Another CraftMonth is almost here, and in 2024, November will be filled with a series of events and exhibitions to help locals tap into their creativity.
Under the theme of ‘Connectivity’, the activation will highlight different exhibits across the city’s galleries/museums and other inventive pop ups. The theme will explore family, community, and how craft connects the public in an increasingly divided world.
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.
“I am so excited for my second CraftMONTH as Executive Director, ” said Edelstein in a statement. “This year’s theme, Connectivity, invites our audiences to consider the many ways craft unites our communities, drives economic growth, and serves as a vehicle for neighborhood development and social change. We hope CraftMONTH inspires the public to visit their local gallery and museums as well as engage with leading craft experts featured at this year’s free annual CraftNOW symposium.”
The occasion is marked with the annual free symposium at the Moore College of Art & Design. On Nov. 7, 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.
As a release notes, highlights include a keynote address on the Philadelphia Cultural Ecosystem by Patricia Wilson Aden, presentations and lectures from partner organizations, a discussion featuring former craft reality television contestants Alexander Rosenberg and Gemma Hollister from Netflix’s ‘Blown Away’ and Mark Sperry from History Channel’s ‘Forged in Fire’, and much more.
Throughout the month, locals and tourists can also head to 25 regional partners—including The Clay Studio, Da Vinci Art Alliance, The Fabric Workshop + Museum, The Galleries at Moore College of Art & Design, Gravers Lane Gallery, InLiquid, Museum for Art in Wood, Pentimenti Gallery and more—to check out their take on this year’s theme.
There’s also the fan-favorite CraftNOW Create event (Nov. 2) 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 48th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, which will feature 195 artists from around the country and 24 guest artists from Italy. 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. 14, and then the show will run from Nov. 15 to 17.
After November’s activities have wrapped up, Philadelphians can also take part in Craft Forms at the Wayne Art Center, slated for Dec. 7. The event will close out CraftMONTH with the Center’s annual exhibition, ‘Craft Forms: An International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft’. The 29th annual exhibition will be juried by Jo Lauria, a Los Angeles-based curator, author, and educator.
In addition to its website, the release finishes, craft enthusiasts can also find the latest CraftMONTH engagements on Let’s Rallie, a mobile app that provides users with an up-to-date list of local events. Philadelphians and craft tourists can download the app to their Apple or Android phones and follow along with the latest exhibition openings and special events.
To find out more information on CraftMONTH, visit craftnowphila.org
