Independent Arts News Reporting CraftNow and NextFab Announce Fifth Annual Tools of the Trades, a Conference for Artists, Makers, and Creative Entrepreneurs
Reported on Friday, February 6, 2026
Pictured Above: Next Fab Tott Event. Photo credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Designed for creative professionals at every level, the hybrid conference offers hands-on business learning, industry insights, and year-round community support
Philadelphia, PA – Arts non-profit CraftNOW and membership-based markerspace NextFab announce the fifth annual Tools of the Trades, a hybrid conference dedicated to connecting artisans, makers, and creative entrepreneurs to business resources in Philadelphia and beyond. From March 19 to 20, the conference features experienced makers, business experts, and community leaders providing creative professionals with real-world business tools, shared knowledge, and a supportive peer network. Tickets to Tools of the Trades are available online, with early-bird prices ranging from $10 to $60.
Tools of the Trades is a concentrated period of participatory learning designed to help craft-focused businesses accelerate growth and find success on their own terms. From pricing and marketing to galleries, retail, legal protection, and taxes, the conference speakers deliver real-world business insights to participants. The programming is geared towards attendees just starting or refining their established practices.
The conference centers on two days of programming, with sessions running from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tools of the Trades opens with a day of virtual-only programming, hosted entirely on Zoom, featuring presentations on marketing, audience growth, grant funding, and legal guidance. The workshops are led by Foreman Arts Initiative Co-Founder Jennifer Rice, The WonderMart Founder Perri Salka, Bridgeway Capital Chief Programs Officer Adam Kenney, Philadelphia Table Co./The Handcrafted Network owner Paul Mencel, and the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. A complete overview of the first day’s programming and speakers is available here.
The conference continues with a day of in-person workshops hosted at NextFab (1800 North American Street, Philadelphia, PA), with three concurrent tracks offering insights on getting into galleries, selling work, building a newsletter, practical AI tools for creatives, creating an LLC, and more. The in-person day is broken up into three 90-minute blocks of workshops, with scheduled breaks for coffee, lunch, and networking. These workshops feature presentations by: Autonomous Creative Founder Jessica Abel, Director of Widener University Small Business Development Center Lenin Agudo, artist Kate Crankshaw, AI Engineer Brad Flaugher, former Gravers Lane Gallery Artistic Director Chloë Le Pichon, Philly Tax Prep for Artists, 3pts Founder Kim Robinson, and Anna Solomon.
After the workshops conclude, attendees are invited to stay at NextFab for a Networking & Happy Hour reception from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. View the in-person day’s schedule, programming, and speakers here.
New for 2026, CraftNOW and NextFab have created a schedule of five monthly post-conference sessions hosted virtually to create opportunities for participants to continue their education and build on what they learned. Held on the third Thursday of each month between April and August, the afternoon workshops dive into creative writing, building an online audience without social media burnout, preparing for the holiday season, and more. Attendees can find more information about the virtual post-conference sessions on the Tools of the Trades website here.
In the coming weeks, CraftNOW and NextFab will announce additional speakers and presenters, as well as scholarship opportunities for university students or low-income professionals interested in attending Tools of the Trades through the Artist Access Fund.
Pictured Above: NextFab Tools of the Trade. Photo credit: Contributed.
“Tools of the Trades was created in direct response to what we kept hearing from makers: they’re incredibly skilled at their craft, but too often expected to figure out the business side alone,” said Emily Edelstein, Executive Director of CraftNOW. “As organizers, our role is to remove that isolation and bring practical knowledge, trusted experts, and peer connection into one accessible space. Tools of the Trades gives creative professionals the knowledge to build sustainable businesses on their own terms, whether that means learning how to price their work, navigate legal and financial systems, or find a community that understands the realities of entrepreneurship.”
The inspiration for Tools of the Trades began in 2020 when CraftNOW surveyed 200 Philadelphia artisans and service providers for its Craft Business Survey. The results found a lack of emphasis on business education for creatives at the university level. The survey also highlighted a critical need to facilitate peer interaction among craft professionals, who often operate in an isolated network of sole proprietors.
Around the same time, NextFab, a network of membership-based makerspaces, presented a successful online webinar series, “From Making to Selling,” that reached over 1,200 makers in the region. The two organizations saw an opportunity to combine their efforts and developed Tools of the Trades, a first-of-its-kind conference designed to support craft entrepreneurs and businesses. During the planning stages, CraftNOW and NextFab assembled an advisory group of industry experts and makers to review the conference’s programming, ensuring the featured topics were relevant to the modern craft economy.
Since it launched in 2021, Tools of the Trades has emerged as one of the leading conferences for creative professionals. The conference has seen attendance grow 87% from 2022 to 2025, engaging over 500 Pennsylvania-based small businesses and makers representing creative industries, including fine art, illustration, jewelry, apparel, glass art, and film.
Early-bird tickets for Tools of the Trades are available online, with discounts of up to 20% off until February 27. Attendees can choose from several options for the 2026 conference. An all-access pass to the whole conference is $60. The virtual pass, offering access to the first day of workshops and the post-conference sessions, is $20. The in-person pass to attend the day two workshops and the networking event at NextFab is $40. All passes include access to the monthly post-conference sessions. Attendees can also purchase $10 tickets to attend the March 20 happy hour and networking event.
About CraftNOW:
CraftNOW is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization founded by a consortium of individuals, galleries, museums, universities, retailers, and civic organizations. CraftNOW unites, celebrates, and supports the people, businesses, and institutions of the craft community of Philadelphia. Through education, curation, and economic development, the organization works to continue Philadelphia’s vibrant history as a capital of craft – a place where craft is learned, created, seen, purchased, collected, and shared. For more information on CraftNOW, visit: www.craftnowphila.org.
About NextFab
Founded by Dr. Evan Malone in 2009, NextFab is a membership-based makerspace that helps provide professional services and support local, small-scale manufacturing. It offers members education and access to manufacturing and prototyping equipment, and is associated with the maker and DIY culture. NextFab provides access to tools, technology, education, training, consulting, and capital required for makers to turn ideas into products and products into businesses. For more information, visit nextfab.com.
