About Handmade Arcade

Mission

Handmade Arcade empowers makers of all ages by providing them with professional development and connections to customers. 

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.

Values

  • Anti-racism
  • Collaboration
  • Equity
  • Financial Sustainability
  • Transparency

20 Years of Impact

Between 2004 and 2024, Handmade Arcade has produced: 

  • 19 Holiday Markets
  • 5 Spring Markets for new and emerging makers
  • 8 Virtual Markets and Catalogs
  • 7 Youth Maker Accelerator Program cohorts
  • 1 BIPOC Maker Accelerator Program cohort

In the past 20 years, we’ve hosted 3,000+ craft and maker businesses and 215,000 shoppers at our events.

The results?

Over $4 million in self-reported sales from our makers. 

Handmade Arcade & Pittsburgh’s Maker Movement 

Handmade Arcade is the spark that ignited Pittsburgh’s robust maker community. Predating all other local craft-focused markets, including national markets like Etsy, Handmade Arcade has been a leader in Pittsburgh’s maker movement long before the term “maker movement” existed—with early credits such as features in MAKE Magazine and hosting the country’s first-ever Craft Congress in 2007.

Today, the organization operates as a nonprofit and continues to make significant, year-long contributions that directly impact Pittsburgh’s craft, maker, and arts community’s quality of life and economic success.

Meet the Team

Board of Directors

Mia Hooper, President
Shannon Richardson, Vice President
Maher Hoque, Secretary
Ariel Beach-Westmoreland
Samantha Caruthers
Shannon Parris

Staff

Kelsey Ford, Executive Director

Advisory Committee

Samantha Bower
Joyce Ignasky, Volunteer Coordinator
Tara McElfresh, Hands-On Handmade Coordinator
Seiko Sisco
Valerie Snyder, Youth Maker Coordinator
Emmanuelle Wambach

From the independent maker who went on to open a storefront to the 16-year-old high school student who launched a line of female empowerment fashions to the family who contributed a knitted square to a public art installation, we know that making things by hand can transform individuals and communities.