The month of November is certainly getting crafty for the City of Brotherly Love.
According to a release, CraftNow, Philly’s own connoisseur of uniting leading institutions and artists in the craft community is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a month-long celebration of the city’s rich legacy, its internationally-recognized contemporary scene, and its important role as an incubator for arts-based in wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass.
Throughout November, CraftNow will be hosting events and will also be present at exhibition spaces throughout Philadelphia to correspond with the Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show in November showcasing Philadelphia as a destination for craft and making.
A full list of exhibitions are listed at craftnowphila.org/exhibitions for crafty Philadelphians to check out, but Metro also has the scoop on what events should be checked out this month to make the most of your CraftNOW experience.
CraftNOW is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a month-long celebration
CraftNOW Symposium
Head to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts this weekend to join in on CraftNow’s annual event. According to a release, each year CraftNOW hosts a symposium to provide a platform for critical discourse in contemporary craft. A half day of talks and moderated discussions is being planned surrounding the theme Craft Capital with the definition of “capital” interpreted broadly for its relation to place, economics, resources, and prominence as it relates to CraftNOW’s recent publication “Craft Capital: Philadelphia’s Cultures of Making.” The keynote speaker this year is Michelle Millar Fisher, one of the contributing authors and the Louis C. Madeira IV Assistant Curator of European Decorative Arts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There will also be a networking lunch for $10 included (12 pm-1 pm) anyone interested must RSVP in advance.
Nov. 8, 12 pm-6 pm, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N Broad St, Philadelphia, free-$10
CraftNOW Create
It’s time to really show off your craft skills at the Kimmel Center with CraftNOW Create. The whole day will be jam-packed with family fun including hands-on exploration, take-home activities and much, much more. The extravaganza will be taking place all day long, and families are encouraged to stop by for this outing that is perfect for all ages.
Nov. 9, 11 am-4 pm, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad St., free
Curator’s Tour, Glass Demo and Performance at WheatonArts
Some already know about the magic of WheatonArts and Cultural Center, and if you don’t, now is an ideal time to get started. According to a release, interested Philadelphians can join Julie Courtney on a curator’s tour of Emanation in the Museum of American Glass featuring works by contemporary artists Jesse Krimes, Tristin Lowe, Martha McDonald and Laura Baird, Karyn Olivier, Richard Torchia, Allan Wexler, and Jo Yarrington. Guests can also watch a live and narrated glass blowing demonstration while also taking time to enjoy the cultural campus, museum stores and Gatehouse Cafe. As a bonus, “Phantom Frequencies”, a mini opera using glass instruments, will be performed for its fourth and final time by Martha McDonald and Laura Baird.
Nov. 16, 9:30 am-4:30 pm, WheatonArts, 1000 Village Drive, Millville, NJ, $35 (transportation included)
To learn more about CraftNOW visit craftnowphila.org
