Craft Lake City invites all prospective applicants for their Seventh Annual Holiday Market to explore scholarship opportunities and fee support options for first time exhibitors. Through its Unity Initiative, the organization works to foster a creative community that is representative of and accessible to all Utahans by reducing barriers to entry. These scholarships are designed to uplift emerging makers through small business training, mentorship and fee support, providing them with the tools to succeed while bringing fresh, unique crafts to the market.
Applicants must complete both a general Holiday Market application and any scholarship application before September 17 at midnight!
Read on to learn more about Craft Lake City’s scholarship opportunities and see which one best applies to you.
Craft Lake City Scholarship & Mentor Program
Each scholarship is open to all local artisans in the artisan, vintage and craft food categories, and offer the same benefits. Candidates may only apply for one scholarship and must be a first-time exhibitor at a Craft Lake City event.
What’s Included?
- Waived exhibitor fees
- 1:1 mentoring with an experienced exhibitor
- Small business training
- Networking and business development opportunities
Who Qualifies?
- First-time exhibitors at a Craft Lake City Festival or Market.
- Makers who reside in Utah in the artisan, vintage and craft food categories.
- Preference will be given to applicants whose items are handmade.
LGBTQ+ Scholarship
Open to all local makers, with an emphasis on uplifting individuals who either identify as LGBTQ+, allies or those whose artistic expression elevates the voices and promotes visibility and acceptance for those in the LGBTQ+.
Artisan Scholarship
This scholarship is open to all local makers, with an emphasis on up-and-coming artisans who fall below the 50% Area Median Income Bracket for their county of residence.
ArtAbility Scholarship
This scholarship is open to all local makers, with an emphasis on makers who identify having a disability, disability allies or makers whose artistic work promotes visibility and acceptance of the disabled community.
Additional Resources
Youth Entrepreneur Program Powered By VentureLab
Craft Lake City’s Youth Entrepreneur Program Powered By VentureLab is a free five-week afterschool course for youth ages 12–18, expanding to Weber County this fall. Participants gain entrepreneurial skills, mentorship from local artisans, waived exhibitor fees and a $250 materials stipend, culminating with a showcase at the Seventh Annual Holiday Market in Ogden.
Holiday Market’s FIRST Kid Row!
Kid Row is a one day pop-up for young makers ages 18 and younger to sell, promote and exhibit their handcrafted wares at the Holiday Market. To be considered for a scholarship, youth entrepreneurs may indicate their interest in their Kid Row application.
Application Fee Support!
For those interested in applying to the Holiday Market but the application fee presents an entry barrier, fee support may be available from grants, donors or other additional funding sources.
Interested creatives may send an email to info@craftlakecity.com with a paragraph-length Statement Of Need prior to the application deadline (Midnight, September 17, 2025) to inquire about potential fee support.
If you have any questions about Holiday Market applications, scholarships or fee support, please reach out to artisancoordinator@craftlakecity.com
About Craft Lake City:
Founded in 2009 by Angela H. Brown, Executive Editor of SLUG (Salt Lake UnderGround) Magazine, Craft Lake City® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission to educate, promote and inspire local artisans while elevating the creative culture of the Utah arts community through science, technology and art. Craft Lake City strives to further define the term “Craft,” by modernizing the definition for handmade creativity.
craftlakecity.com @craftlakecity
Craft Lake City’s year-round programming is supported by Utah Division of Arts & Museums, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, and SLUG Magazine.
The Seventh Annual Craft Lake City Holiday Market is supported in part by Stephen G. & Susan E. Denkers Family Foundation, The Ogdenite, PBS Utah, 90.1 KUER, Ogden Union Station, KRCL 90.9 FM, Visit Ogden, Drømme, Libation LLC, Sugar House Distiller, Ogden Beer Company, Ogden’s Own Distillery, UTOG, ACW Marketing Leafguard, Visit Ogden and SCHEELS.