Crafts Council Collective
THE CRAFTS COUNCIL LAUNCHES ITS MOST AMBITIOUS SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR MAKERS
The Crafts Council has today (30 September 2009) launched its most ambitious programme of support for craft makers. Crafts Council Collective is for all makers working in contemporary craft – from start-up businesses to makers who have been working for decades – and has the potential to strengthen thousands of contemporary craft businesses each year through a range of on-line and event-based programmes for makers throughout their careers.
Building on its previous excellent track record in professional development, the Crafts Council has developed Collective through extensive research and consultation. Crafts Council Collective also responds to the findings of the Craft Blueprint – the workforce development plan for craft – developed by the Crafts Council in partnership with Creative & Cultural Skills.
Crafts Council Collective will provide makers with a range of opportunities and resources from tailored business development to the provision of creative time to take risks, and ultimately provide them with the support, opportunity and confidence to make sure that British contemporary craft continues to be world-leading.
The five new programmes are as follows;
Craft Rally, which will connect thousands of makers via physical and virtual rallies, providing a forum for discussion on a wide range of topics.
Hothouse, which will support up to 40 of the most talented new makers each year by providing mentoring and business support to help them through the challenging transition from training to establishing their own business.
Portfolio, which will enable makers to develop other streams of work that will enrich and supplement their craft business.
Injection, which will provide a tailored 18-month programme of business development mentoring for up to ten makers each year, each of whom will have been in business for three or more years.
The fifth programme, Artistic Licence, is an award scheme that will provide a maximum of five awards of up to £10,000 (plus a compulsory 25% investment by the recipient) each year to makers who submit innovative and dynamic proposals to change of further their craft practice.
Crafts Council Collective will be launched in phases from November 2009. Craft Rally and Hothouse will be launched in November 2009 with Portfolio, Injection and Artistic Licence scheduled for 2010. Craft Rally, Hothouse and Portfolio will be delivered in partnership with other agencies and organisations in order to reach and support a greater number of makers. Injection and Artistic Licence are both directly managed and supported by the Crafts Council.
NOTE: The craft industry contributes £3 billion to the UK economy annually, more than the visual arts, cultural heritage or literature sectors, and British craftsmanship and creativity is celebrated all over the world. As the national development agency for contemporary craft the Crafts Council, in partnership with other organisations, will ensure that British craft continues to flourish by supporting the makers at the heart of the craft industry.
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For more information please contact Jill Read in the Crafts Council Press Office on Tel: +44 (0)20 7806 2549, Email: media@craftscouncil.org.uk
Notes to Editors
• The current Crafts Council programme of support for makers – Next Move; Crafts Council Development Award and the Craft Residency in partnership with the V&A – continues alongside Crafts Council Collective until both schemes have been completed in 2011. Maker alumni from Crafts Council schemes include Jane Adam, Shin and Tomoko Azumi, Caroline Broadhead, Neil Brownsword, Tom Dixon, Linda Florence, Thomas Heatherwick, Dai Rees and Freddie Robbins.
• The Crafts Council has undertaken extensive research, including commissioning evaluations of its current schemes; consulted and advised on the Craft Blueprint with Creative & Cultural Skills; held a major workshop-based conference and convened a number of focus groups all of which have shaped the content of Crafts Council Collective. For full versions of the key documents please see Crafts Council: Next Move Evaluation, Pulling the Threads (Crafts Council Development Award evaluation) and The Craft Blueprint on the Crafts Council website.
• The Crafts Council aims to make the UK the best place to make, see, collect and learn about contemporary craft. For further information about the Crafts Council visit www.craftscouncil.org.uk
• The Crafts Council is supported by Arts Council England. Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people’s lives. As the national development agency for the arts, it supports a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, and carnival to crafts. Between 2008 and 2011, Arts Council England will invest £1.3 billion of public money from government and a further £0.3 billion from the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.
30 September 2009
