Thank you for participating in the Oxford Handcrafted Routes. As a partner of the program, you are part of a collective effort to promote Oxford County as a destination that celebrates handcrafted arts and makers.

As a Handcrafted Routes partner, you will be promoted as a location for visitors to appreciate, make, and/or purchase handcrafted products. You will benefit from promotion of the trail in print, digital, email marketing, and working with travel writers.  

As part of the Oxford Handcrafted Routes, you agree to:

• Meet general requirements for a listing on Tourismoxford.ca
• Meet Oxford Handcrafted Partner Eligibility
• Pay the $100 (plus HST) annual partnership fee, renewable every March.
• Maintain correct and up to date content on Tourismoxford.ca including:
• Listing
• Posting events and special offers
• Subscribe to the Oxford Tourism industry newsletter
• Promote involvement in the Oxford Handcrafted Routes on your website and at your location
• Educate front-line staff about the Oxford Handcrafted Routes so they can engage and educate visitors about handcrafted arts and culture in Oxford County
• Attend Handcrafted Routes Annual meetings (typically 1 in person and 1 virtual)
• Have all uses of the Handcrafted Routes logo approved prior to its use. The logo must be displayed in full colour, gray-scale, or black and white. No recolouring permitted. The Oxford Handcrafted Routes logo is property of the County of Oxford.
• Notify tourism@oxfordcounty.ca of business changes (ownership, location, hours) impacting visitors.

This participation agreement is in effect from date of signing until March 2027. The cost to participate is $100 (plus HST). Payment details will be emailed to successful applicants. This provides your business with a website listing, digital and email marketing, and an opportunity to attend Oxford Handcrafted meetings and provide feedback on program marketing and implementation.

The above criteria have been designed to ensure the Handcrafted Routes program will meet the expectations of today's arts and culture tourist and generate positive word of mouth advertising for makers. By completing the form below, you agree to meet the above criteria of the Oxford Handcrafted Routes.

Partner Eligibility

Definition of "Oxford Handcrafted Products"

To be classified as an Oxford Handcrafted Product, items need to fit within the following criteria:

• The majority of the work involves original artistic creation. This includes any items made by hand, or machinery, in which the artist does one of more of the following:
• Designs their own patterns, illustrations, or compositions from scratch
• Uses processes that require creative decision making, skill and hands-on execution
• Exercises artistic control over the conceptual, aesthetic, and technical aspects of the finished product
• Displays individual artistic interpretation, innovation, cultural expression, or offer uniqueness
• Creation, retail, or activity takes place in Oxford County. Locations outside of Oxford County, that provide economic and unique value, will be considered and reviewed by Oxford Tourism
• It meets the non-replicability standard. This means it does not include pre-made, non-original art and products that can be easily replicated by the consumer
• Items cannot be made by machine with downloadable files, non-original graphics or by AI. This includes items who primary purpose is sharing common phrases/quotes
• Acceptable use of manufactured items:
• The artist both creates the original artwork, design, or pattern and executes the artistic application processes (hand silk screening, hand printing, hand dyeing, etc.)
• Manufactured product serves merely as a canvas, not the creative contribution itself

Who can be an "Oxford Handcrafted Stop"

To be a destination stop on Oxford Handcrafted, businesses and organizations must meet the business operation standards and fall within a stop category.

Business Operation Standards:

• Must not be in living quarters or in residential zoning
• Must be a physical location with business sign, separate entrance, posted hours, and parking
• Must have all required government and public health approvals including zoning, licenses, permits, etc.
• Have an online website where visitors can access location, hours, and basic venue information
• Oxford Tourism is open to discussing testing businesses who do not have a website purchasing a Tourism Oxford Enhanced Listing instead
• Meet one of the following hours of operation:
• Be open a minimum of 8 months of the year, 3 days a week
• Offer an activity such as a tour, experience, or workshop that can be booked through a website
• Be an event held in Oxford County catering to or highlighting the handcrafted arts

Stop Categories:

• Museums, historic sites, or other locations highlighting maker heritage in Oxford County
• Arts Cooperatives that provide exhibition, studio, resource, or retail space for makers and visitors
• Galleries that exhibit and or sell Oxford Handcrafted products
• Antique stores/ malls selling handcrafted antiques and vintage
• Retailers with commitment to handcrafted arts and focus on selling the Oxford Handcrafted products with labels recognizing the makers
• Repair and refurbishing businesses
• Maker supply stores offering unique inventory. This can include niche supply stores and second-hand stores.
• Locations offering classes, workshops, or events that fit the criteria for Oxford Handcrafted Products
• Events and studio tours

Who can be an "Oxford Handcrafted Online" Partner?

To be an "Oxford Handcrafted Online" Partner, businesses must:

• Have a website that provides online purchasing of products and processes of transactions
• Products sold on the website must meet the criteria for Oxford Handcrafted Products
• Online purchasing must be hosted on an official, standalone website (e.g., Shopify, Squarespace, etc.) or a recognized e-commerce marketplace with official storefronts (e.g., Amazon, Etsy, etc.) as well as maintain secure checkout functionality

Who can be an "Oxford Handcrafted Affiliated" Partner?

To be an "Oxford Handcrafted Affiliated" partner, like restaurants or accommodations, businesses must:

• Provide a connection to the handcrafted arts through either their property (architecture, design, etc.), displaying local handcrafted items (artwork, linens locally made, etc.), a menu featuring locally sourced ingredients, or hosting local arts and culture events (live music, retreats, shows, etc.)

Thank you for submitting the Oxford Handcrafted Routes signup form. Upon review, an Oxford Tourism team member will get back to you regarding your submission.

For any questions, please reach out to Oxford Tourism for support:

• General: tourism@oxfordcounty.ca
• Meredith Maywood: mmaywood@oxfordcounty.ca
• Madelyne Cluett: mcluett@oxfordcounty.ca
• Karlee Slattery: kslattery@oxfordcounty.ca
• Erica Orleni: eorleni@oxfordcounty.ca