Prospectus
PORTLAND FINE CRAFT SHOW
AUGUST 26, 2023 • PORTLAND, MAINE
Application Dates: Nov 17, 2022 - Feb 6, 2023
Application Fee: MCA Members $20; Non-members $25
Late App. Dates: Feb 7 - Feb 21, 2023
Late Application Fee: Members and Non-members $50.00,
Notification Date: Mar 8, 2023
The eighth annual PORTLAND FINE CRAFT SHOW, produced by Shop Maine Craft, will take place on Saturday, August 26th, 2023 in the Free Street Parking Lot at 120 Free Street in the heart of Portland, Maine’s arts district.
The show features over 100 juried exhibitors from all over Maine and the Northeast exhibiting fine craft in 10x10 tents in the following media categories: basketry, ceramics, fiber-decorative, fiber-wearable, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, printmaking, stone, and wood as well as outreach booths featuring New England and Portland arts organizations, international artist new to Maine, guilds, and schools by special invitation.
The Portland Fine Craft Show remains one of the only Maine craft shows open to artists not living in Maine, and has a reputation for being well-organized and high quality, with high attendance. The show is a one-day, rain-or-shine, outdoor event. Exhibitors are prepared for a relatively quick setup (3-4 hours) and take down (2 hours) with an advanced day load-in option for booth materials only.
Show Location
120 Free St. Portland, ME 04101
For its third year in a row, the Portland Fine Craft Show will be located in a private parking lot at 120 Free Street. The Free Street Lot location is attractive for its proximity to the Portland Arts District and attractions- Portland Museum of Art, the Old Port, and the West End.
Show Producer and Parnership with the Maine Crafts Association
The Portland Fine Craft Show is now produced by Shop Maine Craft (SMC), the hub of craft artist resources, retail sales, fine craft shows, and special events designed to support Maine’s creative economy by creating income opportunities for craft artists.
Shop Maine Craft was created through the restructuring of the Maine Crafts Association in early 2022. Shop Maine Craft bolsters Maine’s creative economy by creating income opportunities for craft artists. Proceeds from Shop Maine Craft galleries, ecommerce, craft shows, markets and events directly support the educational programming of Maine Crafts Association and its members.
The Maine Crafts Association, launched the Portland Fine Craft Show in 2015 and it remains one of the only Maine craft shows open to artists not living in Maine. The MCA, established in 1983, continues to offer craft based educational, community-building and outreach programs to its membership and the larger community.
Shop Maine Craft and the Maine Crafts Association work in partnership to support and expand Maine’s creative economy.
Booth Fees
MCA Members rate for 10x10 in-line booth: $195.00 Non Member rate for 10x10 in-line booth: $225.00
Exhibitor Amenities
- Professional Show Producer with staff available daily for assistance
- Pre-show and day of show advertising opportunities for exhibitors
- Professionally developed exhibitors guide
- Listing in printed Show Program/Map, a collaboration with West End News
- Listing in online Show Directory
- Social media promotion by Shop Maine Craft
- Show marketing promotional materials provided
- Volunteer booth sitters
- Awards for Best Booth Design, Best of Show, and People’s Choice
- Lunch delivery in compostable packaging- no plastic throwaway containers
- Water cart refill delivery and refill stations- no plastic throwaway bottles
Show General Information
When: Saturday August 26, 2023, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, rain or shine
Where: Free Street Parking Lot at 120 Free Street, Portland, ME, 04101
What: Fine Craft Show featuring over 100 vendors in 10x10 tents selling handmade craft work
2023 Show Jurors
Patricia Daunis | Daunis Fine Jewelry, MCA’s Maine Craft Artist Awardee 2018
Kate Anker | Owner, Running with Scissors Studios & Vice President, Creative Portland
Ashley Page | Studio and Programs Coordinator at Indigo Arts Alliance
Booth Info
- ​Exhibitors receive their booth assignments in early summer
- EZ-up (or equivalent) tents are required
- Tent weights required, 40lbs per corner
- 10ft x 10ft spaces
- Double or triple booths, and prime/corner booths are available
- No electricity or WIFI available
Accepted Fine Craft Media
- Basketry
- Ceramics
- Fiber Decorative + Wearable
- Furniture
- Glass
- Jewelry
- Leather
- Metal
- Mixed Media
- Paper
- Printmaking (Handmade prints made using traditional analog techniques only) *please see the media/products not accepted for jury list below*
- Stone
- Wood
Contact the SMC staff directly if you have any questions about accepted/ not accepted media
APPLICATION- UPDATED FOR 2023
To apply, all applicants will need to submit four images of their work as a representative sample of what will be exhibited in your booth and a booth image. Additionally, new for 2023, applicants will be required to submit an artist statement. The statement should be one paragraph and include information about either the artists career, experience, or technical skill used to create the submitted artwork. This is an opportunity to add information you may want the jury to know about your work.
Media/Products Not Accepted for Jury Process
- Commercial manufactured art.
- Work assembled (wholly or in part) from commercially available kits.
- Two-dimensional art such as paintings and photographs. The only exception to this exclusion are original handmade prints made using traditional analog techniques. Any digital or reproduction prints such as giclee are not allowed.
- Production work by third-party printers, commercially printed items or embellished commercially made objects such as t-shirts, note cards etc.
- Mixed media work that uses paint and canvas as its primary medium.
- Screen printed material, commercial etchings, web or sheet fed offset printed work.
- Works that use materials acquired from the killing of endangered species, elephant/mammoth ivory, including fossilized ivory.
- Dried or silk flower arrangements.
- Soaps, personal care, candles.
- Specialty foods.
- Buy-sell items.
- CDs, DVDs, Books
Contact the SMC staff directly if you have any questions about accepted/ not accepted media
Cancellation / Refund Policy
If before Sunday, May 28th, 2023: Full Refund less $25
If before Monday, May 29th, 2023: Wednesday, July 26th : 50% refund
On or after Thursday, July 27th, 2023: No Refunds
*No refunds for unqualifying applications. Please contact the show director if you have any questions about your application.*
Contact Information
Simonne Feeney, Show Director
simonne@shopmainecraft.com
(207)-805-4918
Alison Godburn, Shop Maine Craft, Executive Director
(207)-205-0791
Shop Maine Craft Site:
www.shopmainecraft.com
PFCS Page on Site:
https://shopmainecraft.com/programs/portland-fine-craft-show/
