When you think of Pittsburgh, you probably think of steel. You think of grit, fire, and the hard-working hands that literally built America.
But there’s a new kind of forging happening in the Steel City today.
From July 23 to July 26, 2026, three of Pittsburgh’s premier arts organizations are heading northwest to the Seattle Art Fair. Their mission? To show the Pacific Northwest exactly why Pittsburgh has quietly become the beating heart of the American craft renaissance.
Under the banner “Pittsburgh is Craft,” this collaborative showcase brings together the traditional and the cutting-edge, proving that our city’s legendary makers’ spirit is more alive than ever.
Seattle Art Fair, a one-of-a-kind showcase for the vibrant arts community of the Pacific Northwest, and a leading destination for the best in modern and contemporary art, returns for its tenth edition, July 23–26, 2026.
The Makers Behind the Movement
At the Seattle Art Fair, the Pittsburgh is Craft booth will feature a curated showcase of 20 incredible artists pushing the boundaries of clay, fiber, glass, metal, and wood.
If you are attending, make sure to stop by and experience these artists’ work firsthand:
- Milo Berezin Ceramics
- Mia Brown-Seguin Fiber, paper
- Seth Clark Wood sculpture
- Sarah Cohen Mosaic glass
- Hanna Dausch Wood
- Kate Davidson Wood
- Matt Eskuche Flameworked glass
- Matt Eskuche Flameworked glass
- Teal Fitzpatrick Needle punch, fiber
- Morgan Gilbreath Cast glass
- Katie Kameen Metal, jewelry
- Joshua Kosker Metal, jewelry
- Zach Layhew Blown glass
- Jenny Lin Metal
- Mac McCusker Ceramics
- Olga Mihaylova Fiber, jewelry, beading
- Matthew Naftzger Metal, jewelry
- Philip Soucy Ceramics
- Robert Villamagna Metal, assemblage
- Tina Williams Brewer Quilt, fiber
- Alecia Dawn Young Ceramics
Meet the Powerhouses Shaping Pittsburgh’s Craft Scene
This historic joint showcase is powered by three local institutions that have spent the last few years undergoing massive expansions to support a rapidly growing creative community. They are enthusiastic to make Pittsburgh a major craft destination that attracts national and international tourists to the city and also engages local and regional residents. More than just a marketing initiative, Pittsburgh is Craft seeks to bring Pittsburgh’s craft community to the forefront, promoting Pittsburgh as a national and international craft destination.
Founded in 1971 to broaden opportunities for craft artists, Contemporary Craft (CC) has grown into one of the largest craft organizations in the country, with a focus on fibers, metals, clay, glass, and wood. CC presents nine exhibitions annually, featuring international, national, and regional artists, all with free admission and related programming. Hands-on workshops for all skill levels are offered across CC’s studios, and work by some of the leading artists and makers working in craft materials are offered in the Store. CC hosts a variety of community programs and supports working artists through national and regional residencies.
In 2025, Contemporary Craft completed a major expansion that doubled the organization’s footprint. This expansion included a new regional gallery, expanded metals and fibers studios, the return of a wood studio, and a new blacksmithing studio—strengthening CC’s role as a preeminent urban center for craft.
Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC), is one of the world’s most respected glass art institutions and a destination for artists, students, and visitors from around the world. It is a nonprofit, public access glass art center where anyone can take classes, explore the contemporary glass gallery, shop for handmade gifts, and watch live glassblowing demonstrations. Since
its opening in 2001, PGC has educated over 750,000 individuals, contributed to the ongoing development of the city’s East End, and made Pittsburgh a significant hub in the international studio glass community. A multimillion-dollar expansion in 2024 nearly doubled its capacity, allowing it to meet the increasing demand for glass programs and studio space. PGC continues to cultivate an inclusive and welcoming environment that encourages everyone, from the casually curious to the master artist, to learn, create, and be inspired by glass.
Union Project (UP) is a community ceramics center presenting classes, open studio sessions, and studio rentals in a beautifully restored historic church in the east end of Pittsburgh since 2001. Offering 150 clay programs each year, UP provides experiences and education to people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels, in addition to a membership for emerging and established artists and custom offsite programs via the Wheel Mobile, to ensure that all people have access to clay. UP values art and artists, inclusion, collaboration, and joy.
In early 2026, an expansion transformed the original sanctuary of the historic church building into two large studios and an exhibition space. The expansion more than doubled the ceramics capacity and offers students and artists the opportunity to make, exhibit, and sell artwork in a stunning space, including soaring vaulted ceilings and 24 ft. tall stained glass windows, all restored by community hands.
Join Us in Seattle!
Whether you’re a lifelong collector or just appreciate the heart of handmade art, come visit the Pittsburgh is Craft booth at the Seattle Art Fair. See how we are taking the grit of our industrial past and turning it into the beautiful, tactile future of contemporary art.
When: Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26, 2026
Where: Seattle Art Fair, Lumen Field Event Center
Tickets: www.seattleartfair.com/visit
Pictured:
Whirlpool by Sarah Cohen
Edificio by Morgan Gilbreath
