brand within the greeting card, social stationery and gift packaging world.
Collections are created by their in-house design team, they also work with freelance designers.
Further Information
Visit the The Art File website to see more cards and to order!
Click this link for more podcasts and webinars
See our Meet the Member series for more insight into GCA members’ businesses.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music and other platforms. Just search for “Talking Cards with Industry Leaders“.
To read background on the podcasts and see the beautiful cards our leaders publish search Podcasts on the GCA website.