Take Stock

The Crafts Council support scheme for retailers of contemporary craft is launched with the first retailers on the scheme announced…

Between 2010 and 2011 the Crafts Council is delighted that it will be working with three galleries;

- Craft in The Bay (The Makers Guild in Wales)

- The Gallery at Bevere

- Manchester Royal Exchange Craft Shop

The retailers taking part in the scheme have been matched with mentors and will be working to develop projects over the next eighteen months. The mentors, specialists of in-store design, marketing and brand development offer the mentees a chance to experiment with their thinking and access support to develop their ideas and take their business forward.

Please keep an eye on these pages for updates of their progress over the next eighteen months.

Take Stock is an initiative developed by the Crafts Council to offer UK based retailers the opportunity to receive one-to-one business assistance. Designed to nurture innovative ideas and to challenge current ways of working in craft retail, this scheme offers the chance for retailers of contemporary craft to deliver forward thinking projects.

Aims:

• Stimulate retailers of contemporary craft to experiment and challenge perceptions of how craft is presented for sale

• Encourage the progress of established retailers to expand into new areas of operation

• Raise awareness of the availability of high-quality independent craft retailers among the buying public in the high street

The scheme provides three to five retailers with the opportunity to access business-to-business support in the form of mentoring and guidance, while undertaking a time-based project of their own design over an 18-month period. The Crafts Council will present key themes on an annual basis for applicants to focus their applications:

We will be updating these pages with details of the 2010/2011 round of applications shortly.

If you wish to discuss a potential application or have any other enquiries relating to Take Stock, please contact Retail Development at
retail@craftscouncil.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7806 2554