Prospectus
PORTLAND FINE CRAFT SHOW
AUGUST 23, 2025 • PORTLAND, MAINE
Application Dates: Nov 1, 2024 - Jan 31, 2025
Application Fee: MCA Members $30 | Non-Members $35
Late Application Dates: Feb 1 - Feb 15, 2025
Late Application Fee: MCA Members | Non-members $50.00
Notification Date: March 4, 2025
DESCRIPTION:
The tenth annual Portland Fine Craft Show is produced by Shop Maine Craft, will occur on Saturday, August 23rd, 2025 in an outdoor private parking area located in the heart of Portland, Maine’s arts district.
The show features 100+ exhibitors from all over Maine and the greater Northeast exhibiting fine craft in 10 x 10 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 show is a one-day, rain or shine, outdoor event. Exhibitors are prepared for a relatively quick set up (3-4 hours) and take down (3 hours) with an advanced day load-in option for booth materials only.
The show remains one of the only Maine shows open to artists not residing in Maine and has the reputation for being well organized and high quality, with high attendance.
SHOW GENERAL INFORMATION
When: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Saturday, August 23, 2025, rain or shine
Where: Free Street Parking Area | 120 Free Street, Portland, ME, 04101
What: Fine Craft Show featuring over 100 vendors in 10x10 tents selling handmade fine craft
LOCATION:
120 Free St. Portland, ME 04101
For its fifth year in a row, the Portland Fine Craft Show will be located in a private parking lot at 120 Free Street. The location is attractive for its proximity to the Portland Arts District and attractions- the Portland Museum of Art, the Old Port, and the West End.
SHOW PRODUCER AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAINE CRAFTS ASSOCIATION
The Portland Fine Craft Show is produced by Shop Maine Craft which provides members and friends of the Maine Crafts Association with opportunities to expand their economic resources through retail sales, fine craft shows, and special events throughout the state of Maine.
An initiative originally created by the Maine Crafts Association, Portland Fine Craft Show launched in 2015 and remains one of the only Maine craft shows open to artists not living in Maine. The MCA, a 501c3 nonprofit organization 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.
EXHIBITOR AMENITIES
Professional show production services and full-time staff support
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 the online Exhibitors Directory
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 provided and delivered
Water cart refill delivery and refill stations
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.
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, drawings and and photographs. The only exceptions to this exclusion are original handmade prints made using traditional analog techniques. Any digital or reproduction prints such as giclee are not accepted.
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
APPLICATION
To apply, all applicants 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, applicants will be required to submit an artist statement. The statement should include information about the artist's career, technical skill used to create the submitted artwork or any information the applicant would like the jury to know about their process. .
2025 SHOW JURORS
- Marissa Hutchinson | Programs & Studio Manager, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
- Amy Rhan | Assistant Professor of Art History & Charles Danforth Gallery Director at the University of Maine at Augusta
- Wren Manly | Board member for Ellis Beauregard Foundation & Donor Relations Manager at the Farnsworth Art Museum
BOOTH FEES
MCA Members rate for 10x10 in-line booth: $235
Non Member rate for 10x10 in-line booth: $265
BOOTH INFORMATION + SHOW REQUIREMENTS
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
Applicants must be present at the show for all show hours. Partner applicants may be represented by one member of the partnership.
Artists cannot share an application or a booth space, unless they are representing a guild or organization and need to have at least three members of the group participating.
Exhibitors are required to set up and take down within the allotted time frame: 6 am - 10 am set-up, 5:30 pm - 8 pm take down. To move your car from the show zone by 9:15 am.
You must adhere to bringing the type of work represented in your application. For example, if you applied in the ceramic media category, do not bring jewelry work, wood, etc. Please contact the show director if for exceptions to this rule.
CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY
If before Sunday, May 25th, 2025: Full Refund less $30
If before Monday, May 26th, 2025: Wednesday, July 23rd : 50% refund
On or after Thursday, July 24th, 2025: 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.org | (207)-805-4918
Whitney Gill, Shop Maine Craft, Executive Director
whitney@shopmainecraft.com | (207)-205-0791
Shop Maine Craft Site:
www.shopmainecraft.com
PFCS Page on Site:
https://shopmainecraft.com/programs/portland-fine-craft-show/
TERMS & CONDITIONS STATEMENT:
Portland Fine Craft Show: Term and Conditions Portland Fine Craft Show Exhibitors must understand and agree to the following: Application fees are non-refundable. Applicants must apply with images or work that they made by hand, or with appropriate tools, alone or with a partner or small staff. The applicant must be present at the show for all show hours. Partner applicants may be represented by one member of the partnership. To set up and take down within the allotted time frame: 6 am - 10 am set-up, 5 pm - 8 pm take down. To move your car from the show zone to a parking lot by 9:15 am. To apply with a representative sample of what will be exhibited in your booth. To exhibit only work that was represented in your application. To only exhibit work in the following media categories: baskets, ceramics, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, printmaking, stone, and wood. The following Media/Products are not accepted: Specialty Foods, Personal Care, Candles, Books, CDs/DVDs, Cards, 2D Fine Art, Photography, flower arrangements, buy-sell items or any products made from commercially available kits. Standard 10×10 Ez-up (or equivalent) tents are required. No tarps are allowed, tent side flaps that came with the tent are acceptable. Tent weights are required. No electricity or wifi available.