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Crafts CouncilAbout

Research and policy

Our research and advocacy informs our creative programming and policy advice


  • Craft research
  • Craft policy

  • The Power of Experiences - Bringing Craft Experiences to your Business: A Guide (2021)

Latest research

We’ve commissioned a film, some case studies and a guide to craft experiences titled 'The Power of Experiences - Bringing Craft Experiences to your Business'. The resources are intended to:

  • inspire makers who’re thinking about starting on this journey
  • and to highlight the benefits for brands of animating spaces through craft.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen millions of people turn to making things with their hands as a source of comfort in turbulent times. Live experiences and connecting with others have become even more significant. As the public looks afresh at craft and what it can offer them, the role of makers and the experiences they can offer are more in demand than ever.

A craft experience is an opportunity for a participant or consumer to engage in a craft activity or session. Having a go at making can include:

  • experiencing a location, tourist venue, or event that includes craft
  • choosing a have-a-go taster session for fun
  • participating in a craft course or workshop
  • accessing a making session online
  • consuming craft in a setting that boosts a maker’s or other business’s brand

Our resources show how offering craft experiences can bring many benefits. We highlight the journeys of Abdollah Nafisi, Brookfield Properties, Deborette Clarke, Karen Thompson, Turning Earth and Yodomo.


Download the guidebook

The Power of Experiences

Other Crafts Council Research

We constantly gather information from across the craft sector and creative industries. This enables us to provide accessible and robust evidence that demonstrates powerfully the value of craft, from heritage to contemporary, from traditional to innovative.

We collect intelligence in order to chart and anticipate economic, social, cultural and political trends in craft.

We regularly commission and publish research in order to make recommendations to government and partners and to advocate for the value of contemporary craft more widely.

Alongside these larger pieces of research we regularly publish shorter research reports on topics relevant to the sector. All our research is disseminated widely in order to support dialogue and debate across the sector, underpinned by evidence-based research.

We also encourage and support other organisations to contribute to the field of craft research. We have active partnerships with a number of academic institutions and non-academic organisations, and we actively welcome potential partnerships in this area.

Craft economy

  • The Market for craft (2020)
  • Makers needs survey (2020)
  • Craft and social enterprise (2019)
  • Who Makes? (2018)
  • Supporting makers to export (2017-2019)
  • Measuring the craft economy (2014), Craft and enterprise (2012) and Consuming craft (2010).

Diversity

  • Making Changes in Craft - Craft Expertise Phase One Report (2021)
  • Craft Expertise (2021)
  • From visibility to mattering (2020)

Curation

  • Machine ghosts and scissorhands: reclassifying a craft collection (2019)

Education and training

  • Crafting professional practice through higher education (2018)
  • Studying Craft (2014-2016)
  • Our Future is in the Making. A Education Manifesto for Craft and Making

Innovation

  • Innovation through craft (2016)
  • Craft in Industry Case Studies
  • Craft Innovation Case Studies
  • Innovation Through Craft - Routes To Growth
  • Bio Salon paper (2015)
  • Crafting capital (2011)
  • From cell to system (2012)

All Crafts Council research

See all our commissioned research reports

Our research strategy

Read the Crafts Council strategy and prospectus

Policy work

We keep up to date with the cultural, economic, political and technological policies that affect the crafts sector and individual makers.

Any changes to policies that we perceive to have immediate or long-term implications for the craft sector we record, share via our monthly Policy Brief and make a formal response.


Crafts Council policy work

Read the latest Crafts Council policy brief

Crafts Council consultation

View all Crafts Council consultation responses

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Crafts Council
44a Pentonville Road
London N1 9BY

hello@craftscouncil.org.uk
+44 (0)20 7806 2500

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