Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen

LANCASTER: The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen may be turning 70, but the pace of public programs and craft activities has the organization operating at prime capacity. Celebrations during the birthday year include a fantastic list of opportunities to delight all ages.

“This year is an opportunity for us to celebrate our handmade legacy and dream about the next 70 years,” said Sherrie Boyer, executive director. “We’ve taught thousands of students and had the pleasure of watching seven decades of creative members develop their voices. In the next 70 years, we will continue our innovative programming and introduce new generations to the unique possibilities of the handmade.”

The Guild is the nation’s 7^th largest craft membership organization and operates all of its programs from its new Center of American Craft in Lancaster. More than 14,000 people participated in craft activities at the Center in its first year—even though renovations are ongoing.

While the official birth date is June 2, a variety of special and changing activities begins this month and lasts throughout the year. New and continuing programs include:

• Exhibitions: All NEW in 2014!
  • All Across Pennsylvania: A showcase of works from members in every region of Pennsylvania where the Guild has active craft chapters. March 7 to April 26
  • 70 Works: Featuring the top 70 works of master craftsmen. June 6 to July 26
  • Annual Juried Showcase: A selective look at the year’s newest creations. Aug 1-30
  • Adoring You: Love and more, currently on display through March 1.
• Shows: Three of our signature shows are now rated Top 100 Shows in the Nation (by ArtFair Sourcebook)!

• Pa Guild Makers Fest—The 1^st annual community street festival in downtown Lancaster celebrating the maker movement and all things craft. June 8, Lancaster. NEW in 2014.
• Pa Guild Fine Craft Fair at Rittenhouse Square—two fabulous return dates to Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, May 9-11 & October 10-12
• Pa Guild Fine Craft Fair/ Wilmington, DE—the Brandywine Valley’s most prestigious fine craft fair, now in its 8th year. July 26 & 27, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront
• Pa Guild Fine Craft Fair/ Lancaster—our beloved holiday showcase, a Lancaster tradition for 19 years! November 8 & 9, at the Lancaster Convention Center
• More than 100 fantastic classes for youths, adults and seniors—as well as emerging artists, craft enthusiasts just like you, and master professionals. Visit www.pacrafts.org/workshops for a complete list.
• Monthly demonstrations that put you in touch with the active craftsman or woman to see exactly how they do their work. Every First Friday and most Saturdays at the Guild Store at 335 N. Queen Street. Plus more than a dozen at every show we host!
• 70^th Birthday Bash: A weekend long party celebrating our 70^th birthday with special events on First Friday, Saturday and of course on Sunday, the launch of our new Makers Fest! June 6, 7, 8
• Honoring Craftsmen in their 70s: work of master craftsmen who are still active today. June.
• 7 Decades of Craft Excellence: fine craft display from the Guild’s archives over the decades. October.
• 7 Best: A monthly listing of the 7 best events for the season or month—including workshops, classes, demos, store displays, shows, exhibitions and more, in a nice tidy little bundle with dates so you won’t miss a thing.
• Guild Store: Craftsman of the Month and other special attractions that introduce you to the newest, coolest, most amazing handmade work you’ve ever seen. Ongoing & Daily.

• Workshops:

• Demos:

• Events:

Founded in 1944, the Guild got its launch through the dedication of early craftsmen and a national drive by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to have makers educate the public in all functional craft. She called for craftsmen to pass on their specialized skills to the public so that factory-made goods could go to the war effort. Among the Guild’s first classes was one focused on spinning dog hair and weaving it into fabrics for home use, which meant that factory-made woolens could be sent instead to soldiers at the front.

Since then, the organization has grown to welcome more than 1500 members , the majority of whom are practicing craftsmen in every media imagineable – glass, wood, clay, metal, fibers, and everything in between. The Guild also offers 100 workshops each year, and reaches more than 100,000 craft lovers annually through exhibitions, fine craft fairs, its store, and other programs.

GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION:

The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen is the 7^th largest craft membership organization in the country. Recognizing that the making of craft enriches all, the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen seeks to encourage the practice of and nurture excellence in heritage & contemporary crafts. The Guild is headquartered in the Center of American Craft, 335 N. Queen St., Lancaster. For questions, directions, or details call 717-431-8706 or visit www.pacrafts.org.