On the hunt for thoughtful, locally sourced holiday gifts? Look no further. With an incredibly wide roster of talented craftspeople, the much anticipated fair, Renegade, is back, and this weekend is your chance to check it out!
Since 2003 Renegade has been bringing artists together to share and sell their work. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a few dedicated craftspeople, this fair has turned into one of the largest craft fairs in the country and continues to grow worldwide. Since its start in Chicago, Renegade has expanded to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, Denver, Boston, Portland, London, and of course, New York City.
Q&A with the Renegade team:
1. What can the neighborhood expect from this year’s fair?
Curated with over 200 local and national artists, this year’s Fair is unlike any other! We received an incredible amount of applications for this Fair, and are excited to offer a lineup of really talented artists and amazing small businesses. There’s truly something for everyone on your holiday list! We’ll also have bites and drinks by Donna Brooklyn, great music, and good vibes. Explore the whole lineup and make your wishlist at our Fair page here: https://www.renegadecraft.com/fair/brooklyn-winter/
2. You conducted virtual fairs over the course of the pandemic – what does it feel like to finally be in person again?
We’re so happy to be back in person again! One of our favorite parts of Renegade is talking to artists about their processes – nothing really compares to that interaction. But we did love our Virtual Fairs, and learned a lot from that experience! It inspired us to open our online Shop, which is curated with our favorite Renegade goods and open anywhere and anytime!
3. How do you curate your list of craftsmen?
After jurying applications with our criteria in mind (Quality & Value, Aesthetic, & Ethical – more info here at our FAQ) and finalizing the production layout, our talented Curatorial & Design Director curates the Fair by placing artists on the map in a way that flows for shoppers – artists with complementary work will be placed as neighbors, for example. We’re a team of 7, so this is a big part of our process! Our goal is for every Fair to feel intentional, beautiful, and easy to navigate.
4. What would you like people to know about Renegade?
Attending Renegade and supporting small businesses is one of the best ways to support our creative economy! When you purchase goods at a Renegade Fair, you’re directly investing in the person who made that object, and supporting their dream and business.
What To Know
You can visit Renegade at the Brooklyn Expo Center Saturday, December 4th and Sunday, December 5th from 11am-5pm. Upon arrival, you can show your support by making a suggested donation, 10% of which is donated to The Nature Conservancy.
Proof of vaccination required.