Updates from Rosy Greenlees
Happy New Year!
As we start this new year, I am delighted to take this opportunity to thank some very important people for their support last year: our Patrons for their financial support of contemporary craft through their support of the Crafts Council, and our Craft Champions – and all the signatories to Craft Matters – for their advocacy on behalf of craft
But also Happy New Year? On a different note, this year will see great changes for us all and craft will be no exception. The fundamental overhaul of Higher Education funding already announced, the Department for Education White Paper, The Importance of Teaching currently under consultation, and reduced public funding will all affect craft professionals and the work that they do.
More about all of this below, but first an update on Crafts Council programmes and projects including an important new initiative:
CRAFTS COUNCIL NEWS
MAPPING AND IMPACT STUDY
We have commissioned a major new study of the size and impact of the contemporary craft sector which will be the largest single piece of research we have conducted since 2004’s Making it in the 21st century. BOP Consulting will conduct the survey which will give us up to date evidence to make a robust case for craft in the coming years. Accurate information about the sector may never have been more important.
One of the purposes of the study is to extend our knowledge of the people and organisations involved in the sector so if you are a contemporary craft maker, curator, critic, educator, retailer or exhibitor and would be interested in being added to the database for consultation, please send your details or enquiry to admin@bop.co.uk. Whether you are currently involved in our programmes or not, I urge you to get in touch and to forward this information to other craft colleagues.
COLLECT 2011, 6 – 9 MAY, SAATCHI GALLERY
The exhibiting Galleries have now been selected for COLLECT 2011. This will be the third year that we have presented this internationally-acclaimed Fair at the Saatchi Gallery, showing world-class work from 37 galleries and 12 countries. This year, we are delighted to be welcoming five new galleries from the UK, Italy, Japan and Sweden. Also new will be showcase installations by individual artists and creative collaborations in a new Project Space to complement the fair. It would be invidious of me to single anything out – I am looking forward to it all.
And I am delighted that the Art Fund is continuing its partnership with us on Art Fund Collect, again making £75,000 available to give UK curators the chance to buy an outstanding piece of contemporary international craft for their museum or gallery. Over four years, the Art Fund will have allocated ££275,000 to craft acquisitions for public collections through this scheme enabling museum and gallery visitors across the country to see the finest contemporary work.
Current information on COLLECT is available here
ORIGIN 2011, DATES, OLD SPITALFIELDS MARKET
We are again placing Origin at the heart of our activities for the London Design Festival, presenting contemporary craft to the interior designers, retailers, architects, trade buyers and international media who gravitate to the Festival alongside craft-lovers seeking their perfect object at Origin itself.
As last year, we are working with Tent Exhibitions on delivering Origin at Spitalfields. If you attended or were involved last year, you will find some changes, taking on board feedback from exhibitors and visitors. However, the evolving character of Origin and the opportunities that it offers to exhibitors will continue.
We have been contacted recently by a number of makers who are concerned that they will be unable to meet the application deadline for Origin. We are very pleased that the 2011 schedule means that we are able to extend the deadline for applications to 29 March. Find out more here
EXHIBITIONS:
Following its launch at last year’s London Design Festival, Lab Craft, in which 26 of the most experimental names in craft and design combine their craft skills with digital technology to extraordinary effect, started its regional tour at the Turnpike Gallery in Leigh, Greater Manchester in October and is now at Plymouth College of Art before moving to New Brewery Arts in Cirencester from 11 March.
Our second new exhibition Breath Taking, featuring blown glass work by 22 UK makers includes 17 new commissions and five exemplary pieces from the Crafts Council Collection. Breath Taking opens at Bilston Craft Gallery on 22 January.
I am very much looking forward to seeing Lab Craft in Plymouth and Cirencester and launching Breath Taking in Bilston over the next few weeks.
SPARK PLUG AND RALLY
The end of last year saw two important events in our professional development programmes for curators (Spark Plug) and makers (Rally).
The Spark Plug Day at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery saw presentations from the third cohort of the scheme on subjects ranging from upcycling in Cumbria to textiles as architecture and the relationships between fabric, sound and the moving image.
The third Craft Rally focussed on The Industry of Making, took place at Manchester Metropolitan University in partnership with MMU, Design Initiative and Manchester City Council. Over fifty makers explored ideas on successful collaboration with industry, manufacturing and production, with the conversation continuing on the dedicated Rally website for makers.
FIRING UP!
It was great to see Firing Up moving into the next phase with launch events for the south-west and London programmes at Plymouth College of Art and the V&A.
Over the next few months 24 schools will be working with hub HEIs (PCA, Central St Martins and Liverpool Hope), with training opportunities for teachers followed by creative projects in schools. Our thanks to the Esmée Fairbairn and Paul Hamlyn Foundations for their support of Firing Upwithout which this project would not be possible.
POLICY AND FUNDING
I try to keep policy matters to a minimum in these updates, as I know many of you want news about living, breathing craft, not legislation and budgets. However, I am sure many of you will be aware of the recent developments in higher education funding and government policy on the curriculum.
We are taking all opportunities to highlight the potential effects on craft teaching and research – both vulnerable – of the cuts to HE budgets and, drawing attention to the minimal content regarding arts education in the Schools’ White Paper.
Read more here, see the new issue of Crafts Magazine and sign up for our monthly policy briefing for further news: Contact Marion Cable, m_cable@craftscouncil.org.uk to receive the briefing.
LOCAL AND REGIONAL FUNDING CUTS
News of local and regional funding cuts began to filter through just before Christmas in time for us to report on it in our December policy brief.
At the time of writing, Hidden Art, which has done so much to support makers over the past 16 years is at risk as all London Development Agency funding ceases, artsdepot is facing withdrawal of funding by its local council and other organisations that work with craft are potentially facing cuts.
We want to ensure that we have up-to-date information so that we can provide appropriate support. If you – or an organisation that supports you – has been notified that your local or regional funding is at risk, please contact me via Camilla Buchanan as above.
But now back to the more cheerful subject of my introduction:
TO ALL OUR PATRONS AND CHAMPIONS – MUCH THANKS
On behalf of the trustees and staff, our Chair Joanna Foster and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Crafts Council’s patrons and our Craft Champions for their support in 2010:
Lady Gloria Dale
The Hon Simon Eccles
Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner
Nicholas and Judith Goodison
Diane and Marc Grainer
Gerard and Sarah Griffin
Tuan Lee
Alan J. Poole
Victoria, Lady de Rothschild
Brian and Hana Smouha
Dr W Simon Tortike and Sue Daniels
And those who wish to remain anonymous
Our public funding, and the money we earn ourselves, ensures that all funds donated by our patrons go directly to support our work with makers, audiences and craft-lovers. Last year, over two million people attended Crafts Council exhibitions like Lab Craft and Breath Taking, our fairs Collect and Origin, took part in schools’ projects like Firing Up and Craft Club and events like Rally and Spark Plug for makers, curators and other professionals
The support of our patrons is vital to ensure that we are able to continue this work. In 2010, their generous contributions supplemented our grant from Arts Council England and grants from the Esmée Fairbairn and Paul Hamlyn Foundations and The Steel Charitable Trust alongside the Art Fund’s support through Art Fund Collect.
Meanwhile, our Craft Champions help us by sharing their enthusiasm for craft alongside the 6,000 signatories to Craft Matters and at our events. We are grateful for their support and look forward to working with them more closely in 2011.
We are delighted to welcome Sandi Toksvig as our latest Craft Champion, joining Linda Barker, Priscilla Carluccio, Sir Terence Conran, Siobhan Davies CBE, The Duke of Devonshire, Norman Foster, Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, Tricia Guild OBE, Sir Mark Jones, Jude Kelly OBE, Cath Kidston, Corin Mellor, Michelle Ogundehin, Grayson Perry, Jon Snow, Sheila Teague, Sir John Tusa and Jeanette Winterson OBE.
As Sandi says “The Danes use the word ‘enkelt’ to talk about beauty through simplicity. I think craft puts us back in touch with beauty through some of the simplest and ancient methods. It is good for the soul.”
Our grateful thanks to you all.
For more information about becoming a Crafts Council Patron, contact: Camilla Buchanan, Tel: 020 7806 2559 Email: c_buchanan@craftscouncil.org.uk
OUT AND ABOUT
Snow was a major feature of the last month but colleagues and I attended a number of events including a reception for Emmanuel Cooper’s retirement as Editor of Ceramic Review, the annual Peter Dormer lecture at the RCA which examined the extraordinary impact of the Aids Quilt, the Cultural Trends conference where we presented a paper drawing on our 2010 Making Value research in the context of changes in cultural policy since 1997; the launch of the Greater London Authority’s new cultural strategy, Cultural Metropolis; the Arts & Business Awards, and the Contemporary Arts Society 2010 Review .
Looking ahead, we have two events with CraftNet in the diary, with the National Glass Centre on 27 January focussing on sustainability and with speakers including Anne Tye, Catherine Bertola, Matt Durran and Cathy Newbery and with the Crafts Study Centre on 30 March exploring the role of craft in tourism and civic identity. We are currently planning an event with Smiths Row for June 2011.
Last, but by no means least, it’s our 40th year. The Crafts Council was founded as the Crafts Advisory Committee in 1971, holding its first meeting in October. We will be celebrating in the autumn with, amongst other events, two major exhibitions: The Power of Making, curated by Daniel Charny and our second triennial exhibition in partnership with the V&A, and Lost in Lace curated by Lesley Millar our first 50:50 exhibition in partnership with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. More news of these and other events soon…
Congratulations
Congratulations to Vanessa Swann, Chief Executive of Cockpit Arts who received The Garrett Award at the Arts& Business Awards– becoming the first recipient of an Arts & Business Award from the craft sector.
Congratulations and good luck to the Craft Potters Association in their new premises opposite the British Museum. I wish them a long and successful future there.
Congratulations also to Janice Blackburn – a great supporter of craft and design with her brilliant shows at Sotheby’s – for her OBE in the New Year Honours List and to Dorothy Wilson, Chief Executive of mac (Midlands Arts Centre), where we enjoyed a CraftNet meeting in May for her MBE.
