Our Mission
To advance, cultivate and champion excellence in fine craft.
We pursue that mission through educational programming, leadership initiatives, marketplace strategies and support services.
We envision that through our work:
- People regard craft as inspirational, meaningful and relevant to their lives as individuals and as community members.
- Makers of fine craft are inspired, enriched, supported and honored.
- The League is widely respected across New England and the country as a leader in craft.
Our Values
Craft is an essential human expression.
Craft contributes to the language and culture of our times.
Craft inspires, enriches and builds community.
The League embarked upon implementation of a new Strategic Plan in the summer of 2019. You may find the approved plan HERE.
Our Commitment to Equity
David Campbell, one of the first Directors of the League of NH Craftsmen, made this statement about equity in 1963- “There are many important values that are inherent in the craft movement, the most important of which is its determination to break down racial and national barriers and to unite [craftsmen] in their recognition of their common humanity. No one country has an exclusive claim to the crafts. They are as old as civilization itself.” Today, the League still stands by Campbell’s inclusive spirit.
Our current League staff would like to extend that inclusive philosophy and welcome everyone regardless of age, ethnicity, race, religion, philosophical or political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, or socioeconomic status.
Promoting Fine Contemporary & Traditional Craft
Welcome to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, one of the oldest and most recognized craft organizations in the country.
For over 90 years, the nonprofit League has promoted fine craft, supported craftspeople, and educated and enriched New Hampshire’s communities. Visitors shop in our Fine Craft Galleries that feature outstanding hand-made craft and wide-ranging educational programs such as classes, demonstrations and workshops that are open to people of all ages and skill levels.
Throughout its history, the League has helped craftspeople sell their work, hone their skills, and generate income. More than 700 juried craftspeople produce exceptional contemporary and traditional craft in a wide range of media, from Baskets and Pottery to Printmaking and Wood, from Jewelry and Quilts to Photography and Folk Art.
The League’s story begins in the mid-1920s when Mrs. Mary Coolidge and A. Cooper Ballentine joined forces to promote craft in New Hampshire. By 1932, The League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts had been established, and the first official League shop was opened in Wolfeboro. The following year, the first Craftsmen’s Fair was held, making it the oldest craft fair in the country.
Rebranded as the League of NH Craftsmen in 1968, the League is recognized today as one of the country’s foremost fine arts organizations, setting the standard for fine hand crafts — made right here — that are valued throughout the United States and around the world for their creativity, authenticity and technical expertise.
