American Craft Week Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary

Official Celebration Dates: Oct. 3-12, 2014

It began as a small, grassroots effort to enhance the knowledge and appreciation of handmade craft.  Now, entering its fifth year, American Craft Week is a well-established, national event, celebrating the tradition of American craft in artists’ studios, galleries, museums, schools, and festivals.  This year’s official celebration will be held Oct. 3 - 12, during which hundreds of diverse events will occur in all 50 states.

“American Craft Week has caught the imagination of so many supporters,” said Diane Sulg, founder and co-chair of the event.  “With the growing appreciation of both artisan products and American-made goods, craft is highly regarded for its strong design, quality materials, expert workmanship and enduring value.” Since its inception in 2010, American Craft Week has grown from 240 to more than 1000 participating events, all inviting the general public to enjoy a wide variety of educational, commercial, charitable and festive ways to celebrate craft.

Co- chair, Sherry Masters points out that American Craft Week is having considerable growth in the cultural tourism arena.  “Many regions have found American Craft Week an excellent way to attract visitors.  Organizers wrap a large number of craft-related events, artist studios, and galleries into a large celebration, and market it to both locals and tourists.” In the coming year, American Craft Week officials hope to attract more arts councils, arts districts, and tourism organizers to use the marketing power of American Craft Week to create distinctive, interesting events.

American Craft Week has also found heartening financial support from the craft community.  As an example, this past year Thos. Moser, makers of fine furniture handcrafted in Maine, donated a portion of its sales during American Craft Week to the event. “Celebrating craft is core to who we are,” said Tom Moser, founder of Thos. Moser.  “While in recent years the artisan movement has been strong, especially in the design and culinary worlds, we still have work to do. Giving craft a place of importance is imperative to keeping America strong and vibrant. Encouraging people to value well designed, hand crafted items that have a reverence for materials, and will last for generations is what the American Craft movement, and frankly, we at Thos. Moser are all about.  It’s only right that we support this organization with vital resources.”

American Craft Week invites participation from every corner of the American craft community.  “The very essence of our event is to bring together everyone who is involved in craft, whether they make, sell, exhibit, celebrate, collect, or just plain love craft, to help put it in the national spotlight,” says Diane Sulg.  “You can design your own craft-centered event and become part of this national movement.” For more information, go to www.americancraftweek.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN CRAFT WEEK

The fifth annual American Craft Week will be held Oct. 3-12 in cities and towns across the nation. With hundreds of diverse events at galleries, artist studios, museums, schools, as well as fairs and festivals, it is the premier public celebration of handmade craft in America. American Craft Week is a program of Craft Retailers and Artists for Tomorrow (CRAFT), a trade association dedicated to the growth and vitality of American craft. For more information, visit http://www.Americancraftweek.com.

About Thos. Moser

Built in Maine, Thos. Moser furniture is 100% American-designed, engineered and built. Simple yet sophisticated, Thos. Moser pieces celebrate the natural beauty of wood with unembellished, graceful lines that echo numerous historic antecedents including traditional and modern forms – ranging from Shaker, Arts & Crafts, Mission, Bauhaus, Asian and Danish Modern. Expert in designing, engineering and building in solid wood, the company draws from its 40 years of experience to craft furniture designed to last many lifetimes. A dedication to exquisite design and exceptional craftsmanship is intended to transform a workspace or home into an inspired environment. Each piece of Thos. Moser furniture uses carefully selected American hardwoods obtained from small growers within 350 miles of the Maine workshop. For more information, visit www.thosmoser.com.

The 2013 American Craft Week was sponsored by:

Thos. Moser, American Craft Council, CERF+, NY NOW, Vermontvacations.com, wholesalecrafts.com, Alexander & Lehnert Fine Jewelers, Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, Georgia Made Georgia Grown, John C. Campbell Folk School, Kentucky Crafted, Pike Place Market, Q Evon Jewelry, Southern Highland Craft Guild, America’s Alpaca, Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce, Long Trail Brewery, Mountain Made Gallery, nextdayflyers.com, Paradise City Arts Festival, Pennsylvania Guild Fine Craft Fair, River Arts District Artists