Craft Contemporary
Founded as a museum in 1973, Craft Contemporary reveals the potential of craft to educate, captivate, provoke, and empower. We present contemporary exhibitions rooted in craft media and processes, highlighting emerging artists often underrepresented in larger institutions. Through exhibitions and hands-on programs, we foster creativity, learning, and connection across Los Angeles.
Founded as a museum in 1973, Craft Contemporary reveals the potential of craft to educate, captivate, provoke, and empower. With a focus on contemporary art made from craft media and processes, Craft Contemporary presents dynamic exhibitions by established and emerging artists and designers who are often underrepresented in larger art institutions. Craft Contemporary complements these exhibitions with a creative line-up of educational programs, including hands-on workshops led by professional artists. Craft Contemporary cultivates an environment for people in Los Angeles to deepen their relationship to art, creativity, and one another.
Established by painter Edith Robinson Wyle (1918 -1999), student of the late Rico Lebrun, Craft Contemporary was originally created as a restaurant and gallery space called The Egg and the Eye. The Egg and the Eye opened November 1, 1965 at 5814 Wilshire Blvd, in a three story neo-Georgian building designed in 1930 by Gilbert Stanley Underwood. It had once been the location of Frieda Schroeder Cakes. The first gallery exhibition featured Native Alaskan sculpture, wood sculptures by J. B. Blunk, as well as individual pieces by Beatrice Wood and Harrison Mcintosh. In part, Wyle’s focus on handmade objects, ethnic identity, and multi-sensory experiences were a reaction to the growing popularity of Pop Art and Minimalism. By 1973, Wyle sought and was granted non-profit status for the newly named Craft & Folk Art Museum, where she led initiatives until her retirement in 1984.
Wyle believed that an engagement with hand-crafted objects could enhance daily life. She advocated for the application of new forms and ideas to traditional techniques and the adoption of new technologies. To make the community feel welcome in the museum, she animated her exhibition spaces with food, performance, and film, in an effort to take art out of the museum space and bring it directly to the community. In 1976, the Craft & Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) launched what would become the annual International Festival of Masks—a large scale public art festival which celebrated the numerous ethnic identities within Los Angeles.
Patrick Ela, who joined the museum in 1975, succeeded Wyle as museum director, overseeing a building renovation by Hodgetts & Fung completed in 1995 and leading a successful effort to sustain the museum via a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
In 2018, the museum board of trustees voted to change the name of the Craft & Folk Art Museum to Craft Contemporary to best reflect its current mission. The name Craft Contemporary was chosen to emphasize the word ‘craft’ as a verb and a noun—celebrating both the act and outcome of making. Craft Contemporary continues to respect the deep history of the craft field while also looking forward to its bold and exciting future.
The museum's facade is adorned with a vibrant geometric design by Los Angeles artist Brent Spears (Shrine), showcasing Craft Contemporary's dynamic spirit.
Programs & Activities
Offering over 90 multigenerational programs and two to four exhibitions featuring emerging artists each year, Craft Contemporary welcomes over 25,000 visitors annually to experience the diverse and expansive world of craft. Craft Contemporary supports emerging artists working at the intersections of traditional techniques, cultural heritage, material innovation, and critical contemporary issues. Craft Contemporary proudly serves as the first museum exhibition for the majority of our exhibiting artists and provides them with competitive stipends and opportunities to teach workshops and lead programs to gain professional experience. A significant contributor to the creative economy of Los Angeles, Craft Contemporary’s $1.5M annual operating budget reflects the robust programming we provide for local artists including Makers Markets throughout the year. Our exhibitions adhere to a curatorial philosophy that prioritizes storytelling, accessibility, sustainability, and honoring the natural world with the goal of achieving zero-waste exhibitions by 2030. Complementing our exhibitions, Craft Contemporary works with over 20 partners in Los Angeles County including art non-profits, social services providers, and schools to enhance and expand access to the arts. In addition to serving over 1,500 third through twelfth grade students each year through our Craft(ED) and Craft Youth Culture Programs, we offer internships, apprenticeships, family programs, and workshops for senior ensuring that our museum is a place for lifelong learning and arts appreciation for anyone of any age, gender, identity, creed, or background.
