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Nonprofit Participation Prospectus

Shape the 2026 American Craft Connects Conference

Submit a proposal
Photo by Marcos Luiz Photograph

Important dates.

Conference Dates: Sept 4-6, 2026
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Deadline for Session Proposals: April 10, 2026
Notification of selected sessions: April 17, 2026
Final session details and speaker confirmations due: June 15, 2026

Overview.

The American Craft Council (ACC) is excited to invite craft nonprofits from across the country to support and host a panel at American Craft Connects 2026, a national gathering of artists, cultural leaders, and craft organizations. This conference is designed to foster collaboration, share emerging trends, and build a stronger network for the craft field.

A key feature of the conference is giving nonprofit organizations a platform to share insights, lead discussions, and explore trends in their area of expertise. We strongly encourage collaborative proposals between two or more organizations, highlighting shared perspectives and opportunities for cross-field learning.

Expectations

American Craft Council

  • Provide conference planning, organization and logistics
  • Panel support, including session scheduling, AV support, etc.
  • Cover all costs with the production of the overall conference including any venue and staffing costs
  • Market the conference and panels to our audience of 100k social media followers, 66k mailing list, and 150,000+ annual website viewers
  • Secure and provide funding for need-based conference attendance/support.
  • Provide opportunities for networking with artists, cultural leaders, and other nonprofit organizations.

Panel Hosts

  • Propose and develop a panel session in partnership with other organizations when possible. (This can include an open call to your members, a talk featuring organizational leadership, curated conversation, etc.)
  • Cover any associated costs with your panel including speaker travel and/or stipends as you deem necessary
  • Receive free registration to the 2026 American Craft Connects Conference.
  • Provide ACC with the speakers, content, and materials needed for your session.
  • Share ACC conference promotion with your network to help amplify the conference.

Nonprofit participation form.

"*" indicates required fields

Primary Contact*
Format*
Length*
2–3 sentence summary highlighting focus, trends, and desired outcomes.
Names, affiliations, and roles. (Note: Panelists recommendations will remain confidential can be confirmed at a later date)
In one sentence, explain why you think this session is timely and relevant to the craft field.

Selection criteria.

Depending on the amount of interest, it may be that not all panels can be selected. If that is the case, panels will be selected based on potential collaboration between organizations, relevance to the wider craft field, and opportunities for meaningful dialogue, engagement, and knowledge sharing.

In order to have participation from as many diverse voices as possible, ACC may make recommendations for collaboration between proposals with similar themes.

Contact.

For questions or additional information, please contact:

Jaimianne Jacobin
845-915-0250
[email protected]