Another CraftMonth is almost here, and in 2025, November will be filled with a series of events and exhibitions to help locals tap into their creativity. This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of the occasion.
Under the theme of ‘Intention’, CraftMonth will highlight different exhibits across the city’s galleries/museums and other inventive pop-ups. The theme will explore the conscious choices behind artistic creation, asking why creatives make art and how meaning is shaped through materials and processes.
CraftNOW was founded in 2015 by a consortium of individuals, galleries, museums, universities, retailers, and civic organizations, a release notes. Each November, CraftNOW unites leading institutions to host a widespread and diverse celebration of the region’s rich legacy and its important role as an incubator for arts based in wood, clay, fiber, metal, and glass. In 2017, the City of Philadelphia proclaimed November “CraftMONTH” in recognition of CraftNOW’s efforts and its diverse arts scene. That tradition is still continued to this day.
The organization is currently led by Executive Director Emily Edelstein.
“For 10 years, CraftNOW has been dedicated to supporting Philadelphia’s internationally recognized craft community while inspiring the public to engage with our region’s incredible institutions,” says Edelstein. “Our organization first emerged out of a desire to celebrate the city’s rich craft history and unite its contemporary craft community. Through CraftMONTH, we continue to inspire our audiences through CraftNOW’s annual November programming and partner exhibitions.”
The November festivities begin with a special CraftMONTH Kick-Off at Cherry Street Pier to preview its upcoming programming and celebrate the 10th anniversary of its founding, a release notes. Attendees have an opportunity to receive a preview of CraftNOW’s November programming, browse handmade craft items on sale at a pop-up artist and maker market, and connect with local Cherry Street Pier artists-in-residence early on Oct. 30 (from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.)
The occasion is also always marked with the annual free symposium at the Moore College of Art & Design. On Nov. 14, the in-person event (which will also be available to stream nationally) will take a look at how individual makers, artists, and scholars first connected to craft and how it has shaped their lives through a series of keynote speakers and discussions. The CraftNOW Symposium also looks into how the world of craft connects to other practices and communities, including design, media, science, and public health.
There’s also the fan-favorite CraftNOW Create event (Nov. 1) at the Smith Memorial Playground. The free experience for elementary-age students provides hands-on demonstrations with step-by-step instructions on how to create seven different craft projects. Another stand-out comes from The 49th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, with 195 of the finest and most dynamic craft artists in the United States on site for the event. All work is for sale, and the artists receive 100% of their sale proceeds. A preview party will kick off the occasion on Thursday, Nov. 6, and then the show will run from Nov. 7 to 9.
To find information and a full list of events for CraftMONTH, visit craftnowphila.org
