50th Annual PMA Contemporary Craft Show Announces Artists

A Half-Century of Handmade: Celebrating the Artists, Makers, and Visionaries Shaping American Craft

September 24, 2026

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The 50th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show has announced its dynamic group of artists for this milestone year. 195 leading contemporary craft artists from a diverse range of creative disciplines will showcase their work from Friday, November 6, 2026, to Sunday, November 8, 2026, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, with a Preview Party on Thursday, November 5, 2026. 

 

Building on a long-standing tradition of excellence, the Craft Show offers a unique opportunity for audiences to engage directly with talented makers while celebrating the enduring legacy of American craft. The Show has raised more than $15 million in support of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, helping to fund educational programs, special exhibitions, and acquisitions that enrich the museum’s permanent collection and expand access to the arts for diverse communities.

 

"For half a century, we have championed the artists, makers, and visionaries who prove that handmade work is not only relevant but essential. This year's show is a celebration of that legacy and a bold look at where contemporary craft is headed,” said Nancy O’Meara, Craft Show Manager. “We invite everyone to come experience the extraordinary talent gathered under one roof this November."

 

The show features 195 talented artists from across the United States, curated by a premier jury for their artistry and creativity in contemporary craft. Artists span 13 disciplines, from metal to basketry to paper, all created by hand. Below, learn more about a few artists. The full list of artists can be found here.

 

Galen Gibson-Cornell
Galen Gibson-Cornell creates paper weavings from street posters that he collects while exploring the walls and streets of many of the world's cities. After collecting scraps of paper, he returns to his Philadelphia studio and weaves them back together into new and recycled compositions.

 

Holly Anne Mitchell
Holly Anne Mitchell has a fascination with newspapers and loves to push the boundaries of their text, color, and content. Drawing from old newspapers, comic strips, and expired coupons, she transforms these everyday materials into striking wearable art. She strives to bring out these aesthetic strengths hidden in the ordinary to create jewelry. Holly Anne truly believes ordinary materials, such as newspaper, can be extraordinary.

 

Diana Friend
Diana Friend turns her bowls with solar power on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Most of her wood is found, originally bound for the city landfill or lying on the forest floor. Diana focuses on the complex bark, burl, and intense grain of the wood and creates gentle curves and soft finishes. 

 

Nicole Haddad and Jordan Haddad
Nicole Haddad and Jordan Haddad are a sister-brother duo behind the sibling-owned clothing line Lobo Mau, based in Philadelphia, that provides its customers with an alternative to fast fashion. Their line delivers SLOW fashion. They take time to properly source sustainable fabrics, pay fair wages, work with U.S. knitting mills to design fabrics, while designing their own prints and hand-silk-screening their fabrics in-house using organic inks. 

 

For more information on The PMA Contemporary Craft Show, follow them on Instagram and Facebook. For more information, you can visit PMACraftShow.org. 

 

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ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART CONTEMPORARY CRAFT SHOW

Established in 1977, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is the first retail craft show organized by a volunteer committee to benefit a non-profit institution. This pioneering event has inspired similar successful showcases in cities like Washington, D.C., and Evanston, IL. Presented annually by The Women's Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Craft Show Committee, this extraordinary show features 195 of the nation's finest craft artists selected through a highly competitive jury process. Over its 50-year history, the Craft Show has evolved into a premier platform for craft education, featuring symposia, artist demonstrations, tours, exhibitions, and guest artist programs representing various countries. The Craft Show and Women’s Committee express deep gratitude to jurors, artists, volunteers, sponsors, and visitors whose unwavering support continues to enrich this remarkable event.

 

Founded in 1883, The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the oldest women's organizations supporting a cultural institution in the country.