IndieMe: Launching the 2027 Buying Season

No. Artists selected for The IndieMe Experience do not need to attend in person. IndieMe staff will manage the booth, product display, buyer conversations, and overall experience.

The booth will be staffed by IndieMe. Jackie and/or IndieMe team members will be present to guide buyers through the experience, answer questions, share artist information, and help connect buyers back to participating artists.

Participation is curated and space is limited. IndieMe will review interested artists based on product fit, category balance, presentation, buyer appeal, and the overall needs of the booth. We will also work with our buyer advisory group to help ensure the experience represents a strong cross-section of IndieMe categories and showcases.

Yes. IndieMe staff will actively engage buyers, answer questions, and direct them to artist ordering information, QR codes, and other buyer-facing materials. The goal is to make it easy for qualified wholesale buyers to discover participating artists and take the next step through IndieMe.

American Craft Baltimore may attract a mix of retail attendees, wholesale buyers, gallery owners, shop owners, and industry contacts. IndieMe’s focus for this experience is wholesale discovery and buyer connection. We will market the experience directly to our IndieMe buyer community before the show, and we expect many buyers who visit the booth to already be familiar with IndieMe. For new contacts we meet onsite, IndieMe staff will gather basic business information to help identify qualified wholesale buyers and guide them toward the appropriate artist and ordering information.

Selected artists will receive more detailed instructions once participation is confirmed. Product selection will depend on category, size, booth space, and the overall display plan. The current product footprint estimate is being used for planning purposes only and may vary by product category and final booth design.

Not necessarily. Display space will vary by product category, product size, and booth design. The approximate 12 x 12 x 12 inch estimate is a planning guideline, not a promise that every artist will be placed inside a cube. For example, textiles may be represented on a wall or tabletop display, while ceramics, jewelry, glass, wood, and other categories may use shelving, pedestals, or other appropriate display fixtures.

We understand that some product categories do not fit neatly into a small footprint. Textile artists, for example, may be represented through wall display, tabletop presentation, folded samples, product groupings, signage, or other display options that help the buyer understand the work. Final display decisions will be based on the selected artists, product mix, and overall booth layout.

Selected artists will be responsible for shipping their approved samples/products to IndieMe by the stated deadline. IndieMe will provide shipping timelines, product labeling instructions, packing guidance, and any additional details needed before products are sent. Artists should pack products carefully and insure shipments, especially fragile work such as ceramics, glass, or other breakable items.

Selected artists will be responsible for providing return shipping instructions and/or a prepaid return label. After the show, products will be returned according to the artist’s instructions unless other arrangements have been made in writing. Final product return, handling, and timeline details will be provided to selected artists before products are shipped.

Yes. Artists are responsible for insuring the products they ship to and from IndieMe for this opportunity. IndieMe will carry its own show coverage, but artists should insure their individual products during shipping and return transit.

Yes. The Baltimore experience has limited physical space and will be curated carefully. Not every interested artist may be selected for the product display portion.

Yes. Artists participating in The IndieMe Experience at American Craft Baltimore must be current approved IndieMe artists at the time of the Baltimore event.

No. This specific opportunity is limited to artists who reside in the United States or U.S. territories and meet American Craft Council’s eligibility criteria. Canadian artists remain eligible for IndieMe in general, but they are not eligible for this specific Baltimore booth opportunity.

No. Because this opportunity is part of American Craft Made Baltimore, participating artists and products must meet ACC’s exhibitor criteria. Certain product types are not eligible for this specific opportunity, including candles, apothecary, food products, craft kits, manufactured work, embellished commercially-made items, paintings, photography, graphics, and work not produced by the artist or under the artist’s direct supervision.

Yes. Current approved IndieMe artists may express interest. Selection will be based on fit, presentation, category balance, and the overall needs of the curated experience, not simply how long an artist has been with IndieMe.

Gather: Winter Edition will run during the same buying window as the Baltimore experience. This allows buyers to discover IndieMe artists both in person and online. Artists selected for Baltimore will automatically be included in Gather: Winter Edition.

You may still be able to participate in Gather: Winter Edition as a digital-only opportunity. Gather gives artists a way to be part of the February buying-season campaign without sending product to Baltimore.

No. The January IndieMe Virtual Expo and Buyer’s Guide are separate unless otherwise noted. The 2027 buying-season campaign connects the events under one larger promotional umbrella, but participation details may vary by event.

Selected artists may be asked to provide business cards or approved buyer-facing materials. IndieMe will provide final instructions so the booth remains polished, consistent, and easy for buyers to navigate.

Product will need to be reviewed and approved as part of the curation and display planning process. This helps us create a balanced experience and make sure the product selected works well within the booth space and meets ACC eligibility requirements.

The primary purpose of The IndieMe Experience is buyer discovery and wholesale connection. If any retail sales opportunity becomes available at the end of the show, details will be provided in the final participation agreement.

IndieMe will review interest forms, evaluate category balance and booth fit, and follow up with next steps. Artists selected for the Baltimore experience will receive additional details, deadlines, product guidelines, and participation agreement information.