American Craft Fest St. Paul 2026

American Craft Fest St.Paul is the American Craft Council’s newest juried craft show, showcasing over 80 early-career artists and other regional businesses highlighting handmade craft in all its forms. In its third year, this celebratory event held at the historic Union Depot features local food and drink, music, and live demonstrations and activities from organizations across the upper midwestern United States. This event attracts more than 3,000 craft enthusiasts who are excited to experience the joy of the handmade and take home something special. 

Participation is open to early-career artists who create work that reflects the diversity of contemporary craft (please refer to our full list of eligibility requirements for more details). All exhibitors receive a 10'w x 5'd indoor space within the beautiful Union Depot, a six-foot-long table, two chairs, and free Wi-Fi. Electricity is available for some, but not all, exhibitor spaces. 

American Craft Fest is produced by the American Craft Council, one of the country’s leading non-profit organizations committed to supporting craft and its makers. The American Craft Council is a member-based nonprofit located in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to hosting craft events like American Craft Fest St. Paul, the American Craft Council also offers ongoing educational programs and events for artists.

American Craft Fest St.Paul 
Saturday, June 13 & Sunday, June 14, 2026
Union Depot, 214 4th Street East Saint Paul, MN 55101
11am - 5pm on Saturday | 11am - 4pm on Sunday
Free and Open to the Public 
VIP Preview: Saturday, June 28, 9:30 am - 11 am 

Event Size: 
80+ exhibitors 
3,000+ attendees

Key Dates:
Application Open: October 2, 2025
Information Session: November 18, 2025 
Application Deadline: December 2, 2025
Acceptance Notification: December 19, 2025
Waitlist Invitations Begin: Rolling after acceptance notifications
Load-In Date: June 12, 2026 
Fair: June 13–14, 2026

2026 American Craft Fest Information Session:
Applicants are invited to attend an information session before submitting their application to the event. A recording of the session will be available for viewing on craftcouncil.org. 

Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 4-5p PT /  5-6p MT / 6-7p CT / 7-8p ET
Registration link coming soon.

Photo Requirements

Applicants must submit five clear images of their work, and ACC encourages the applicant to submit one booth image in addition to the five. Images must be high-resolution files (.jpg, .tiff, or .png) with a resolution of 72 ppi – 300 ppi and must be representative of the body of work that will be exhibited at the event. Ideally, images must be 1400 px on the longest side. The maximum file size is 5 MB. For more details on image requirements and uploading files, please visit this Zapplication page. Images, bio, and Q&A within the application may be used by the ACC Marketing Department to promote artists, artist’s work, and/or American Craft Fest.

*The ACC is not a blind jury; there is no need to omit names, logos, or other indicators of who the applicant is in their images.

*The American Craft Fest application encourages a booth image, but it is not required. If the applicant does not have one readily available, ACC encourages them to create a mock booth for a photo. Alternatively, the applicant may submit an additional product image as a suitable substitute.
 

Artist Statement + Additional Information
Applicants must submit a short (600 characters or less) artist statement. The goal of writing this statement is to provide the jury with context between the images the applicant is submitting and their identity as an artist. This should convey a narrative of who the applicant is as a maker, what they make, and how they make it. The artist statement should draw the jury into your work. If accepted into the fair, this statement may be used by the ACC marketing department to promote artists, artists’ work, and/or American Craft Fest. 

*The ACC is not a blind jury; there is no need to omit names or other indicators of who the applicant is in their statement. ACC recommends writing in the first person for the statement and avoiding academic language.

Early Career Artist Program
The American Craft Council’s Early Career Artist Program provides artists with the resources they need to professionalize their passion. Building on the benefits of ACC membership, which includes access to real-time and recorded professional development workshops, discounted application fees, peer-to-peer mentorship, and opportunities to access exclusive grants.

*Participation in our Early Career Artist Program is not required for acceptance into American Craft Fest, although it is preferred. Artists in ACC’s Early Career Artist Program receive priority access to American Craft Fest participation. 

Jury Process 
Applicants will be selected to participate in the 2026 American Craft Fest St.Paul by a jury of American Craft Council (ACC) staff. Jurors individually score each application based on work samples, application answers, quality of product images, brand, composition, and command of medium and technique.

Each factor, listed below, is graded on a scale from one (low) to seven (high).

• Imagery, Brand, Originality: clear and concise application images. The work should showcase the artist’s individual voice, feature high-quality images, and form a cohesive body of work.
• Craftsmanship, Composition, Command of Medium and Technique: The work submitted demonstrates command of the medium and a commitment to craftsmanship. The artwork’s compositional elements flow together and form a cohesive body of work. 
• Presentation, Storytelling, Narrative: Through the artist statement and submitted images, the applicant understands and communicates their work through a clear and concise narrative, and can provide insightful context for their body of work or approach to craft. 

Once final jury scores are submitted and compiled, artists will be notified of the results and may be invited to participate or be placed on a waitlist based on the scores of their work and curatorial needs for a balanced show. Applicants who wish to apply for multiple mediums must submit an application for each medium, with a limit of three applications per artist. 

Waitlist Policy 
Artists are assigned wait list numbers by jury score and category. ACC will begin inviting artists from the waitlist as spaces open and will continue to invite waitlisted artists up to a week before the show as spaces open in their categories. ACC cannot predict when or if a space in a category will become available or guarantee that a waitlisted artist will receive their first choice of location. 

When a waitlist space becomes available, ACC will call and leave a message in addition to sending an email. Applicants have 48 hours (Monday through Friday) to respond whether they would like to take the space or not.

If an artist submits multiple applications, is accepted under one of them, and is waitlisted for the others, the waitlisted work may not represent more than one-third of the booth under the accepted application. However, if the artist’s number on the waitlist is reached, the artist may choose to include the waitlisted work in any proportion. 

Event Marketing
The American Craft Council promotes American Craft Fest regionally and nationwide through digital marketing, social media, email marketing, direct mail, and public relations activities. Particular emphasis is placed on promotion within the Twin Cities area.

How To Apply for American Craft Fest St.Paul

1. Confirm your eligibility
2. Complete an application
3. Pay the application fee

Exhibitors who wish to apply with multiple mediums are required to submit a separate application for each one. ACC limits the number of applications to three per artist. If an applicant submits an application that includes more than one medium category, ACC will ask the applicant to resubmit with only one medium per application. 

Examples of when to apply under two or more mediums: 

• All jewelry images must be submitted under the medium of Jewelry. If an applicant creates glass vessels and glass jewelry, they must submit them with separate applications and images, as Jewelry is considered a separate medium from the general Glass category. Glass jewelry is considered Jewelry Non-Metal.
• If an applicant makes both functional ceramics (tableware, for example) and lighting made with ceramics, separate applications are needed for each. If the product is solely lighting, apply under the lighting medium. Ceramic jewelry is categorized separately and must be applied for under Jewelry Non-Metal.
• If an applicant makes both furniture and lighting made with wood, separate applications are needed for each. If the product is solely lighting, the artist should apply under the Lighting medium.
• If an applicant makes both sculptural glass and lighting made with glass, separate applications are needed for each. If the product is solely lighting, apply under the Lighting medium. 
• If an applicant makes both furniture and sculptural pieces from wood, separate applications are needed for each. If an applicant makes furniture out of wood, an application is required only for the Furniture category. 
• Wooden jewelry is categorized separately and must be applied for under Jewelry Non-Metal.
• If an applicant combines different materials like clay, beadwork, wire, and wood into one object, an application is only required for Mixed Media.

Eligibility Criteria and Exhibitor Requirements:

• Applicants must reside in the United States or U.S. territories 
• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the time the marketplace occurs.
• Identifies as early-career (see definition below)
• Submitted work must be small-studio production made under the direct supervision of the applicant. Direct supervision requires that the artist oversees production work as it occurs and provides constant direction, feedback, and assistance. ACC reserves the right to require authentication of the production process at any time by requesting documentary evidence.

Early Career Artists Definition

For ACC purposes, Early Career Artists: 

• Are in the early stages of their creative development, with 2-10 years of experience in taking their work to market;
• Have direction and goals for their business and creative practice while still developing their artistic “voice”;
• Show evidence of professional achievement but haven’t yet established a notable reputation as a craftsperson or business within their field, the media, funding circles, or the public at large;
• Aspire to have the sale of their work be a primary source of income or a significant part of their livelihood. At this career stage, artists may supplement their craft-based income with other sources.  

The term Early Career Artist, which is used by The Jerome Foundation and other field leaders, emphasizes our organization’s focus on supporting makers who seek to build careers based on their craft practice.  
 

Early Career Artist Program

*Participation in our Early Career Artist Program is not required for acceptance into American Craft Fest, although it is preferred. Artists in ACC’s Early Career Artist Program receive priority access to American Craft Fest participation. 
 

Artists working in the following media are eligible to apply and participate:

• Accessories 
  • An accessory is an item that is added to an outfit to complement it, express personality, and complete a look, rather than being a primary piece of clothing. Handmade items, such as scarves, bags, purses, belts, ties/bow ties, gloves, hats, and pocket squares, are suitable for this medium. 
  • Jackets and coats are accepted in the Fibers + Textiles Wearable category.
  • Accessories do not include jewelry, which is its own medium.
• Basketry
• Brooms 
• Ceramics 
• Fiber + Textiles: Non-wearable 
  • Non-wearable fiber-based creations, which include, but are not limited to, tapestries, wall hangings, upholstery, rugs, banners, and sculptures created using various techniques such as weaving, knitting, hand-dying, and embroidery.
• Fiber + Textiles: Wearable 
  • Wearable clothing items such as jackets, coats, blazers, vests, sweaters, pants, skirts, dresses, and tops. This medium excludes accessories such as scarves, gloves, hats, and bags (these fall under accessories).
    If the applicant makes both clothing and accessories, they will need to submit separate applications for each.
• Furniture 
• Glass 
• Jewelry - Enamel
• Jewelry - Metal
• Jewelry - Non-Metal
• Lighting 
• Metal 
  • Sculptural or decorative work made from metal. No jewelry will be accepted in this category.
• Mixed Media 
  • The combination of two or more eligible materials, as outlined in the approved mediums list, within a single piece. For example, a sculptural object made from wood and glass. 
  • Pieces made from found objects must result in a distinctive final product. 
  • The American Craft Council does not accept materials and processes related to painting, drawing, or photography. This includes encaustic painting techniques, collage, and other processes related to painting and drawing. 
  • We accept forms of printmaking - please see the medium definition below. 
• Paper 
  • Original works that use paper as the primary medium, including the traditional technique of book arts.
  • This does not include book authors or published books.
• Printmaking 
  • Original printed works in which the artist hand-manipulates prepared plates or blocks to create images or designs. It can be printed on a variety of materials, including, but not limited to, paper, fabric, wood, and metal. Prints must be signed and numbered as a limited edition. Screen printing is accepted. Printmakers are required to disclose their printing process. 
  • The ACC does not accept embellished commercially-made objects like t-shirts, note cards, etc. Photography, digital printing, and other methods that primarily rely on technology are not accepted.
• Wood
  • Original works, whether functional or sculptural, that are primarily crafted from wood and do not include furniture, which is its own medium.

ACC does not accept:

• Craft kits as a product type. 
• 2D work such as paintings, photographs, or graphics (including web- or sheet-fed offset printed matter).
  ACC does accept printmaking.
• Manufactured work (meaning work primarily produced through industrial or mechanical processes, with minimal direct involvement by the artist’s hand, as opposed to work that relies on manual skills, traditional tools, and techniques where the human touch is evident in the process and final product). 
• Embellished commercially-made objects (e.g., tee shirts, note cards, etc.), and works assembled from commercially available kits.
• Work that is not produced by the applicant or under the direct supervision of the applicant. 
• Work that incorporates unsustainable and/or endangered species or materials.

Exhibitor Requirements:

In addition to meeting all eligibility criteria, applicants must be able to meet the following requirements to participate in American Craft Made St.Paul:

• Exhibitors must present work consistent with the type and quality represented in the application submission. 
• Exhibitors must be present for the duration of the show. 
• Exhibitors must have a valid state sales tax permit from each state in which they are participating. Exhibitors are responsible for collecting and reporting sales tax where applicable.

Application Fee: 

• $15 application fee
• All application fees are non-refundable and not transferable. The American Craft Council assumes no responsibility for incomplete or ineligible applications.

Standard Booth Fees: 

10'w x 5'd booth = $300
Additional booth sizes are not available

Booth fees include the following:

• Floor space rental - approximately 10’w x 5'd
• One 6-foot table and two chairs
• Wi-Fi (limited to checking emails and completing sales transactions) 
• Electricity (not available in all spaces)
• Booth sitters 
• Exhibitor badge plus assistant badges 
• Stock storage (a small draped-off space on the floor of the waiting room)
• 24-hour security 
• Promotional support; marketing toolkit, inclusion on ACC’s website, inclusion in a printed show guide, and more.

Booth fees DO NOT include: 

• Furnishings and displays such as lighting, shelving, etc 
• Extension cords or power strips
• Parking

If an artist withdraws (cancels) from the show, fees are nonrefundable except in a handful of cases (please see below). Cancellation results in forfeiting 100% of ALL fees paid to date.

Exceptions for refunds:

• Bodily harm resulting in an inability to exhibit 
• Unexpected death in the family/close relations
• Act of god (accidents, natural disaster)
• Testing positive for coronavirus

All cancellations must be made in writing to show staff.