Rise of the Artisan Economy
Joel Kotkin & Irene Lottini
Center for Demographics and Policy and the Ferrucci Institute for Italian Experience and Research, Chapman University
From the hill town of Amelia in Umbria to farmers’ markets and food halls across Orange County, Los Angeles and beyond, a new generation is returning to craft and local production. This report looks at what Italy’s artisan tradition can teach America, and why small, skill-based businesses may matter more, not less, in an age of AI and corporate consolidation.
Views from Italy and America
The authors argue that a shift toward a more artisan-centered economy could help renew capitalism itself: small businesses, like those arising in the artisan movement, affirm the economy’s dynamism and sense of opportunity.
- 1The Artisan Imperative: Views from Italy and AmericaThe revolt against “big sameness”
- 2The Struggle for WorkersThe Penko example, Italy’s lead in fashion and design, recycling profitably
- 3The Rise, Fall and Rise of the American ArtisanArtisans in space and the growing market for artisanal products
- 4The New AgorasFlea markets, farmers’ markets and changing food tastes
- 5Artisanship and the Reinvigoration of the MarketArtisanship and the future of capitalism
Why craft is back
New U.S. business applications filed each year from 2021 to 2023, far above the pre-pandemic norm.
Cited in the reportShare of Americans who view small business favorably, compared with fewer than 30 percent for large corporations.
Pew Research Center, cited in the reportShare of Gen Z in one recent survey who feel a skilled trade can be a better path to economic security than college.
Survey cited in the reportFigures as reported by the authors; see the report’s endnotes for full sources.
Authors and editor
Joel Kotkin
Executive Director, Center for Demographics and Policy, and Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures, Chapman University
Irene Lottini
Associate Professor of Instruction and head of the Italian program, University of Iowa
Marshall Toplansky
Co-Director, Center for Demographics and Policy, and Faculty Fellow for Innovation, Chapman University
The authors in conversation
The Italian Artisan Economy and Its Relevance in America’s Future
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · 5:00 to 6:30 pm · Argyros Forum 201, Chapman University. Part of the Windows to Italy series presented by Chapman’s Ferrucci Institute. The authors were joined by Shaheen Sadeghi of LAB Holding. Photos, program and highlights are now online.
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