Industry News

Published: November 23, 2022

Updated: November 28, 2022

In this section we have gathered some of the most popular information sources, such as trade journals, magazines, blogs, and association websites. Industry information is always changing. For the latest news, current issues and popular opinions, try following one or more of these sources. In addition, interacting with the websites that provide this information through commenting and asking questions may also provide you with more information.

Associations

Trade associations often publish free industry newsletters that are excellent sources of information for your business plan. Such newsletters often have articles that cover in-depth topics on business management, manufacturing practices, how-tos, and current industry news.

BC Associations

Craft Council of British Columbia | The Craft Council of British Columbia is a membership based charitable organization that works to increase the public profile of craft in BC and Canada through the support of local artists at various stages of their careers. Check out the member services and resources for artists sections.
Alter Arts Society | The Alter Arts Society builds community and connects artists from around British Columbia. Check out their makespace in Quadra Village if you’re located in Victoria, or enjoy their festival and partake of local artists’ and artisans’ handmade goods and art.
British Columbia Arts Council | Established in 1995, the British Columbia Arts Council supports arts and culture throughout British Columbia through community engagement and collaboration with promising local artists. Visit the funding and FAQ pages to learn more about what they do.

Canadian Associations

Canadian Crafts Federation | The Canadian Crafts Federation works to represent and promote provincial and territorial craft councils on both the national and international stage. Check out their resources section, which has not only research and data on the state of the craft sector in Canada but educational resources for refining and honing your craft.
Canada Council for the Arts | The Canada Council for the Arts is a government run organization that offers financial support tp professional Canadian artists through grants, endowments and prizes. Visit their initiatives page to get information on recent programs to promote arts and crafts in Canada,or their research library to investigate the state of arts and crafts businesses in Canada, including information on public funding for Indigenous artists and evaluations of digital strategies in the craft sector.
Citizens of Craft | Citizens of Craft values the handmade, the authentic, and the unapologetically local. They maintain a calendar of crafting events across Canada as well as directories of educational institutions and places to showcase craft for members.

International Associations

American Craft Council | The American Craft Council promotes investment in creative and maker economies, and amplifies artists’ stories from across the United States on its blog and through advocacy. Check out their forum, which promotes conversation about all manner of handicraft.
National Council for the Ceramic Arts | NCECA “advances creation, teaching and learning through clay in the contemporary world.” They accomplish this through providing multiple fellowships, some of which are specifically reserved for Indigenous and multicultural folks, and holding a yearly conference at which members can exhibit or present their work.
Worldwide Craft Council | The World Crafts Council (WCC AISBL) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation to promote fellowship, foster economic development through income generating craft related activities, and organize workshops, conferences, seminars and more for the craftspeople of the world.

TIP: Although these organizations focus on the overarching designation of “arts and handicrafts”, you can also search for associations for your specific craft- be it woodworking, ceramics, soapmaking, or metallurgy- by using a combination of keywords such as “ceramics”, “council”, and “British Columbia” or “Canada”. You’ll find even more organizations than the ones listed here, such as the Potters’ Guild of BC and the Vancouver Island Woodworkers’ Guild. The more specific you get in your search terms, the more local councils you will find!

Magazines & Trade Journals

Trade associations often publish free industry newsletters that are excellent sources of information for business planning. Such newsletters often have articles that cover in-depth topics on business management, manufacturing practices, how-tos, and current industry news.

Studio Magazine | The only national magazine dedicated to fine arts and crafts in Canada, Studio Magazine collects essays from artisans and craftspeople as well as editorials and reviews. Get 2 issues in print when you subscribe, or browse their collection of pieces online.
Workshop Magazine | Workshop is a small, independent magazine that bills itself as both a magazine and a community. It focuses on small maker/creator businesses in its online feature pieces- check out titles such as “53 Content Creation Ideas for Maker Businesses” or “How to Make Instagram Reels that Work”, or browse dedicated sections for specific information on planning, creating, and selling your business.
Digits and Threads | Digits and Threads is a national magazine discussing all things Canadian fiber and textile art. It helps Canadian artisans delve deeper into sourcing product and getting to know their industry, and has a fair amount of Indigenous-focused articles celebrating the place-based context in which these fine crafts exist. Read their feature articles online or join them to get access to their monthly online studio hours.
Craft Focus Magazine | Craft Focus is a trade publication for the arts, crafts, and hobby industry, devoted to helping makers and artisan source product for their craft businesses. They’ll help you find a supplier for any craft, and their bimonthly magazine features not only ways to source but trends and new designs. Download the magazine online.
American Craft Magazine | An American based magazine that is published 6 times per year. Many of the articles require a membership, but there are several online editions available, as well as free content.
Makezine | A free online web 'zine' that features blogs, videos, craft ideas. They also have a print and digital magazine that is published 6 times a year and supports the intersection of the maker movement and technology.
furniturelink | Canadian online publication that focuses on contemporary furniture design and sustainable manufacturing in Canada and beyond.
Working it Out Together | Working It Out Together collect Indigenous voices in design, arts, crafts, fashion and more; it is dedicated to capturing this growing wave of consciousness toward Indigeous perspectives. Check out their issues online; the latest at the time of this writing, Issue No. 16, explores Indigenous craft and fashion from Indigenous Fashion Week 2022 in Toronto.
Canadian Woodworking Magazine | Canadian Woodworking features tips, plans, tool reviews, and articles focused exclusively on woodworking. Published 6 times per year.

Consultant & Other Websites

MarketWatch - Industry Analyzer | The Industries section contains current data on Dow Jones Industry Sectors. Aggregate data as well as company-specific data is available.

PriceWaterhouse Coopers Canada (PwC) | Global consultancy firm that produces reports on the state of various industries.

Firsthand | A free source of industry information. Use the Industry Profiles to research growing industries and best industries by major, and Company Rankings and Profiles to find news, company information, and industry-specific sample professions. Basic monthly membership is free and offers access to blogs, discussion forums, and job listings.

Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre | This free resource created by the Vancouver Public Library is an online and in-person resource that helps newcomers to Canada find information to get a job, explore different careers or start a business.

ArtScape | Artscape is a Toronto-based Canadian organization that engages in creative placemaking, supporting artists and building space and community to facilitate creative entrepreneurship development. As part of this mission, they aggregate statistics on the cultural and arts sectors in Canada and provide development programs for Canadian creative entrepreneurs and artists, including residencies.

CARFAC | CARFAC offers myriad tools for Canadian artists who want to make money from their art, including advice on copyrighting visual work, information on Indigenous protocols, and a platform that artists can use to create a verifiable and authoritative record of their work called Imprimo. Check out these tools -and more- on their website.

BC Alliance for Arts and Culture | The BC Alliance for Arts and Culture lists several individual members available for consultation in the arts, crafts, and cultural heritage sectors.

Blogs & Podcasts

Blogs

Artterra | Artterra works exclusively with Canadian small business owners- artists and artisans who they promote on their blog and in their online shop. Their growing blog includes information on starting eco-friendly art businesses and calls for Canadian small business owners and artists to work with them to make art and craft more sustainable.
CCBC Shop Blog | The official blog of the Canadian Craft Business Council, the Shop Blog educates artists about different materials and their properties for the purposes of craft, including metalworking, woodworking, and clay ceramics.
Create and Thrive | A frequently updated craft blog from Australia that includes lots of how-to information on how to turn your crafting hobby into a business. The blog also includes a podcast and how-to courses.
Creative Income Blog | This blog covers all aspects of starting and maintaining a successful craft business, such as creating invoices, blogging for exposure, and pricing goods. Craft bloggers and designers regularly bring their expertise to guest blog posts, so that readers can learn about a variety of business models and tips from many voices.
Craft Professional | An up-to-date blog which combines the author`s personal experience as a jewelry maker with her training as a career counselor. Blog posts offer useful first-hand information and the site also includes access to a free newsletter.
Craft Business Blog | This blog offers advice on how to make money from your crafts business, including information on crafting (excuse the pun) your business’ story and specific resources on different craft business sectors such as soapmaking. It includes access to a free craft business Q&A sheet.
Fine Furniture Maker Blog | Updated a few times a month, this blog is run by Rowden Atelier furniture school, While it does have many posts related to their school, there is also good information on construction and industry tips.

Podcasts

Your Handmade Business | Your Handmade Business, hosted by Isaac Watson, is a podcast dedicated to maker businesses that aims to help makers, artists, craftspeople, and artisans see the big picture of their business. Each episode tackles an important (and sometimes uncomfortable) topic about running a handmade business and features myriad perspectives and voices. Check out episodes on avoiding craft show missed connections and on getting holiday press.
Etsy Conversations Podcast | The Etsy Conversations Podcast Blog features stories from Etsy sellers and small businesses on topics from print-on-demand to finding success with niche digital products. It’s a great resource for anyone hoping to sell their wares on the online marketplace.
Craft Industry Alliance Podcast | The Craft Industry Alliance podcast helps artisans and crafters develop the skills it takes to build a successful creative business. Every episode features a different creative entrepreneur who has gone through the challenges and tribulations of running a creative business, and features their story on how they made it through.
Business of Craft | Host Leanne Pressly interviews business leaders and entrepreneurs of fiber arts, fabric, sewing and other creative companies so listeners can learn to craft a better business.
Craft to Career | Host Elizabeth Schappell uncovers craft industry knowledge that will help listeners answer the questions, “How do I turn my craft into a career? How do I create my dream job, working from home, and doing what I love? How do I grow my Instagram following? How do I earn money with my craft?” Although the show is heavily focused on quilting as a craft, its lessons are applicable across the craft sector; check out episodes on working with dream collaborators and using past experience in your current venture
The Craft Seller Success Podcast | Found both on Apple Podcasts and its own website, this podcast aims to help artisans, makers, and craftspersons sell their crafts in whatever venue they choose. It features practical advice for selling in each episode, including coming up with product keywords, Etsy SEO, and shipping and delivery.
The Craft of Crafting in Canada | This episode of the Eh Sayers podcast celebrates the age-old craft of crafting with one’s hands. Maegen Black, director of the Canadian Crafts Federation discusses the arts and crafts movement across Canada in this episode that is sure to give artisans and craftspeople an informed view of its future.

TIP: As with all sources, news articles and blogs should be carefully evaluated. For information on how to evaluate your information, watch video tutorial Module Five: Using Information Responsibly.