Pittsburgh’s craft community is thriving.

Pittsburgh IS Craft seeks to bring Pittsburgh's craft community to the forefront and promote Pittsburgh as a national and international craft destination.

Meet Our Community Partners

Hammer striking glowing hot metal on an anvil during a blacksmithing demonstration

Glass trail being added to a glass bubble with a hot torch on the opposite side

Clay vessel on a yellow wheel during a hands-on demonstration

Craft is Happening in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is known as the steel city—the city that helped build America—, but now it’s forging a new future with the same grit and spirit of making, and craft is leading the way. In Pittsburgh, traditional craft materials are being re-invented and techniques revitalized, mirroring the excitement, innovation, and forward momentum of the city itself.

Craft is more than just the materials. It’s community. And Pittsburgh’s craft community is thriving. We welcome you to come and experience an urban craft destination and see why Pittsburgh is the heart of craft.

CRAFT

"The wonderful thing about Pittsburgh IS Craft is that it's been here all along. Our city is rich in craft history and innovation, and we can't wait to amplify this for our region, across the country, and across the world. For years, Pittsburgh's been known for sports—we believe that it's time for Pittsburgh to be known as the Heart of Craft!"

— Rachel Rearick, Executive Director of Contemporary Craft
"Pittsburgh’s arts and culture sector is a cornerstone of the city’s identity. Pittsburgh IS Craft will ensure that the arts, and craft in particular, continue to thrive, enriching our community while also contributing to Pittsburgh’s reputation as a vibrant, world-class city. As the arts attract audiences from across the region, the economic benefits extend far beyond the organizations involved, boosting local hospitality, dining, and retail sectors, and supporting a diverse range of small businesses, including craft makers.”

— Heather McElwee, Executive Director of Pittsburgh Glass Center
"In a region full of potters, we're supporting local artists in the making of amazing studio and production pottery, ceramic sculpture and murals, using ceramics in architectural applications, ceramics as activism, and much more. Through the Pittsburgh IS Craft initiative, we can bring even more attention to these varied art forms, as well as the diverse artists who make them, in ways that raise cultural awareness and drive economic impact simultaneously."

— Jeffrey Dorsey, Executive Director of Union Project
"We all exist in a constant relationship between creation and consumption. Yet in modern life, consumption often outpaces our opportunities to create. Pittsburgh IS Craft invites residents and visitors to pause, reconnect, and recognize their own creative capacity, cultivating a stronger sense of identity, belonging, and shared cultural expression. By illuminating the traditions, materials, and people behind craft, it also deepens our connection to the objects we bring into our lives, strengthening the relationship between maker and audience, and reinforcing the vital role art and craft play in shaping the culture of a place."

— Patrick Fisher, Executive Director of Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council