Craft Capital

Explore one of America’s most creative cities in a new way with the trailblazer for city-based studies of contemporary craft. For craft and history enthusiasts alike, this collection of essays from writers and curators connects Philadelphia’s heritage to its current stature as a national craft capital. We discover how small workshops for fabric, wool, ceramics, and textile starting as early as 1751 grew into the still expanding craft world that Philadelphia has today. A useful example: the Liberty Bell cracked on the very first attempt to make it sound, and had to be recast twice and remolded with additional copper to improve its alloy. Today, it remains an unbeatable icon of Philadelphia craft. Contributions by Elisabeth Agro, Sarah Archer, Chad Curtis, Anthony Elms, Elizabeth Essner, Michelle Millar Fisher, Jessica Kourkounis, Don Miller, Jennifer-Navva Milliken, Heather Gibson Moqtaderi, Kelli Morgan, and Jennifer Zwilling.