Our Team
All Renegade events and endeavors are produced, juried, and curated in-house by our small but mighty team. Keep an eye out for us at the Fairs, we’d love to meet you!
Our Story
Building Creative Community Since 2003
Established in Chicago in 2003 and growing through steady, grassroots support, Renegade has become one of the broadest reaching craft showcases in the world. With events in several major cities, a growing online shop, and an expansive artist collective, Renegade is a dynamic platform for artists and shoppers to come together and build community.
HOW IT STARTED
In 2003, two creative and entrepreneurial friends sought out a local art + craft fair to sell their design-driven handiwork, to no avail. At the time, events were geared towards either fine art or established craft, and didn’t reflect the burgeoning online contemporary craft community the founders were a part of online.
True to the DIY spirit, those friends founded Renegade Craft and set up the inaugural event in Chicago’s Wicker Park with 75 participating artists from all over the US, to their surprise. This spurred the idea to bring Renegade to other cities in the years to follow. After the two founders went their separate ways in 2007, Susie Daly continued to organically grow the organization, and to this date has mobilized creatives and enthusiasts across the entire country.
HOW IT’S GOING
Over the years, Renegade not only established the marketplace they envisioned, but pioneered a movement that advanced the creative economy, empowered countless small businesses to succeed, and brought together a worldwide community of artists and tastemakers. Renegade’s vision and approach are still embedded in its origins: to create an inspiring communal platform that’s powered by a community of independent artists and design enthusiasts, and curated with beautiful, handmade goods.
FUTURE
In 2020, Renegade was forced to postpone all events for the year and furlough 2/3 of their beloved staff due to the pandemic. After pivoting to Virtual Fairs, they shifted focus to creating an online Shop that features a curated selection of Renegade artist goods. This endeavor will last into the future and continue to grow and evolve, while the team looks forward to thoughtfully rebuilding the fairs in 2021.