On Synergy and Community Marketplaces: A CraftHER Market Spring '19 Recap

Photo by Renee Dominguez

Photo by Renee Dominguez

From 11 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, April 14, we hosted our sixth installment of craftHER Market. 3200+ attendees filled the space to shop local and support women and nonbinary makers, creatives, artists and small business owners. Read on for a few takeaways from this springโ€™s pop-up:


THE VIBE

For craftHER Market Spring โ€˜19, we hosted 115 booths, including 100 makers, bakers, chefs and artists and 10 Austin-local community groups. Here are a few key takeaways:

  • 3200+ attendees were greeted with a handmade installation by #BBATX resident artist Laurel Barickman AKA Recspec. Combining #BBATXโ€™s core colors with recycled materials and plant-based accents.

  • Our community tables on the lawn hosted a range of activities for kids, from hair-braiding to tortilla-making to nail-painting.

  • On top of the pop-up marketplace, we produced five panels, curated by members of our programming committee, spanning topics like diverse and inclusive marketing, workflow and family life, social sustainability and more.

  • Through this year's raffle, we also fundraised more than $300 for local artist, photographer and #BBATX committee member, Jinni J.

  • Already missing the market? Recapture some of the day's energy by listening to #BBATX resident artist DJ CASS&RAโ€™s playlist. We played this all day!

  • Our friends at MY EVENT IS THE BOMB captured GIF portraits all day long of attendees. Check โ€˜em out here.

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin


THE PANELS

synergy (noun): the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

How do we create synergy within our projects and within our lives? In this springโ€™s craftHER panels, speakers explored what synergy looks like in creative work, communication and collaboration.

Curated by #BBATX committee members Jasmine Robinson, Cynthia Munoz, Cara Cate, Kristina Gonzalez and Isabella Toledo, each panel was an intentional and presented a candid conversation between creatives and entrepreneurs at various stages of their careers. With stage design by Party at the Moontower, the backdrop for these discussions featured a commissioned piece by the marketโ€™s featured artist, Recspec.

Thanks to our craftHER sponsors Volusion and Titoโ€™s Handmade Vodka, these panels were free and open to the public.

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin

Photo by Maya Coplin


THIS MARKET'S PRODUCERS AND PARTNERS

craftHER Market is produced by a team of staff and volunteer committee members at #bossbabesATX. #bbatx is a nonprofit organization that amplifies women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and community organizers. Our event series, showcases, strategic collaborations and professional development programs provide a platform of visibility, outreach and financial opportunity to 1000+ emerging women and nonbinary creatives, entrepreneurs and organizers per year. On top of that goodness, the public-at-large is invited to participate and learn more about how gender inequality affects their daily lives. More than 10,000+ community members annually attend our showcases, markets and dialoguesโ€”and in the last three years, our programs generated an additional $1million for the Austin economy.

This year's market is supported in part by our partners at Volusion, Titoโ€™s Handmade Vodka and Fair Market. This year's in-kind contributors and supportive brands included Party at the Moontower Rentals, MY EVENT IS THE BOMB and Austin Woman Magazine.

Would you like to partner on craftHER Market 2019? Please email thebabes@bossbabes.org.


Want to get involved in the next craftHER Market? Our next one is on October 12 and 13 at Fair Market in Austin, Texas. Sign up for email updates at the bottom of crafthermarket.com and stay tuned for our applications reopening on June 10, 2019.