How to join our community

We’re NYC’s nonprofit guild for artisans and makers.

Powered entirely by volunteers, we bring handmade entrepreneurs together to build community. We use the power of the collective to create opportunities for our members.

Applications are closed.

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  • Our member year runs from March 1st to February 28th.

    Twice a year — every January and July — we accept member applications for a limited time.

    Invited applicants are required to complete 4 onboarding steps (in February or August, respectively) to become a member.

    • Knowledge sharing: private online forum to find information and get advice

    • Member promotion: opportunities to be featured (e.g., public profile, social media, newsletter)

    • Networking and professional development: attend programming (e.g., meet-ups, panels, workshops)

    • Vending: spots at partner market days

  • Annual member dues are $45 + processing fees (prorated if joining mid-year).

    Access NYHC Program

    Because a supportive community can make all the difference, we offer a limited number of membership scholarships for each cohort.

    We especially encourage members of historically marginalized communities to apply for a scholarship, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+, as well as anyone who finds the cost of dues a barrier to entry.

    Scholarships are available once, for the first membership period (half-year for July applicants, full-year for January applicants).

  • We welcome handmade artisans and makers across all product categories.

    You’re eligible to apply if you:

    • sell items handmade by you

    • sell through an online storefront

    • live in NYC

    • have a google account

    See our FAQ below for more details.

  • Your business is ineligible to apply if you:

    • sell products that are not handmade by you

    • use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to design or produce your products

    • have any international production steps (outside of the US)

    • sell online, but only through social media posts and DMs

    • are a vintage reseller and/or supply store

    See our FAQ below for more details.

  • We carefully review each application, and reserve the right to accept or reject any applicant.

    All applicants will be emailed a membership decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Handmade means your items are both designed and produced by you—with your own hands or tools.

    Your design and production processes need to lead to the creation of unique items that would not exist without you.

  • Our opportunities and programming take place in NYC. Most members live in one of the 5 boroughs (Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, or Queens).

    You’re also eligible to apply if you live within 1.5 hours from midtown Manhattan.

  • Using AI to design or produce your handmade products is strictly prohibited.

    Product photos and video (including marketing materials) cannot be AI generated.

    Members are allowed to use AI as a tool for the business side of things (e.g., improving product descriptions and SEO, generating marketing ideas, etc).

  • Yes.

    If your design process relies on simple customization (e.g., choosing from pre-designed options, or selecting colors and shapes), then all items must be 100% produced by your hands or tools—no helpers (e.g., production partners or employees).

  • As a supply to be transformed by you, yes—but not as a finished product.

    It also needs to make sense for your craft. For example:

    • if you sew, then we’d expect you’d start by purchasing fabrics—you don’t need to weave the fabric yourself

    • if you screen print, then we’d expect you’d start by purchasing t-shirt blanks—you don’t need to sew the shirts yourself

  • In limited circumstances, having family, employees, contractors, and/or production partners physically help you make your items may still qualify as handmade by you.

    We ask all applicants to be transparent about who is helping you make your items—what work you do, what work they do, where they are located, and what parts of your production process they help with.

    Members can only receive help for a portion of the production process. If most of the production process happens without you (even if other handmade artisans do the work), we don’t consider those items to be handmade by you.

    Production partners are typically companies you outsource a production step to. Common examples are printing, casting, plating, engraving, and finishing.

  • No. Family, contractors, employees and/or production partner companies just need to complete their portion within the US.

    International production partners, or working with or employing overseas artisans, is strictly prohibited.

  • We consider a professional, active website with at least 5 unique listings to be an online storefront.

    It can be setup through a marketplace (e.g., Etsy, MakerPlace) or be independent (e.g., Shopify, Squarespace).

  • Active means your storefront must be open, with at least 5 individual product pages.

    Professional means that customers can add multiple items to a cart, securely check out, and ship to their address (at least the contiguous US).

    Please ensure your storefront meets these standards before submitting an application, and maintains them moving forward.

  • Only selling through social media posts and/or direct messages does not qualify as an online storefront.

  • At least 5.

  • A Google account is required for file sharing. Gmail works!

    If you don’t have one, you can sign up for one by heading to accounts.google.com and clicking ‘Create Account’.

  • Please reach out to the Membership Director hello@nyhandmadecollective.org