About Craftcation Conference
What is Craftcation?
Craftcation is an annual four day business + makers conference featuring industry professionals leading attendees in hands-on food & craft workshops and lectures and panels on creative business. Craftcation ignites the entrepreneurial spirit, strengthens craft and business skills and builds relationships in the creative community. Previous events garnered extensive press in media including the Wall Street Journal, Sunset Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, the San Francisco Chronicle, Bust Magazine, Forbes, NBC and the OC Weekly. Get a glimpse at previous conferences here.
Where does Craftcation take place?
Craftcation takes place in the beach town of Ventura, California (about an hour north of Los Angeles). Most workshops and events are at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Craftcation also utilizes Ventura’s historic downtown buildings and businesses as well as the beach for special events like networking meet & greets, cocktail socials, a pop-up shop, opening celebration, yoga and food and art tours.
When is the next Craftcation?
Craftcation 2015 is March 26-29, 2015.
What kinds of workshops are offered at Craftcation?
The schedule and workshops change every year but here is a sampling of some workshops and events.
Business: Starting a creative business, pricing, the realities of food biz, social media & PR, marketing on a budget, Etsy, wholesale, retail, legal & financial, publishing, branding, craft fairs and blogging.
Hands-on craft workshops: Screenprinting, sewing, print-making, letterpress, soap from scratch, photography, needle felting, book binding, knitting, painting and more.
Hands-on food workshops: Pickling & fermentation, rustic Italian cooking, farm to fork meals, artisan ice cream, seasonal jams, salted caramels, cocktail basics and more.
Community: Networking & notebook making, pop-up shop, yoga, opening celebration, lunch, happy hour, farm tours, food tours and more.
How did Craftcation Start?
Nothing this great ever came from LA traffic…while sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the 101 on a scouting trip for new Patchwork Show locations, Delilah Snell and Nicole Stevenson got talking, not just about Patchwork Show (the modern makers festival they co-produce), but about a need they saw in the independent business community.
“I’ve always wanted to inspire fellow business people to take that chance and just do it!” –Delilah Snell
“I’ve always wanted to take a little crafty vacation where I can get my craft on and share the things I’ve learned with others.” –Nicole Stevenson
And… Craftcation was born.
Who should attend Craftcation?
Have you ever thought to yourself…
- I have a great idea for a business but I don’t know how to start.
- I want to turn my passion into my full-time job.
- I have a successful business and I’m ready to take it to the next level but I’m not sure how.
- I want to connect with people in my field but I don’t have the time or opportunity to make it happen.
- I’d love to learn something new and better myself/my business at the same time
- I want new ideas to make my business more successful and inspire me
If you want to start, maintain or grow your indie business or take a break from your routine and learn something new while networking with fellow crafters…then Craftcation conference is for you!
Who produces Craftcation Conference?
Find out more about Craftcation Conference producers Delilah Snell and Nicole Stevenson by clicking here.
What do past attendees think of Craftcation?
“It was amazing and awesome and the BEST PLANNED event I have ever attended and I have been to quite a few. If they registration for next year now I would not eat the rest of the month so I could sign up. OK, maybe not to that extreme, but you get the picture.”
“We signed up for the conference with some uncertainty, not knowing if we should spend the money, if people would be friendly or social, what the quality of information would be like, but during the first lecture, we couldn’t help but laugh at ourselves for ever having had those thoughts. The efficiency with which everything was carried out, the amazing caliber of lecturers who conveyed their information so professionally, and were friendly and approachable, and the way that Delilah and Nicole made every attendee feel personally welcome and valuable … I have no words for. I eagerly await next year’s Craftcation. It bears repeating that it was PHENOMENAL!! Craftcation lost no momentum as the weekend progressed and I was inspired by the surroundings, people, and information … If you have the opportunity to attend Craftcation next year, don’t miss it!”
“Delilah and Nicole ignited a fire in many women who are eager to start or improve their crafty businesses. This event was impressively well organized and executed. It was incredible to be around like minded women. WOW! From the very first moment of being welcomed creativity flowed. Great business classes, sweet craft workshops, and simply meeting other like-minded people was refreshing and inspirational. There was much to be digested, absorbed, and celebrated.”
“I learned SOOOO much in just those few days. Honestly, there was so much to learn, so many amazing presenters, lots of like-minded people to share stories-lives-and passions with … It hardly seems possible that by some magic we all came together for four days.”
“Once again thank you, thank you, thank you for a fantastic conference. I’ve already applied much of what I have learned and cannot wait to see how far I go until it comes around next year!”
“Every single one of you creative folks reading this right now should seriously mark your calendar for next March. I know it sounds like a bossy order, but you can thank me in person at the event next year. Craftcation is honestly one of the most amazing gatherings I have ever attended.”
