Julie Cope's Grand Tour opened at Banbury Museum showing two monumental tapestries by Grayson Perry that tell the tragic story of an Essex everywoman.

Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts which was established in1965 by President Johnson who said any “advanced civilization” must fully value the arts.

Angela Maddock, maker-in-residence at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, blogs on patching up Pooh bear and passing on repair skills.

Disobedient Bodies at Hepworth Wakefield, Threads:Taking Up Needles and Yarn at the Centre for Recent Drawing in London and Material: Earth at Messums Wiltshire all opened.

We talk to the latest potter to leave the Pottery Throw Down after a challenge created for maximum innuendo opportunity.

Our Directory Maker of the Week is Laura Johnston who is currently artist-in-residence at Durham University. We talk to her here

What was made

A sweet shop automata that serves customers their desserts at the Fat Duck.  

What was said

“Craftwork in prisons is a very good model for rehabilitation'” Katy Emck talks to Crafts magazine as Fine Cell Work celebrates its 20th anniversary.

What to look forward to

Unleashing your inner potter at one of over 70 free Hey Clay! pottery events from 7-9 April.

And finally

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall has just acquired 100 silicon hands decorated by leading tattoo artists. We suspect not one for the next series of Tattoo Fixers