The PMA Contemporary Craft Show turns 50 this November, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced its full 2026 lineup: 195 juried artists across 13 disciplines, showing November 6–8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, with a Preview Party on November 5. Established in 1977, this was the first retail craft show organized by a volunteer committee to benefit a nonprofit institution — a model later adopted by cities including Washington, D.C. and Evanston, IL. Philadelphia did this first.

50 Years of Craft at the PMA

The PMA Contemporary Craft Show is presented by The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, founded in 1883 — one of the oldest women’s organizations supporting a cultural institution in the country. Over its history, the Craft Show has raised more than $15 million for the museum, funding educational programs, special exhibitions, and acquisitions for the permanent collection. “For half a century, we have championed the artists, makers, and visionaries who prove that handmade work is not only relevant but essential,” said Nancy O’Meara, Craft Show Manager.

Four Artists Worth Knowing Before November

Galen Gibson-Cornell collects street posters from cities around the world, then returns to his Philadelphia studio to weave the scraps into new paper compositions — travel and craft folded into the same practice. Holly Anne Mitchell works in old newspapers, comic strips, and expired coupons, transforming discarded print material into wearable jewelry that finds real aesthetic value in the ordinary. Diana Friend turns wooden bowls using solar power on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, working almost entirely with found wood — pieces originally headed for the landfill or already down on the forest floor, shaped into gentle curves and soft finishes.

The most local story in this year’s PMA Contemporary Craft Show belongs to Nicole and Jordan Haddad, the sister-brother team behind Lobo Mau, a Philadelphia-based slow-fashion clothing line built as a direct answer to fast fashion. They source sustainable fabrics, pay fair wages, work with U.S. knitting mills to design their own fabrics, and hand-silk-screen everything in-house using organic inks — the kind of full-process craftsmanship that’s exactly what this show has spent 50 years championing.

The PMA Contemporary Craft Show has 195 artists this year, four decades of history behind the format itself, and a preview party to kick it all off — the PMA Contemporary Craft Show has spent 50 years proving handmade work still matters, and this year’s lineup is a good argument for the next 50. Mark the calendar for November, and start making room on your walls.

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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