Abbreviation ACC Founder Aileen Osborn Webb | Formation 1943 Type NGO | |
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Merger of Handcraft Cooperative League of America and American Handcraft Council Legal status Non-profit educational organization | ||
The American Craft Council (ACC), was founded in 1943 as a national, nonprofit, educational organization to support and foster interest in the crafts in America. The council sponsors national craft shows, publishes American Craft magazine, and has an extensive awards program. In 1956, with the help of philanthropist Aileen Webb, the ACC opened the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York City, which eventually became the Museum of Arts and Design. The ACC supports and is supported by artists, teachers, scholars, collectors, gallery owners and professionals in many fields, including woodturning, ceramic art, fiber art, woodworking, glass art, papermaking, lapidary, lace making, metalworking, jewelry, needlepoint, and quilting.
Contents
At their headquarters, as part of their ongoing educational initiatives, the ACC maintains a resource library containing over fifteen thousand volumes, including rare exhibition catalogues and archives, possibly the most comprehensive collection of materials on American craft in the United States.
Beginning in 1966 the ACC has sponsored the American Craft Council Shows
History
The American Craft Council was founded in 1943 by Aileen Osborn Webb. According to Emily Zaiden:
No other organization has played a more important role nationally in the history of American crafts than the American Craft Council. Without the dedication and persistence of leading art patron and philanthropist Aileen Osborn Webb, the group might never have been created.
Philosophy
The mission of the American Craft Council is to champion craft by promoting the understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft.