A well crafted affair

Is there anything merrier than holiday shopping with a cocktail in hand? The 42nd Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show is happening now! From one-of-a-kind dinnerware and furniture to fashion and jewelry, this premiere  show offers an opportunity to view, and possibly purchase, unique gifts from the finest craftsmen and artisans in the United States. 

The show will run from Friday, November 2nd through Sunday November 4th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center at 12th and Arch Street. The categories of work include leather, wood, mixed media, leather, glass, paper, metal and many more media in styles that range from traditional to cutting edge. Among the 195 artists from the United States, the show’s guest artist program will bring 26 artists from Germany to the City of Brotherly Love.

Unlike craft shows you may have perused at local parks and other public spaces, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show is a juggernaut. The museum sees nearly 15,000 people attend the show annually.

While streams of attendees come for the thrill of the hunt for the perfect handmade treasure, the event’s organizers—the Museum’s Women’s Committee and the Craft Show Committee—have more altruistic goals. The Contemporary Craft Show is intended to bring more public attention to craft art. Beyond raising the genre’s profile, the show has become the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s largest annual fundraising event. Over the last 41 years, the show collected more than $12 million. A portion of each year’s proceeds helps fund the purchase of a craft object for the museum’s permanent collection while other proceeds are assigned to help underwrite education and publication projects to support special exhibits.

Whether you head out to the preview party or take a stroll through the rows of exhibitors over the weekend, the Contemporary Craft Show will be a creative kick off to the holiday shopping season.