Roycroft Winter Festival moving to Amherst temporarily

Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·2 min read

Nov. 23—AMHERST — For the first time, the Roycroft Winter Festival will be held on the grounds of The Park School on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3.

The festival features the fine art works of 20 Roycroft Artisans and Artists in wood, metal, fabric, jewelry, clay, glass, book arts, prints, drawing, painting and photography.

The Roycrofters-at-Large Association (RALA) has moved the festival from East Aurora to Amherst temporarily, after forging a collaboration with The Park School earlier this year. The school's proximity to both the northtowns and Buffalo is in keeping with RALA's mission to promote and further the evolution of Roycroft, according to RALA executive coordinator Tami Fuller.

"This temporary change in venue is an exciting opportunity to connect the Roycroft Renaissance and the modern Roycroft Artisans with a broader segment of Western New York Arts & Crafts collectors who may have been prevented from traveling East Aurora in previous years, and the Roycroft Artisans are looking forward to sharing East Aurora's proud Arts & Crafts traditions with the larger Western New York arts community," Fuller stated in a news release.

Artisans and artists involved in the Roycroft Winter Festival were accepted by RALA's master artisans based on their high standards of work through a juried process. RALA was founded in 1976 with the mission to keep the Arts & Crafts Movement alive, guided by principles set forth by founder Elbert Hubbard. Artisans proudly display the registered "double R mark" representing the quality of their work, and are the only modern working artists permitted to represent themselves as Roycrofters.

The festival will be ongoing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 in Clement Hall on the grounds of The Park School, 4625 Harlem Road. Admission is $1 for adults. Raffle tickets will be available for the RALA "Goodie Box," which contains items created by Roycrofters valued at more than $6,000. The drawing will be held in February, during the 37th National Arts and Crafts Conference in North Carolina; the winner need not be present.

The 48th Roycroft Summer Festival will be held June 29 and June 30 at the Classic Rink in East Aurora.

Information on the Roycrofters-at-Large and membership options can be found online at www.ralaweb.com.