Since 2004, we’ve connected 3,000+ makers with 215,000+ shoppers leading to $4 million in maker sales at our events.
Our Mission
Handmade Arcade empowers makers of all ages by providing them with professional development and connections to customers.
Our Vision
Handmade Arcade envisions an inclusive artistic community where all makers are empowered to share their craft and to achieve their creative potential and financial goals.
Our Values
Anti-racism
Collaboration
Equity
Financial Sustainability
Transparency
Our Story
2024 marks Handmade Arcade’s 20th Birthday! Handmade Arcade was founded in 2004 around a dining room table by a group of seven crafty women who wanted to create a DIY/indie craft fair. At the time, indie craft fairs were virtually unknown - this was long before Etsy and the “maker movement” existed. The first Handmade Arcade market in 2004 featured 30 makers whose quirky, irreverent, and unique handmade products delighted over 1,000 curious shoppers.
The creative leaders behind Handmade Arcade continued to host indie markets in Pittsburgh, building a grassroots community of makers and serving as pioneers in Pittsburgh’s own flourishing maker movement. From features in MAKE Magazine, hosting the first-ever Craft Congress with other indie craft show leaders from around the country, and being featured in BuzzFeed’s 2014 round-up of “25 Indie Craft Fairs Every Creative Person Needs to Visit,” Handmade Arcade’s reach continued to grow.
Handmade Arcade received official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2017. This enabled the organization to significantly expand support for makers. Handmade Arcade now hosts multiple markets each year, provides year-round workshops and educational opportunities for makers hoping to grow their businesses, and supports the future of craft with a youth maker accelerator program. Handmade Arcade is dedicated to Pittsburgh’s craft, maker, and arts community and is committed to improving quality of life and economic success for our region’s makers.
