ACC Welcomes a New Era of Access and Connection
Minneapolis, MN
October 15, 2025
The American Craft Council (ACC) announced today bold steps to become more accessible to makers and appreciators of American craft, to increase our reach and impact, and to cultivate a more connected craft ecosystem.
For nearly 85 years, the American Craft Council has fostered the livelihoods of American craftspeople and worked to build a broad, nationwide audience for the handcrafted. We have provided essential resources for artists, produced unique experiences that bring makers and appreciators together, convened and supported our field, and served as the premier nonprofit chronicler of the state of American craft.
ACC programs and activities have changed many times and in many ways over the decades, and innovation and adaptation are as much a part of ACC’s story as tradition. With every era, we have found new ways to advance our vision of a world where objects matter, makers thrive, and craft connects.
Over the next year, we will take the following steps to help bring that world into being:
ACC storytelling is going digital. Stories, news, and other original content about American craft will be available through our website, craftcouncil.org, as it evolves to become the go-to national resource for the craft community. While the last print issue of American Craft, Winter 2026, will arrive in mailboxes in mid-November, ACC members and other readers will continue to find an array of stories that delight, surprise, and inform us all about artists, materials, trends, and events that comprise the rich tapestry of making taking place across America. Craftcouncil.org will feature expanded content reflecting our dynamic craft ecosystem and serve as a platform for new and established voices in the field—the place to explore artists pushing the boundaries of the handcraft, small-batch craft manufacturers known for exceptional design, makers representing folk and heritage traditions, and more.
ACC is launching an expanded array of online resources, including a robust calendar of nationwide craft events, employment opportunities in craft, and opportunities for artists. Beginning in early 2026, users can expect ACC to be the epicenter of news, events, and opportunities in the craft field. This initiative will spotlight the excellent work of craft organizations nationwide, increasing access to information for makers and appreciators in communities of all sizes, and providing opportunities for ACC members and newsletter subscribers to tailor news and resources to their unique needs.
ACC membership is evolving to be a passport to craft. ACC membership will be a gateway to the vibrant world of American craft and provide critical support to both early-career and established makers. Members will benefit from exclusive privileges and special discounts offered in partnership with craft-centered organizations, businesses, and events across the country—admission discounts, materials discounts, members-only access, and more. These benefits will grow and expand over time, shaped by the needs of our members.
ACC’s Library & Archives will support craft scholarship from a new home. We are excited to announce a collaboration with the Center for Craft in Asheville, NC, to foster craft scholarship and research and increase public access to the ACC Library & Archives collections. Recognized as one of the most robust resources for exploring and understanding the history of contemporary American craft and its makers, the Library & Archives will move to the Center for Craft’s welcoming facility located in one of the country’s most vibrant craft hubs. “The Center’s focus on serving craft researchers and writers through a variety of programs and activities made it an excellent choice to steward the nationally unique ACC Library & Archives into the future,” says ACC Executive Director Andrea Specht. This gift from ACC to the Center for Craft will help ensure that more that 25,000 digital assets, numerous physical records, and a print collection of approximately 20,000 books, catalogs, and other items are broadly accessible and well stewarded for generations to come as ACC becomes a fully remote organization in 2026.
New ACC events will join our established lineup, expanding opportunities to create meaningful connections. American Craft Made Baltimore, the East Coast’s largest juried craft fair, will return for the 49th year to the Baltimore Convention Center on February 20–22, 2026 (tickets go on sale December 1, 2025), and American Craft Fest St. Paul will return to the Twin Cities on June 13–14, 2026 (artist applications are now open, through December 2, 2025). Online Craft Forums will feature leading voices exploring timely topics in the craft field, and Object Stories, our new in-person storytelling events, will take place in several cities across the U.S. In late 2026, a national craft field conference will bring together a multigenerational audience for learning, celebration, and fellowship.
ACC will provide more than $100,000 to early-career artists through new grant programs. Beginning this fall, ACC will offer more than $100,000 in new grants for early career artists to purchase tools and equipment, pursue professional development, and seize career advancing opportunities. The grants will be available to members who enroll in our Early Career Artist Program thanks to generous support from our foundation partners.
“We are excited to launch new approaches to storytelling, membership, and more to increase our reach and impact for makers and appreciators of American craft,” says Andrea Specht, ACC Executive Director. “While our programs are evolving to meet our communities’ changing needs, we are steadfast in our commitment to foster craft-centered livelihoods and develop a broad audience for the artful work of the human hand.”
According to Robert L. Lynch, ACC Board Chair, “The changes we announce today provide opportunities to collaborate in new ways with longstanding partners and develop new relationships across the craft ecosystem. With a deeper focus on digital platforms, expanding programs and events, and partnerships as core to our work, we will create unprecedented access, connection, and community for makers and craft appreciators everywhere.”
To learn more about these changes, visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource on our website.
To learn more about the ACC Library & Archives gift to the Center for Craft, read the joint statement by ACC and the Center for Craft.
About the American Craft Council
The American Craft Council (ACC) is a national nonprofit fostering connection through the handmade. Building upon an 80+ year legacy of tradition and innovation as a membership-based nonprofit, ACC leverages the transformative possibilities of craft through storytelling, resources for artists and appreciators, and events. In partnership with organizations across the country, we mobilize our diverse craft ecosystem to create a world where objects matter, makers thrive, and craft connects.
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Media contact:
Sarah Cassavant
Marketing and Communications Manager
American Craft Council
(612) 206-3109
[email protected]