Emerging Craft Market Application

DATES:

August 28-29, 2026

HOURS:

Friday, August 28, 2026:

• 4 - 7 PM: Maker Load-In & Booth Set-Up

Saturday, August 29, 2026: 

• 9-10 AM Sensory-Friendly Shopping
• 10 AM- 6 PM: General Shopping
• 6- 8 PM: Maker Load-Out 

LOCATION:

Energy Innovation Center
(1435 Bedford Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219)

EVENT SIZE:

Exhibitors: 80+

Expected Attendees: 3,500+ 

APPLICATION DATES & FEES:

Application Fee: $20

Application Deadline: April 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM (EST)

Notifications: Mid-May

Application fees are non-refundable and due online upon application submission. Late applications will not be considered.

BOOTH FEE:

$100

INCLUDED IN BOOTH FEE:

• Booth space rental
• 1 Table
• 1 Folding Chair
• Listing in the digital event program book
• Listing on the virtual event page on Handmade Arcade's website
• Maker Media Kit for market promotion

NOT INCLUDED IN BOOTH FEE: 

• Electricity
• Additional tables and chairs
• Booth lighting
• Additional booth furnishings (carpets, shelves, etc.)

ELIGIBLE ARTISTIC CATEGORIES: 

• Accessories
• Adult Clothing
• Artwork*
• Bath & Body
• Ceramics
• Children’s Products
• Glass
• Housewares
• Jewelry
• Paper Goods
• Toys
• Wood
• Other (surprise us!)

*Handmade Arcade was founded as an alternative to visual arts markets where makers creating handcrafted materials with materials like clay, wood, metal, fiber arts, ceramics, and paper could sell their work. Handmade Arcade does accept visual artists for some of our markets, but artists must be able to demonstrate in their applications how their work is reproduced onto prints, fabric, clothing, stickers, etc. and sell those items at our markets rather than just originals.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the Emerging Craft Market
• Applications must align with Handmade Arcade's definition of a "handmade business"
  • Artist(s) created the original products
  • No use of mass-produced, trademarked, or licensed items in work
  • No use of copyrighted designs artist(s) doesn't own in the work
  • No use of purchased, downloaded, or copied images or designs in work
• Applicant is a “handmade business” as defined by Handmade Arcade
• Applicant is a “new and emerging maker” as defined by Handmade Arcade which means:
  
  • Maker does not have a brick-and-mortar store
  • Maker's products are not yet available at brick-and-mortar retail location
  • Applicant is not a food or drink business
  • Applicant has never previously sold at a Handmade Arcade market with the exception of participants in the Youth Maker Program.
  • Jurors will prioritize makers under 5 years old. If your business is over five years old but you believe you still meet the criteria of a new or emerging maker, please share additional details in your application.

REQUIREMENTS: 

All accepted makers are required to: 

• Participate in the entirety of the event dates and hours listed above
• Provide crafters liability insurance
• Adhere to Handmade Arcade's Maker Terms & Conditions 

JURYING & ACCEPTANCE:

This is a juried market; however, Handmade Arcade reserves the right to curate the final accepted maker line-up in order to create a well-balanced show.

Handmade Arcade's 2026 Emerging Craft Market is a juried event. All makers who fulfill Handmade Arcade's application requirements and are juried and accepted into the market will be known as "Accepted Makers." 

Payment of Booth Fees: 

• Accepted Maker booth fees will be charged to the credit card used for their application upon acceptance to the market. Accepted Makers will be notified when this charge will occur.

Cancellation & Refunds: 

• Accepted Makers who can no longer participate in the Emerging Craft Market must notify the Handmade Arcade team via email (makers@handmadearcade.org) by the cancellation deadline of May 30, 2026 to receive a refund on booth fees, electricity, additional table and chair rentals, etc.
• Refunds are not available after the cancellation deadline of May 30, 2026.

Marketing & Promotions: 

• Handmade Arcade reserves the right to use the images and information provided in the maker application, from the maker's website, and/or from the maker's social media accounts for marketing and promotion purposes.
•  Accepted Makers will be tagged and credited as much as possible.
• Accepted Makers consent to being photographed and recorded at the Emerging Craft Market for Handmade Arcade publicity and promotional purposes.
• Accepted Makers may not sell merchandise containing the words "Handmade Arcade" or "Handmade Arcade: The Cutting Edge of Craft" or depicting Handmade Arcade logos, graphics, slogans, or signage without the permission of Handmade Arcade's Executive Director.

In-Person Market Terms: 

• Handmade Arcade and Handmade Arcade representatives and agents make no guarantees of any sort to Accepted Makers, including promises of Accepted Makers’ profits, sales, business, promotion, or advertisement opportunities.
• Accepted Makers may only sell, promote, or display original work as shown or described in their Handmade Arcade application.
• Accepted Makers are assigned a specific load-in time for the event and detailed instructions for this procedure. To facilitate the load-in of multiple vendors, these instructions must be adhered to explicitly.
• Accepted Makers will be assigned a booth space prior to the event date. It is the responsibility of the vendor to review the event map and request changes before the specified date. Handmade Arcade will review requested changes and may accept or reject the requested changes at its sole discretion.
• Accepted Makers MUST comply with the parameters of their vendor space, including but not limited to the placement of tables, chairs, racks, signs, shelves, and personnel.
• Accepted Makers must remain fully set up in their space until the close of Handmade Arcade event as communicated.
• Accepted Makers are responsible for the cleanup of their space following the event.
• Accepted Makers will pack their displays and products and vacate their space according to the deadline communicated to them.
• Music of any sort is prohibited.
• Helium balloons, candles without hurricanes/glass sleeves, glitter, feathers, confetti, and rice/petals are prohibited by the venue.
• Customer service matters are the sole responsibility of the Accepted Maker.
• Any reports to Handmade Arcade about a negative customer service experience may impact a maker’s chance of participating in future Handmade Arcade events.
• Accepted Makers are expected to sell handmade, hand-crafted products or represent the maker’s personal creation. Mass-produced merchandise is prohibited at all Handmade Arcade events.
• Accepted Makers must adhere to Handmade Arcade’s definition of a handmade business with the products they bring. This means:
  • Artist(s) created the original products
  • No use of mass-produced, trademarked, or licensed items in work
  • No use of copyrighted designs artist(s) doesn't own in the work
  • No use of purchased, downloaded, or copied images or designs in work
  • At least 80% artist's original creation
• Accepted Makers agree to reflect Handmade Arcade’s core values of anti-racism, collaboration, equity, financial sustainability, and transparency.
• Accepted Makers are expected to showcase respectful behavior to all event staff, venue staff, other makers, sponsors, customers, etc. The following behaviors are strictly prohibited:
  • Allowing children that accompany you to the market to disturb/break products of neighboring makers and/or disrupt their sales.
  • Telling shoppers that they should avoid the booths of sponsors, other makers, etc.
  • Discrimination of shoppers, makers, event staff, volunteers, etc. of any kind.

Indemnification & Liability: 

• Accepted Makers agree to accept full responsibility for any property damage or bodily injury in any way caused by the Accepted Maker, Accepted Maker family members, employees, or guests during event setup, breakdown, or event hours. Accepted Maker responsibility includes payment of all damages.
• The Accepted Maker will indemnify, defend and hold harmless Handmade Arcade, its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, assigns from and against all liabilities, expenses, suits, claims, actions, demands, judgments, settlements, costs, losses, fines, and penalties, including but not limited to attorney fees, costs, and expenses of litigation, that arise out of or are related to the aforementioned property damage or bodily injury.
• Additionally, Handmade Arcade disclaims all liability for any bodily injury or property damage to Accepted Makers as a result of any negligence, gross negligence, or willful misconduct caused by the Energy Conservation Center (ECC) and/or any ECC employees and/or agents.
• Handmade Arcade and Handmade Arcade representatives and agents shall not be responsible for or liable to Accepted Makers for any loss or damage that may occur to Accepted Makers or Accepted Makers’ property from any source or any cause whatsoever.
• Accepted Makers are solely responsible for collecting and paying their taxes (all applicable city, county, state, and federal sales and other taxes), licenses, personal and business liabilities, and maintaining appropriate insurances in amounts commensurate with the liabilities presented.
• Accepted Makers will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Handmade Arcade from any claim of unpaid taxes.
• Any violation of these policies, before or during the event, gives Handmade Arcade the right to rescind the Accepted Maker's booth space for the event or remove the Accepted Maker during the event without refund of booth fee or any additional fees. Violations of these policies will be documented, shared with the Accepted Maker, and kept on file. Policy violations may prevent an
• Accepted Maker from being accepted into a future Handmade Arcade market or event. 

Any violation of these policies, before or during the event, gives Handmade Arcade the right to rescind the Accepted Maker's booth space for the event or remove the Accepted Maker during the event without refund of booth fee or any additional fees. Violations of these policies will be documented, shared with the Accepted Maker, and kept on file. Policy violations may prevent an Accepted Maker from being accepted into a future Handmade Arcade market or event.