Formerly known as the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage’s African American Craft Initiative, the renamed African African American Craft Alliance, brings craft artisans, makers and organizations together to encourage the vitality of African American craft, support efforts to document and present African American work, strengthen networks, and increase access to opportunities and resources.

The African American Craft Alliance began in 2020 as an Initiative of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage to address the needs of the African American craft community through workshops, network building, documentation, and public programming. Beginning in 2024, the work has continued and expanded  as the African American Craft Alliance, supported by the Folk Education Network Alliance and working in partnership with a network of African American craft artists, regional and national craft organizations to support the needs and promote the visibility and vitality of African American craft and artists/craftpersons.

The AACA was  founded by textile artist scholar, Fulbright specialist, and Smithsonian curator alumnus, Dr. Diana Baird N’Diaye.

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What does it mean to be ikčé – to be common/ordinary?  In Lakota and Dakota thoughts, this term is often invoked to express humility, interconnectedness, and the foundation of everyday life. Lakota/Dakota artists and co-curators Molina Two Bulls, Graci Horne, Layli Long Soldier, Clementine Bordeaux, and mary v. bordeaux have engaged in dialogue with relatives, elders, culture bearers, and peers, gathering stories and insights that shape their creative responses.

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The Hunterdon Art Museum and the Red Mill Museum Village are proud to announce the Peace Flag Project: a fiber chain of hundreds of community-made flags displayed along the banks of the Raritan River and pedestrian bridge, symbolically linking the two museums in a landmark celebration of peace, unity and creativity.

By inviting the public to contribute to this crowd-sourced project, the role of shared making in fostering connection and belonging is emphasized.

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We are celebrating our 40th year of quilt-making and sharing our talents with our community in 2025.  Our 2026 Quilt Show will continue celebrating this momentous occasion along with the 250th Anniversary of the founding of our country.  With the theme “Every Quilt Tells a Story” we will show examples of our work from the 1980s to today and tell the stories behind each of over 200 items that are displayed in the show.

In addition we will have hourly demonstrations of a wide variety of quilt-making tips, plus lots of shopping opportunities with vendors and our Boutique Table & Country Store where you can purchase items, including quilts, that are handmade by our 100 talented members.

Special Exhibits will be presented by local chapters of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America, The Appliqué Society, Quilts of Valor, Ryan’s Case for Smiles, and our Comfort Quilts group.  The Comfort Quilts group makes and distributes walker & wheelchair bags, Adult clothing covers, lap quilts, pillow cases, and fidget quilts to local non-profit organizations, rehab facilities and nursing homes.

Our beautiful raffle quilt will benefit Ryan’s Cases for Smiles as well as our Education Committee so we can continue to educate the public with events like this.

Admission to the show for those over the age of 12 is $10 for one day, or $15 for a multi-day pass.

The show will be held from October 16-18, 2026 at the Upper Township Community Center, 1790 Route 50 in Tuckahoe, NJ (08270 for GPS).

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Celebrate the holidays and the 250th anniversary of American independence at the Red Mill Museum Village’s annual Festival of Trees. This year, each tree reflects on 250 years of America—through history, culture, and visions of the future.

The festival opens with the Winter Village holiday market, featuring artisan vendors, festive food, and Hands-On History demonstrations in blacksmithing, candlemaking, spinning, and more.

Proceeds support the museum’s preservation and educational programs.

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The Soul of Black Folks, featuring 50 artists of the Women of Color Quilters Network, celebrates the resilience and creativity of African American culture, utilizing quilts as a vehicle for healing, remembering and reclaiming narratives.

The quilts’ tactile and colorful qualities engage people emotionally through artist receptions, guided gallery tours and story quilt workshops.

The exhibition is organized by Carolyn Mazloomi, a nationally-acclaimed quilt artist, lecturer and founder of WCQN.

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The Women of Color Quilters Network is a non-profit organization founded in 1985 by Carolyn L. Mazloomi, a nationally-acclaimed quilt artist and lecturer, to foster and preserve the art of quiltmaking among women of color.

It supports its membership through presentations, shared technical information, grant writing, and other services. It offers quilts and fiber art by its members to museums for national and international exhibitions, and researches and documents African American quiltmaking.

Members’ quilts can be found in the permanent collection of museums such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian African American Museum, Wadsworth Museum, and the Boston Fine Arts Museum. WCQN has been recognized by the International Labor Department in Geneva and the United Nations for its developmental programs to help advance women socially and economically.

WCQN educational programs and workshops present the benefits of quilting to audiences of all ages, income levels, ethnic background and learning abilities.

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In honor of MICA’s Bicentennial, the College will be holding a one-of-a kind celebration – the Fete of Lights gala will be an explosion of creativity – lighting up the community through art installations, lighting design, costuming and performance including a runway of artistic expression.

The Fête of Light is one of the most frequently remembered events and legendary for its inventive costumes and creative atmosphere and interior design of the space.

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Maryland Institute College of Art is a nationally and internationally recognized art and design institution with a deep commitment to the City of Baltimore and to the importance of the arts in advancing the cultural and economic development of the region.

The College enrolls 1700+ students in undergraduate, graduate and continuing studies classes in programs in art and design. MICA is celebrating its bicentennial in 2026 – and is working with the broad community to activate our commitment outlined in our mission to: EMPOWER students to forge creative, purposeful lives and careers in a diverse and changing world. THRIVE with Baltimore. MAKE the world we imagine.

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The Tyler School of Art and Architecture educates and inspires students to be active participants in society with the highest aspirations for creative and social achievement, individual expression, scholarly discovery and innovation.

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The House of Welcome Cultural Arts Center is part of the House of Welcome, the first longhouse built on a U.S. College Campus. Our work as a public service center is to support and promote Native arts and cultures and engage with Indigenous cultures throughout the world.

We support studio arts specifically in fiber art and carving on our Indigenous Arts Campus which includes a fiber arts studio and a carving studio complex. The work includes college classes, short and long term arts workshops and residencies, locally. We also support a artist workshop program in Native American communities in a four state region including Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. We provide grant support to colleges and universities who are seeking to improve or begin work in a similar fashion with Tribal artists from Tribal communities within their own service regions.

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The Woodlands Arts Council (TWAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enriching our region through cultural and educational programming that encourages, supports, and promotes the visual, performing, and literary arts.

As the producer of signature events—including the award-winning The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, the Texas Fine Craft Show, and the Young Makers Market, TWAC creates meaningful opportunities for people of all ages to celebrate, experience, and be inspired by creativity.

TWAC fulfills its mission through impactful year-round initiatives, including student art scholarships, microgrants, public art projects, and educational outreach programs. Over the past 20 years, the organization has reinvested more than $1.7 million into the community, thanks to the generosity of its community.

TWAC also operates a gallery open free of charge alongside a vibrant calendar of special events and programs throughout the year.

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Materials to Masterpiece invites visitors to explore the journey of traditional craft, from humble raw materials to refined works of art.

The exhibition reveals the transformation of natural resources by the hands of master craftsmen. Unfinished pieces will be featured alongside finished work to illuminate the process, skill, artistry, and vision behind each creation.

The League will showcase collaborations with traditional craft education programs in New Hampshire as a part of this exhibition.

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A jury session is a formal and rigorous evaluation for membership with the League of NH Craftsmen. League jurors not only demonstrate technical expertise but exemplify the “Spirit of the Maker” through their work, and serve as ambassadors for this historic organization.

Setting the Standard is a recurring exhibition featuring work from the League’s jurors. Masters in their respective media categories, these craftsmen represent the high standards of the organization in the work they produce.

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The Clay Studio is proud to present Our Community, a biennial, open call exhibition that highlights the inspiring work being made by artists who are part of The Clay Studio as Students, Associate Artists, Interns, Staff, Board, and Teaching Artists.

The work on view encompasses the range of what inspires our artists, including: global cultures, traditional techniques, 3D printing, slip casting, installation art, humor, and political activism.

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