Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky
Arts & Crafts in Berea, Kentucky
Designated the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky by the state legislature, Berea has been a working craft town for more than 125 years.
Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
A state-operated showcase for the work of hundreds of Kentucky artisans — pottery, woodwork, glass, textiles, jewelry, foods, and books. Free admission, daily craft demonstrations, and a café make it the ideal first stop for any visit to Berea.
200 Artisan Way — I-75, Exit 77
Berea College Student Craft
Berea College students have produced handcrafted goods since the 1890s through the college's famous labor program. The historic Log House Craft Gallery sells student-made brooms, woven textiles, woodcraft, and ceramics — a craft tradition few colleges anywhere can match.
Main Street & the Log House, College Square
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Old Town Artisan Village
Berea's working-studio district, where you can watch artists at work — weavers, jewelers, glass artists, potters, and more — and buy directly from the maker. The Berea Welcome Center, housed in the restored 1917 L&N railroad depot, anchors the district.
North Broadway, near the historic L&N Depot
Annual Craft Events
July
Berea Craft Festival
More than 100 juried artisans from across the country gather under the trees at Indian Fort Theatre for three days of craft, music, food, and demonstrations. Running since 1982, it's one of the region's premier craft events.
July
Festival of Learnshops
Berea's hands-on making festival — dozens of short workshops where you learn directly from working artists: blacksmithing, weaving, glass, jewelry, cooking, and more.
Fall
Celebration of Traditional Music
Berea College's long-running festival of old-time Appalachian music, with concerts, jam sessions, and dance open to the community.
See dates and details on our events calendar.
Why Berea?
Berea's craft tradition began in the 1890s, when Berea College's "Fireside Industries" encouraged Appalachian weaving and woodwork as both livelihood and heritage. That legacy grew into a town where dozens of working artists live, teach, and sell — earning Berea its official designation as the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky.