Craft Lake City’s mission is to educate, promote and inspire local artisans while elevating the creative culture of the Utah arts community through science, technology and art. We accomplish this mission through educational programming which includes our youth artisan entrepreneurship program, year-round artisan workshop series and STEM programs, art and culture curatorial projects, exhibitions, event outreach, the Annual Craft Lake City Holiday Market in Ogden, the LetterWest Conference (new for 2024) and through our largest program of the year, the Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival. In 2023, Craft Lake served over 900,000 individuals and 1,300 creatives through our various programs and initiatives. Each year we continually grow our reach within the Utah arts and culture community by continually seeking creative opportunities to engage new audiences.

Craft Lake City’s curatorial services provide local artists with additional opportunities to creatively and economically thrive. These services include the curation of suitable art and/or artisans for local art exhibitions or community events. If you are interested in partnering with Craft Lake City or have an idea for a curatorial project, please email artisancoordinator@craftlakecity.com

Past Curation Projects

2023 NBA All-Star Crossover Event
Pop-Up “Tattoo” Parlor

In partnership with Visit Salt Lake, Craft Lake City had the pleasure of hosting our pop-up “tattoo” parlor at the 2023 NBA All-Star Crossover Event in Salt Lake City from February 16 – 19, 2023 at the Salt Palace Convention Center. Our pop-up “tattoo” parlor gives local artists the opportunity to engage directly with their community, drawing free Sharpie flash “tattoos” on event attendees. At the NBA All-Star Crossover Event, these talented artists represented our local creative community on a national stage. Artists included Flower Moon, Super Cool ‘n’ Stuff, Chrystal Dawn Art, Kalani Tonga Designs, MagicKing Illustrations & Creative Leaf.

Utah Museum of Fine Art

Handstitched Worlds Art Sessions

In coordination with Utah Museum of Fine Arts’ spring 2022 exhibit Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts, Craft Lake City hosted two events featuring hands-on activities for museum attendees and supporters that further explored stitching and quilting techniques. 

On June 1, 2023 Craft Lake City partnered with the Utah Museum of Fine Arts to present the “A City of our Own” ACME Session. ACME Sessions combine art and community conversation about timely topics. This event featured community leaders from Utah Community Action, The Road Home, and Volunteers of America discussing housing issues in our city, how local organizations support people who are unhoused, and what strategies there are for improving the housing situation in our community. Craft Lake City then led the group in a collaborative art-making activity to inspire attendees to imagine new possibilities for this city we call home.

Private Corporate Event

Craft Lake City had the pleasure of curating a soap making workshop for a private company during their corporate retreat in June of 2022. We believe that the team that makes together grows together, and we love facilitate that process. With over 15 years of experience and hundreds of makers in our rolodex, Craft Lake City is ready to assist you in curating the right workshop for your next party, corporate retreat or teambuilding project. Let’s talk!

Real Monarch

Hispanic Heritage Month Pop-Up Market

Craft Lake City partnered with Real Monarchs to curate an artisan village as part of a Hispanic Heritage Month Kick Off Night in September 2021. Working from our extensive network of Utah artisans, we hand-picked a selection of local Latinx makers to sell their wares and coordinated the smooth execution of the event.

Modern West Upstairs

DIY Festival Curated Exhibition

Just before the 13th Annual DIY Festival Presented By Harmons, five Craft Lake City artisans were showcased in the upstairs gallery of Modern West Fine Art, a gallery in SLC that celebrates contemporary art of the West! Artisans included Concrete and Copper Co., Desert Rose Jewelry, HONOVI, Lyman & Brown and NIKNACK. Thank you to everyone who made this collaboration possible!

The Blocks Kiosk Project

Craft Lake City partnered with The Blocks to present Feminine Focus, an exhibition that explores themes of identity, empowerment, community and feminism. Displayed in kiosks along Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, Feminine Focus featured work by eight local artists: Ashley Love, Brighton Carper Ballard, Binx Olsen, Heather Mahler, Squid Vishuss, Bianca Velasquez, Tragic Girls and Veronica Perez. The Blocks programs artwork in the downtown kiosks on a seasonal basis, presenting an opportunity for the local creative community to introduce more dialogue, color, and voice into Salt Lake City’s downtown atmosphere and public realm.

Giv Group Project Open

Craft Lake City curated 14 studio art spaces for the residents of the Project Open housing development in the Guadalupe neighborhood, in partnership with local development and nonprofit organization, Giv Group.