Handmade Arcade

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Handmade Arcade
Date(s)November
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Inaugurated2004[1]
A felt hat purchased from the 2009 Handmade Arcade.

Handmade Arcade is an annual independent craft fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The fair focuses on sustainable, upcycled, recycled, and eco-friendly materials and techniques.[2] Vendors come from multiple states; in 2012, participants came from 15 different states.[2] For example, some pieces include purses made from recycled books, camera straps constructed from vintage fabrics, jewelry made from found objects, pillows constructed from vintage T-shirts, and organic bath and body products.[2] Attendance has reached 10,000.[2] In 2007 and 2009, it won the People’s Choice Award for Best Arts Event from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.[3]

The first Handmade Arcade was held in 2004 at Construction Junction in Point Breeze.[1] The founder was Gloria Forouzan of Lawrenceville.[4] The Sprout Fund provided critical funding for that first event.[5] That year, attendance was 1,000, with 60 vendors.[4] In 2005, attendance and the number of vendors had doubled.[6] The 2006 version saw 5,000 attendees.[7]

In 2008, it had moved into the Hunt Armory.[8] By 2011, attendance had grown to 7,000, allowing for a move to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center[9]


References[edit]

Media related to Handmade Arcade at Wikimedia Commons

  1. ^ a b Gormly, Kellie B. (November 13, 2004). "Young indie vendors sell handmade crafts at show". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d "HA News Release" (PDF) (Press release). November 9, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  3. ^ Zuchowski, Dave (December 10, 2009). "Armory offers handmade goods, history". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Agostino, Michael (November 9, 2005). "Handmade Arcade is not your mother's crafts show". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  5. ^ Levine, Marty (January 18, 2012). "Ten tenacious years for The Sprout Fund. So what's next?". Pop City Media. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  6. ^ McNulty, Timothy (November 9, 2006). "Handmade Arcade: Crafts from the underground". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  7. ^ Gormly, Kellie B. (November 9, 2007). "Handmade Arcade opens window to one-of-a-kind wares". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  8. ^ Gormly, Kellie B. (November 8, 2008). "Handmade Arcade offers distinctive crafts". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  9. ^ Klimovich Harrop, JoAnne (November 11, 2011). "Artisans showcase custom crafts at Handmade Arcade". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 10, 2013.