Exploration Abounds at Creativation

This year’s Creativation by NAMTA was full of excitement and expansion for retailers and manufacturers alike, from larger numbers of purchase orders and new engagement opportunities to emerging product categories.

More than 1,200 people – including 161 exhibitors – traveled to St. Louis, MO from May 15 to 19 for the show. Executive Director Leah Siffringer and Director of Meetings and Partnership Sales Mary McLane heard multiple accounts of vendors receiving larger orders compared to previous years.

“That is the happiest thing for us to hear, because being in this climate gives even more reason for people to come together and come in-person to a show. You can’t get that type of activity without being in person and have that type of ROI,” McLane said. “Creativation tends to be one of the strongest shows in the U.S. as far as decision makers, because of people saying they had a very strong show and strong orders after the show.”

Attendees continued to engage outside of the show floor. About 700 individuals attended the welcome reception where NAMTA recognized Hall of Fame inductees and presented its Lifetime Achievement Awards. The combined Happy Hour sold out, and the President’s Reception at Ballpark Village had 400 guests attend. “Both events gave a good feel of St. Louis,” McLane said.

“From attendees, we get pretty good feedback,” Siffringer added. “I think what makes our show a little different is all the networking events we do.”

Word on the show floor

Among the vendors and various activities on the show floor, the newest and most innovative was the Creativation Passport Journal. NAMTA partnered with Golden Peak Media and artist Ophelia Staton to provide journals and demonstrate various materials. One hundred retailers registered, taking their journal to 36 designated booths to try vendors’ products. The intention was to provide opportunities for retailers to journal as they traversed the show floor and discover products they normally wouldn’t have considered.

“Overall, we were really happy with this first year of bringing that type of activity onto the show floor,” McLane stated. “The retailers who participated continued to journal – whether they brought it to education sessions or to other booths that weren’t passport stops. A few of them even said they kept using the journal after the show.”

NAMTA continues to expand the show’s offerings. Among categories including drawing, sketching, children’s products, gifts, beading and tech, NAMTA is slowly incorporating jewelry into Creativation. ImpressArt sponsored a metal stamping jewelry component for the journals. Meanwhile, Tamara Honaman of Golden Peak Media and a jewelry artist, held a class on how to get started in jewelry making.

McLane and Siffringer noted that many exhibitors were leaning into in-booth activities, adding to the buzz of energy on the floor. “Our floor has become very active and very exploratory,” McLane said. “An attendee can walk around and not just look and see what’s in a booth, but they can actually step in, and there’s a demo going on right there.”

Moving forward

NAMTA continues to refine the Creativation experience for all its members. McLane wants to ensure retailers are fulfilling their educational needs at the sessions leading up to the main show. Improvements to NAMTA’s new mobile app are in the process. As Product Palooza continues to draw record crowds, NAMTA is looking at how to optimize the event’s flow as people go from table to table interacting with new products. Also, McLane is eager to spread the word about the Maker Space and grow the Launchpad space on the show floor.

The organization is also exploring possibilities of working with Creativation partners on certain aspects. They are looking at opportunities such as collaborating with xTool to engrave awards and having Craft Express print out photos at the selfie station. These initiatives will not only enhance the show, but provide partnering companies with more exposure.

Now the NAMTA team has its sights on next year’s show, set for May 15 to 19 in Grand Rapids, MI. More information about the show and the city will be available in the coming months. “There are lots of flights into Grand Rapids. It’s a very attractive and creative city. They focus a lot on art. The set up with the convention hall and hotels is super convenient. It’s also really affordable,” Siffringer said. “We’re trying to make every year better than the last, raising the bar.”

Accolades and Awards

Judges took to the show floor and looked at exhibitors’ booths for presentation, activities and products. Together, they named the following winners of the 2026 Booth Award Winners.

• Best Small Booth – Legion Paper
• Best Medium Booth – Faber-Castell
• Best Large Booth – xTool
• Best New Exhibitor – A House of Books
• Best Point of Purchase – Artventure
• Best In-Booth Activity – Uchida of America, Corp.
• Judge’s Recognition – August Ellery Press
• Best Packaging – Sarah Renae Clark
• Best New Kids Product – Folia Paper & Hobby
• Best New Product – Dixon Ticonderoga

At the Welcome Reception on May 16, NAMTA announced the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Hall of Fame inductees and Special Recognition recipients.

Lifetime Achievement Award members included:

• Julianna C. Avelar of Julianna C. Avelar Designs
• Ed Brickler of Chartpack, Inc.
• John Cogley of Daniel Smith/JJC
• Jessica Goursolas of Creative Network
• Willow Wolfe of Willow Wolfe, Inc.

The following individuals were inducted into the Hall of Fame:

• Georganne Bender and Rich Kizer of Kizer & Bender Speaking
• Bill Hartman of Golden Artist Colors
• Jeremy Franklin of A. Franklin & Associates
• Howard Kauffman of Princeton Brush Company
• Howard Krinsky of Binders Art Supplies
• David Pyle of Pyle Creative Studio

Special Recognition went to Darin Rinne and Scott Fares of Wet Paint.

New Products at Creativation

• AKZ Tools: Paintbrush Holder
• Beacon Adhesives: Frost-It! Craft Frosting and Gem-Tac East Squeeze
• Blick Wholesale Network: artPOP! Chisel and Brush Dual Tip Alcohol Art Markers
• Bob Ross Inc.: Bob Ross for Kids Painting Party Kit
• Bone Frame: PinClip Canvas
• DecoArt LLC/Jack Richeson & Company: Retique It and Americana Bloom Texture Paint
• Derwent/Rodin Art Supplies: Drawing Pencils 72 Tin
• Dixon Ticonderoga: ARCHES Journals, MaimeriBlu 12 Half Pan Set and Princeton Aqua Elite Prism Brush
• Dynasty Brush/FM Brush: Dynasty Essential Set Assortment
• Ecstasy Distributing: Cottage Christmas Collection
• Faber-Castell: Multimark Acrylic Markers
• Global Creative, Inc.: OLO Carry Case Marker Sets
• Golden Artist Colors, Inc.: Williamsburg Oil Color Sets
• Grafix: Dura-Lar Prints
• HK Holbein, Inc.: Artist Watercolor Pencils
• ImpressArt/Wolter Corp: Metal Stamping & Bracelet Bundle
• Legion Paper: Awagami Washi Fine Art Papers
• Marmals: Marmals
• Notions Marketing: We R Corner Stack Cutter and We R Makers Stack & Corner Cutter
• Pébéo: Pébéo LINO
• Pointer: Pointer Watercolor Solid Set – 36 Colors
• Quarto: Quick Start Drawing Animals
• Ranger Ink: Archival Ink and Liquid Pearls
• Rocky Nook: Art Pocket Guide Countertop Spinner and Morpho Countertop Spinner
• Royal Talens: Amsterdam Standard Series Acrylics 12 x 120ml Value Pack
• Sarah Renae Clark: Colour Cube (Second Edition)
• Silver Brush Limited: Painting Knives
• Speedball Art Products: Professional Brayers
• STABILO: BOSS Original NatureCOLORS Wildflower Highlighters – Desk Set of 10
• Staedtler, Inc.: Mars Lumograph colour aquarell 104
• Stapledon Arts: 13 Piece Paint Kit
• Uchida of America: LePen Earth Tone
• Uglybooks: UGLYPADS
• Unwind Designs: DIY Diamond Painting Keychain, DIY Diamond Painting Sunglasses and DIY Draw & Diamond Kit
• Yasutomo: Gyotaku Kit, Metallic Liquid Sumi Inks and PURE Color Origami
• Zebra Pen: MILDLINERFINE Dual-Tip Fineliner