Past events
June 2025
Charlotte Kidger: Transforming Industrial Waste Materials - Craft-led workshop, Birkenstocks x Crafts Council - Gold and Silver tier members
12 June, 6-8.30pm, Birkenstock, Dray Walk, London, E1 6QL
Members enjoyed a free space to this special event in collaboration with Birkenstock, where there had the chance to customise their own pair of shoes. This hands-on session was a unique opportunity to get creative, learn from an expert, and make their footwear truly one-of-a-kind.
Charlotte is a “Maker” whose practice is led with a hands-on approach to investigating how industrial waste materials can be reprocessed and transformed into sculptural and functional objects. She is an experimental material-lead designer whose work is driven by the urge and curiosity to transform often unwanted and valueless materials into desirable and functional objects. Charlotte is also co-founder of creative studio, Studio TIP which shines focus on material re-use and local system based thinking through hands-on and accessible practices including circular workshops and public installations.
May 2025
Craft in the Collection: Matt Smith in conversation with The Bowes Museum
28 May 7-8pm, online event
Members joined us online for a conversation with the multi-disciplinary artist Matt Smith and the Bowes Museum. In the context of the exhibition, From Joséphine Bowes: Trendsetters and Trailblazers at the Bowes Museum, which features a loan from Crafts Council Collection, Study in Pink & Gray by Smith, the artist and the Bowes team will discussed the artistic vision of Joséphine Bowes alongside the significance of craft within the Bowes Museum Collection.
Gold and silver Crafts members and Bowes Museum members enjoyed a complimentary ticket.
This talk was recorded and will be available for members to view soon.
Anna Perach, drinks reception and exhibition tour - Gold and Silver tier members
16 May, 6pm-7.30pm, Richard Saltoun Gallery, London
Anna Perach’s debut at Richard Saltoun Gallery transforms the space into an immersive environment, showcasing new performative tufted sculptures, watercolours, and a site-specific installation that reimagines fairy tales through a contemporary feminist lens. Drawing on mythology, folklore, and social history, Perach weaves cultural memory, personal narrative, and myth into powerful explorations of identity and heritage.
Gold and Silver tier members enjoyed a tour of the exhibition by the artist with a drinks reception.
Ceramic Art London Private view - Gold tier members
8 May, 6pm - 8.30pm, Olympia West, London, W14 8U
Organised by the Craft Potters Association of Great Britain, Ceramic Art London has evolved into an unparalleled platform for ceramic art, welcoming around 6,000 visitors from over 30 countries each year.
This remarkable event thrives on the exceptional talent of its 120+ exhibitors, from all over the UK and abroad. Unlike traditional gallery showcases, Ceramic Art London places the spotlight directly on the makers, creating a vibrant celebration of global craftsmanship and creativity. From functional works that elevate the everyday, to striking decorative pieces and abstract creations that challenge the imagination, Ceramic Art London offers something for everyone.
Gold tier members enjoyed a complimentary invite to the private view.
April 2025
Studiomama: craft-led workshop, Birkenstocks x Crafts Council - Gold and Silver tier members
29 April, 6pm-8.30pm, Birkenstock, Dray Walk, London, E1 6QL
Studiomama is an East London-based multidisciplinary design studio founded by the creative couple Nina Tolstrup and Jack Mama in 2000. Studiomama combines a sustainable ethos and an exploratory, playful approach, with a portfolio encompassing architecture, interior design, jewellery, exhibition design, curation, products and furniture.
Members enjoyed a free space to this special event in collaboration with Birkenstock, where there had the chance to customise their own pair of shoes. This hands-on session was a unique opportunity to get creative, learn from an expert, and make their footwear truly one-of-a-kind.
Book Club with Norwegian Crafts, discussing The Vessel: Craft in public spaces
29 April, 7pm-8pm, Online via Zoom
This online conversation with editors Ida Højgaard Thjøme and Marianne Zamecznik discussed The Vessel’s eighth issue, Craft in Public Space.
This edition explores how craft enters public spaces, serving as a platform for care, activism, and community through materiality. Despite its longstanding yet often overlooked role in public art, the documentation of craft in these spaces remains incomplete - a theme explored in this issue.
This talk was recorded and will be available for members to view soon.
March 2025
Jacqueline Poncelet, brunch and exhibition tour - Gold and Silver tier members
15 March, 11am - 12.30pm, Richard Saltoun Gallery, London
Following her acclaimed retrospective In the Making at MIMA last year, this exhibition marked Poncelet’s first solo show in London in over twenty years, presenting over five decades of her pioneering practice. A significant figure in the New British Sculpture movement, Poncelet transforms the decorative into a feminist critique, redefining minimalism through bold explorations of identity, materiality, and cultural value.
Gold and Silver tier members joined us for a relaxed, standing brunch and the inspiring morning was the opportunity to mingle and chat with the artist and gallery Directors, followed by a tour around the exhibition led by the artist.
In person: 15 march
Great Pottery Throw Down panel discussion with Keith Brymer Jones, Freya Bramble-Carter and Stuart Carey
4 March, 6pm - 9pm, Crafts Council Gallery
Since it first aired, The Great Pottery Throw Down has captured the nation’s imagination, inspiring a new wave of ceramic enthusiasts and breaking down barriers to the craft. But what is it about the show, and ceramics, that has resonated so deeply? This panel discussion explored the show’s influence on the nations relationship with clay —its role in making pottery more accessible, attracting a diverse range of people to the wheel, and shifting perceptions of ceramics as both a passion and a career. This panel unpacked how the series has shaped the UK’s relationship with clay, from rekindling forgotten skills to opening doors in the industry.
Speakers were British potter and expert judge Keith Brymer-Jones, ceramic artist and former semi-finalist contestant Freya Bramble-Carter and Technical Director of The Kiln Rooms Stuart Carey. The panel was chaired by journalist, broadcaster and author of Clay: A Human History Jennifer Lucy Allan. The evening also included an opportunity for guests to visit our Collections store and Handling Collection.
This talk was recorded and is available for Crafts members to watch here
February 2025
Collect
The leading international art fair for contemporary craft and design at Somerset House, London. Gold and Silver members enjoyed an exclusive 2 for 1 ticket offer. 28 February – 2 March