Craft Optimism is an online marketplace featuring beautifully made, hand-crafted American goods that educate the public about climate change or inspire or model a sustainable response to climate change. Proceeds from this fund-raising effort are awarded through grants for Research, Education and Conservation projects throughout the 19 museums and the National Zoological Park of the Smithsonian Institution.
Bidsquare Registration is required.
Shop Craft Optimism – Starting on April 24, 2021
Go to the Craft Optimism site on Bidsquare
Go to Bidsquare.com
Register with Bidsquare using a Credit Card for verification (a $1 charge will be submitted and refunded immediately)
Now You’re Ready to Browse all the shops in Craft Optimism! when it opens on April 24.
To Shop, use the one-click registration button at the top of each artist’s shop
To Purchase, press BUY NOW on the items of your choice, and you will receive a receipt from the artist by email.
Our Process:
Experts in the craft community nominated artists and makers based on the high quality of their crafts and their commitment to combat climate change. Nominators included representatives from:
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery
National Museum of the American Indian
Carnegie Museum of Art
The Penland School of Craft
The Haystack School of Craft
Ornament Magazine
Honoring the Future
The Curating Committee reviewed our expert artist recommendations and worked to select a diverse group of sustainable artists.
What is our sustainability criteria?
Each artist was asked to include a statement that explained how their work or their practice met the at least one of the following criteria:
Be created in a manner that helps to address climate change by fostering energy conservation, water conservation, waterway protection, stormwater management, tree preservation and protection, use of solar or wind energy, waste reduction, use of recycled or repurposed material, urban gardening, or other appropriate measures.
Address/reflect the Impacts of climate change, including: population displacement, glacial ice melt, ocean acidification, extreme weather, droughts, floods, wildfires, species loss, human health effects.
Our partners at Honoring the Future lent their expertise and evaluated all applicants based on their sustainability statement.