Handmade Arcade’s Youth Maker Accelerator helps teen entrepreneurs achieve their business goals.
About the Youth Maker Accelerator Program
Handmade Arcade provides free booths for selected individual youth makers and youth artists and selected schools or community groups working with youth makers and youth artists who want to sell their products at Pittsburgh’s largest holiday shopping market. The 2025 Holiday Market is scheduled for December 5-6 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh and will feature 275+ vendors and more than 10,000 shoppers.
Application Details
Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 11:59 PM (EST)
Applicant Notifications: Late August
Maker Pictured: Leann’s Crochet Creations (Photo Credit: Kitoko Chargois)
Photo Credit for Banner Photo: Joey Kennedy
Youth Maker Accelerator Program Details
Accepted Individual Youth Makers will receive:
Free 10x10 booth at the Holiday Market (valued at $365)
$500 materials stipend to make your products
$75 stipend for event-day expenses (parking, transportation, food, etc.)
Access to borrow tables, chairs, and display set-up materials from Handmade Arcade
Coaching & tips from established Handmade Arcade makers
Four pre-event workshops to prepare for the market
Promotion on Handmade Arcade's digital outlets
Required Dates for Individual Youth Makers:
August 28 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Kick-Off Meeting
September 18 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #1
September 21 from 4:30 - 5:30 PM: Mentor Roundtable #1
October 9 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #2
October 23 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #3
October 26 from 4:30 - 5:30 PM: Mentor Roundtable #2
November 6 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #4
December 5-6: Holiday Market
Accepted Youth Maker Groups will receive:
Free 10×10 booth at the Holiday Market (valued at $365)
Access to Handmade Arcade's Maker Handbook and other workshops, tools, and resources to prepare for the market
Promotion on Handmade Arcade’s digital outlets
Required Dates for Youth Maker Groups:
October 1 from 4 - 5:30 PM: Accepted Groups Market Info Session
December 5-6: Holiday Market
The 2025 Youth Maker Accelerator Program is made possible by the generous support of the The Grable Foundation.
Before you apply, please read these FAQs!
Application Support:
June 5 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM: Application Info Session
July 17 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM: Application Support Office Hours
All Info Sessions and Office Hours can be accessed via this Zoom link.
Feel free to reach out to youthmakers@handmadearcade.org if you have questions that aren’t answered in our Youth Maker Market FAQs or at the Application Info Session.
Makers Pictured: The Krunk Movement (Photo Credit: Kitoko Chargois)