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 2026 Holiday Market is scheduled for December 4-6 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh and will feature 275+ vendors and more than 10,000 shoppers.
Application Details
Application details for the Individual Youth Maker Program is below. Updates on Group Youth Maker programming will be shared at a later date.
Individual Youth Maker Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM (EST)
Applicant Notifications: Mid June
Maker Pictured: LilPinkPenguin (Photo Credit: South Breeze Photography)
Photo Credit for Banner Photo: South Breeze Photography
Youth Maker Accelerator Program Details
Accepted Individual Youth Makers will receive:
Free 10×10 booth with an 8' x 30" table and 2 chairs 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:
July 16 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Kick-Off Meeting
August 18 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #1
September 10 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #2
September 20 from 4:30 - 5:30 PM: Mentor Roundtable #1
October 6 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #3
October 29 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #4
November 8 from 4:30 - 5:30 PM: Mentor Roundtable #2
November 17 from 6 - 7:30 PM: Workshop #5
December 4-6: Holiday Market
December 15: Post Market Recap Meeting
The 2026 Youth Maker Accelerator Program is made possible by the generous support of the The Grable Foundation.
The 2026 Youth Maker Accelerator Program is made possible by the generous support of the The Grable Foundation.
Click to download our Youth Maker Handbook!
This is a free resource for all youth makers with tips & tricks about creating your business & selling your work at markets.
Before you apply, please read these FAQs!
Application Support:
April 15 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM: Application Info Session
April 21 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)