Speaker’s Bureau

Working in the late nineteenth century, Elbert Hubbard, a soap salesman, would be a catalyst for the Arts & Crafts movement in America. After being inspired by a trip to William Morris’s Kelmscott Press in England, Hubbard would return to East Aurora, N.Y. and build his first Roycroft Shop in 1897. Combining his strong business sense and the Arts & Crafts ideals, he would create an industry of hand printing, illuminating and bound books. Within a few years, the Roycroft Shops would undergo multiple expansions and produce a variety of handcrafted art including furniture, copperwork, and stained glass. Although the Roycroft would close due to tragedy and the Great Depression, a renaissance has begun. Come hear the stories of the rise, fall and rebirth of this National Historic Landmark, right here in Western New York.

The Roycroft Campus was founded by Elbert Hubbard, but it may not have become what it did without the incredible women that surrounded him. The Roycroft was very open to the hiring and freedoms of women, employing many and paying them equal salary to the men. Learn of some of the amazing female artists of the Campus and the roles of those lesser-known. And hear how the writings of Elbert and his wife Alice would have an impact on the Arts & Crafts community and the Suffragette community as a whole.

As the Roycroft Campus collection continues to grow we often dream of those elusive or lost Roycroft treasures that may be out there, waiting to be found. Take this interesting adventure to learn of the Roycroft connection to the Major Leagues and the Wyeth family, and view some of the unique, one-of-a-kind Roycroft items; such as paintings, artifacts, lamps and recordings, that we hope to one day rediscover.