“Couture in the Suburbs seeks to expose talented individuals excelling within these industries to an investigative audience. We look for the best of the unknown; whether that be a fashion designer, makeup artist or photographer. ”

— Couture in the Suburbs

Q: Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world:
I’ve been blogging for years now about fashion in Arizona, and have recently expanded into the local art and culture scenes as well. I’m constantly inspired by all the artisans that emerge from Arizona, and have a true passion for sharing their craft with the world through Couture in the Suburbs.

Q: What/who is your biggest inspiration?
Creators are my source of inspiration. I love people who can create something out of nothing which is why I have equal appreciation for artist’s and entrepreneurs.

Q: How did you get into your position in the arts & crafts world?
I began Couture in the Suburbs when I was in college as a way to discover the local fashion industry around me. With the recent expansion into art, I hope to make Couture in the Suburbs the single online destination for learning more about the local industry here in Arizona.

It’s a self-appointed position, but I get validation every day through the audience that comes and enjoys the content my team and I feature on the website.

Q: Tell us about a few favorites of yours: 
Favorite food: Oregano’s pizza
Favorite color: black
Favorite drink: sugar-free vanilla latte
Favorite local destination: Phoenix Art Museum

Q: What do you love most about the handmade movement?
The passion from the artisan that can be felt in every product they create.

Q: What is most important feature in an artist’s application for you?
The process they use to create the piece. I like to know what is going into the product that makes it so special. I think the story is a great selling point for customers as well!

Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?
Finding more local artisans to inspire me, and hopefully feature on Couture in the Suburbs!

Q: Where can we find out more about you?

CoutureintheSuburbs.com 

“Like the bird that shares its name, Phoenix is rising into a beautiful new city that embraces Localism, innovation, entrepreneurship, and diversity. ”

— BALLE

In the beginning days of Jackalope Arts, our team sat together with some of the movers and shakers in the L.A. art scene and talked excitedly about the vision for Jackalope Arts.  One of these notable individuals said they understood why we were in L.A. and Denver with the arts and culture in both cities, but that they didn't know anything about Phoenix and the scene there.  Of course, as a Phoenix native, I proceeded to breakdown all of what Phoenix has to offer in it's rapidly growing and soon to be well known arts economy!

The Jackalope Art & Craft Fair will be making it's home at Steele Indian School Park in Downtown Phoenix, just outside the Roosevelt Row Arts District and situated just steps from the Metro Light Rail.   We will be joining the localist movement in an effort to strengthen the Phoenix community and Arizona economy by growing, supporting, and celebrating locally owned businesses.

There has been a concentrated focus on growing Downtown Phoenix and over the past 5 years those efforts have really begun to take hold!  We are on a roll with a 7% expected growth rate, exceptional when compared to other Downtown growth rates in the US (thiscouldbePHX.com), and Phoenix's Roosevelt Row (RoRo) being named one of the top 10 arts districts in the country by USA Today!

One of the associations in place to help facilitate this growth in Downtown Phoenix and across Arizona is Local First Arizona.  Since it's inception in 2003, Local First Arizona has grown to become the world's largest local business association with over 2,500 members!  Arizonans know how to ban together and make s***t happen and we aim to be a part of that.  

The mission of Jackalope Arts is to create a shopping experience with the highest quality, locally handcrafted goods.  We strive to support local artisans who devote their lives to their creations. We bring a community together to celebrate local artistry, and promote high quality, locally made, artisan creations of all kinds in our weekend events.

Check out this Small Wonders map of the local businesses in the area surrounding our new Downtown home!  We love our Jackalope neighbors :)

Not convinced Phoenix is amazing yet?  Check out the Top 10 Reasons to Love Phoenix from the Phoenix New Times!

The Jackalope Art & Craft Fair will launch in Phoenix with our Holiday shopping event on December 12th & 13th.  
Are you an artisan? Applications are available online and the deadline is September 1st.  
Just an eager local shopper?  Our event is FREE so add it to your calendar and sign up to our mailing list to hear all the exciting updates!

Good Reads & Resources: 

Local First Arizona

Is Downtown Phoenix at a Tipping Point? 

BALLE

We want take a moment and go more in depth to what exactly we are looking for at Jackalope Arts and how you can increase your chances on jury acceptance.  

Your application is your resume for us to view, so it's best to really put some thought into it. Please note our jury often changes so go into this with the expectation that they have not seen your work before. 

While the specific types of art and craft work that we are accepting is quite broad, there are definite quality features that our jury will keep in mind during review.  

Some of the key factors to keep in mind:

•  We're looking for trendsetting, indie goods - not just your run of the mill craft fair feature.  We want to see new and innovative ideas brought to the table that will captivate our patrons and provide a dynamic experience at the fair.  Use the space provided in your application and really describe what makes your work unique.

• Photos that show off your booth display (if you have participated in fairs before).   If our jurors can see an idea of your booth set up - it really helps give a concept of the professionalism that you put into your display.

• If you haven't participated in a fair before, it can be a good idea to create a mock set up.  This can not only help us, but help give you an idea of how you might be able to display your work in an attractive way to fair-goers.

• Photos detailing your strongest work.  Professional photos of your work and photos that are obviously well-crafted, show the jury that you put thought and time into your branding -- and will in turn be a great vendor for our fair.  We want to see close-up images of your best signatures item(s).  Our applications allow for 6 total images included - it's best to include as many as possible to really show the jury what you're all about.

• Web presence.  In addition to your application and images submitted, we will likely be poking around on your provided weblinks.  Make sure that the links you provide work, and that your website is current.  We love to see if you have work for sale online - and how you have that set up.  If you have a blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - make sure they are updated so we can see current information and work when reviewing your application.  We love to see artisans who are active on their social media channels. 
   

• Really emphasize your brand.  Some artisans create items that aren't necessarily unique by trade - but everyone has a certain something that makes their work unique.  Highlight that for the jury.  We want to know what little sparkle you've added to really make your jewelry line -- your bath and body products -- stand out from the rest.  Some categories are very competitive - so it's really important that you show the jury why to choose YOU.  Think about your packaging, logo, product ingredients, presentation etc. these all reflect your brand. 

• We can't stress this enough: double check your application before you send it in.  
  • Make sure your email address is correct! 
  • Double check your website links.  
  • A link to generic sites like Etsy.com won't help us find YOU.  We need your unique URLs

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What we are NOT looking for:  

• Vintage resale items… or any resale items for that matter.  We are a handmade only fair and want the maker behind the one of a kind goods there.
   
• This event is all about the community getting a chance to meet local creators, so it's important that you're not selling someone else's work in your booth. 
   
• Artisans with no images of their work to be found.  Our jury can't make a decision on your work if they can't see it.  Please take the time to curate images that you want our jury to pay special attention to.  While they will likely spend time viewing your website, they can't go hunting for your best work - you need to make it obvious.  
   
• Commercial resellers and product consultants.  

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We are really looking forward to reviewing your application and giving our local community of artisans an opportunity to sell their wares at Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair.

We look forward to seeing your application soon!

Haven't gotten to it yet?  

Have specific questions about your application?  Email us: vendors@jackalopeartfair.com 

Not quite ready to apply yet but want to stay in the loop?!  Sign up for our Newsletter!

As we gain momentum I am sure the question has come up of what exactly is Jackalope Arts?  The Jackalope is a mysterious and mythical creature, but lets take a second and shed some light on our Jackalope.

Let us be the first to tell you that the mission of Jackalope Arts is to create a 2 day shopping destination bringing the community together and featuring 200+ local artisans, crafters, and DIY enthusiasts, with an emphasis on quality artistry.  

Our tagline? A Community meets Artisan Event

The Jackalope Arts Experience: We want you to meet the maker behind the one of a kind indie goods that you will find at the Jackalope Art & Craft Fair. Our first round of Jackalopes will feature at our inaugural event on April 25th and 26th at Central Park within Old Town Pasadena

Who are the Jackalope Artists? They are the artisans and crafters who think out of the box and provide trendsetting handmade quality goods that you can’t find anywhere else. Things you will find at the Jackalope Art & Craft Fair may include:

• Clothing- for adults, kids and maybe even your dog!

• Accessories-Jewelry, handbags and backpacks, leather goods, wallets, shoes, aprons, hair accessories, eyewear, scarf’s and other cozy accents, neckties, cuff links and more

• Art-Ceramics and Pottery, Woodworking, Illustration, Mixed Media, Photography, Fiber Art, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture and other Paper Goods including bookmarks, calendars, cards, gift wrap, journals, stationary and beyond

• Home Goods- Home décor and house wares such as unique furniture, lighting, terrariums, candles, blankets, vases, clocks, coasters, frames, & rugs

• Bath and Beauty-Bath and Shower products, Lip Balm, Lotion, Skin Care etc.

Please bear in mind that this is not a comprehensive list and we are open to other handmade creations!

Does this intrigue you? There are several different options for booth rentals at our fairs, please visit the Vendor Info Page for details. We encourage everyone to submit and we look forward to hearing from you!

XOXO The Jackalope Team :)