Craftspace

Craftspace Craftspace is a charity creating opportunities to see, make and be curious about exceptional contemporary craft.

?Here’s a round-up of what’s on…To celebrate Refugee Week and this year’s festival theme, Shelanu members will be runni...
12/06/2026

?
Here’s a round-up of what’s on…

To celebrate Refugee Week and this year’s festival theme, Shelanu members will be running drop-in workshops to make Courage Medals. Everyone will be invited to make a medal celebrating often-unacknowledged acts of everyday courage. You can make a medal for someone who has made a difference in your life; a family member, teacher, someone in the community or someone you respect in the world.

“Courage, celebrates the strength it takes to face uncertainty, rebuild, connect and keep moving forward. At a time when some seek to divide and blame, Refugee Week invites us to come together through culture, community and shared humanity.” - Counterpoints Arts

Come along to one of the following events to make a medal, see Shelanu’s work and enjoy the Refugee Week celebrations.

University of Birmingham – Refugee Week Celebration

The Exchange, 3 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2DR
Wednesday 17 June, 5.30pm-7.30pm

Shelanu will be at The Exchange for a special evening hosted by the University with Birmingham-based organisations supporting refugees. Through stories, music, and art, we’ll celebrate the contributions of refugees.

Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham – Refugee Week Festival
Midlands Arts Centre - MAC, B12 9QH
Saturday 20 June, 12.30-5.00pm

Join us for an afternoon of music, presentations, stalls and activities - Live music from around the world in the heart of Birmingham! Activities for all the family!

ELSEWHERE:

Cockpit Studios Cockpit Bloomsbury also turn 40 this year!

Since 1986, they have provided affordable studio space for makers and helped thousands of creatives to build sustainable careers.⁠ Their open studios event is fantastic for seeing behind the scenes and for anyone who wants to buy some excellent contemporary craft.

Cockpit Studios 40th Anniversary Summer Open Studios:
4-7 June in Bloomsbury and on 12-14 June in Deptford.

Including friends of Craftspace:
Woo Jin Joo
Darren Appiagyei
Joanne Lamb

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years Praxinoscope (2016) - Melanie Tomlinson & Maker-Centric participants AHRC ...
11/06/2026

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years


Praxinoscope (2016) - Melanie Tomlinson & Maker-Centric participants
AHRC research project, Utopia

The Praxinoscope was made by participants of the Maker-Centric project, aged over 50, working with Birmingham artist Melanie Tomlinson. Using Soho House Museum as a base the group explored Mathew Boulton’s legacy as a stimulus for reflecting on the famous historical text ‘Utopia’. The praxinoscope (an early form of animation device) illustrates dystopic realities on one side and their vision of a future society in urban Handsworth on the other.

This object represents around 10 years of research partnerships with Higher Education. Particularly working with Dr Fiona Hackney on the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Connecting Communities programme . We developed expertise in using arts as a tool for research. We investigated the value of craft in community life and co-creation as a methodology for involving communities in research.

Nominated by:
Deirdre F, our Director.

To celebrate Craftspace’s 40th Anniversary, we commissioned the artist Stewart Francis Easton to create an artwork which would explore the story of Craftspace through 40 objects. Stewart created a series of four beautiful graphic quilts. You can see them on our website via the link in our bio.

Could you volunteer with us, supporting migrant and refugee women to develop new skills and build confidence? You'll be ...
09/06/2026

Could you volunteer with us, supporting migrant and refugee women to develop new skills and build confidence?

You'll be working with Shelanu, a group who produce high quality craft for sale which is inspired by place and diverse cultures. They also run craft workshops and events.

The post is for one day a week, working with our friendly team and the Shelanu members in our Jewellery Quarter offices, in Birmingham.

You will:
• Support women to learn new skills as they make stock for their jewellery collections.
• Learn different craft techniques to support them in making jewellery and running offsite workshops.
• Learn about event planning and preparation - supporting community workshops and craft fairs.

We're looking for someone who is confident and organised. Basic jewellery making experience would be great. We'll cover expenses.

Application info on our website, or at the link in our bio. Deadline 29 June.

?Here’s a round-up of what’s on…We are so excited to be hosting a now *sold-out* Off-Loom Weaving workshop as part of B...
05/06/2026

?
Here’s a round-up of what’s on…

We are so excited to be hosting a now *sold-out* Off-Loom Weaving workshop as part of Birmingham Design Festival ! It will be in their Analogue Hub at Howells on Thursday 11 June at 2.00pm until 4.00pm. You can join the waitlist at bdf.events

At 11am on Thursday 11th June, jeweller and educator Dauvit Alexander considers how craft and making can be powerful tools in engaging people with socially-challenging issues. He will discuss his long-term project “Swords into Ploughshares: Knives into Jewels” which focussed on getting young people to think about knife crime in constructive ways, using the workshop and exhibition space as a catalyst for conversations.

At 4pm on Friday 12th June, wood artist Jan Waterson will be talking about the evolution of his practice, reflecting on how his relationship with craft has developed and how this is expressed in his most recent collections.

Head to their website to explore the talks and workshops going on over the festival, and to book your place. Most of the talks are free!

ALSO:

We're featured in the next issue of the Midlands Arts Papers!

Midlands Arts Papers is an open-access online journal and collaborative curatorial programme between the University of Birmingham and cultural partners across the Midlands. The latest issue will focus on craft, the decorative arts and related areas such as industrial art, which are central to museum collections, art education and art practices in the Midlands.

We're attending the launch on 12th June at the Birmingham and Midlands Institute, where the agenda will include a conversation about starting a craft and decorative arts network.

We'll be displaying our 40 Objects for 40 Years quilts by Stewart Easton , see you there if you're going.

ELSEWHERE:

Serendipity Arts Festival is happening in London this weekend. Head over to their website to explore their programme and get involved!

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years Claire’s Coming Out Dress (2000) - Grayson Perry A Sense of Occasion Touring E...
03/06/2026

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years


Claire’s Coming Out Dress (2000) - Grayson Perry
A Sense of Occasion Touring Exhibition

Grayson Perry made and wore this dress for his alter-ego Claire’s coming out ceremony and party. It was co-commissioned through the Contemporary Art Society collecting scheme by Craftspace and Nottingham Castle: Museums & Galleries for our touring exhibition ‘A Sense of Occasion.’

The exhibition highlighted occasions that were marginalised or hidden. You couldn’t buy a coming out card for someone in those days. Through the dress, Grayson explored themes of identity and gender.

Craftspace has always ‘filled the gaps’ and created space for underrepresented cultures and people.

This was our current Director’s first curatorial contribution to Craftspace's artistic programme & reflected her lived experience as well as leadership as a Q***r South Asian person.

Nominated by: Deirdre F, Director

To celebrate Craftspace’s 40th Anniversary, we commissioned the artist Stewart Francis Easton to create an artwork which would explore the story of Craftspace through 40 objects. Stewart created a series of four beautiful graphic quilts. You can see them on our website via the link in our bio.

?Here’s a round-up of what’s on…There are a few tickets remaining for our weaving workshop at Birmingham Design Festiva...
29/05/2026

?
Here’s a round-up of what’s on…

There are a few tickets remaining for our weaving workshop at Birmingham Design Festival .

It will be in their Analogue Hub at Howells, on Thursday 11 June from 2.00pm until 4.00pm. Tickets start at £10, and are available via their website bdf.events

ELSEWHERE

Like us, Cockpit Studios also turn 40 this year!

Since 1986, they have provided affordable studio space for makers and helped thousands of creatives to build sustainable careers.⁠ Their open studios event is fantastic for seeing behind the scenes and for anyone who wants to buy some excellent contemporary craft.

Cockpit Studios 40th Anniversary Summer Open Studios:
4-7 June in Bloomsbury and on 12-14 June in Deptford.

Including friends of Craftspace:




Image by Hayley Salter.

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years The Custard Factory, Birmingham The Custard Factory was Craftspace’s home for ...
27/05/2026

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years


The Custard Factory, Birmingham

The Custard Factory was Craftspace’s home for 20 years. The Victorian factory in Digbeth, which was once the home of Birds Custard, was converted into offices ad artist’s studios.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s it hosted a thriving community of artists and creative organisations. We worked amongst inspiring people and organisations such as card designers Cinnamon Aitch, jeweller Sara Preisler, Simona Meddings of Lionart (who now runs General Office Gallery/Studios in Stourbridge), Creative Alliance, Capsule Supersonic Festival and Maverick TV. Sharing resources, ideas and spaces.

Nominated by: Lisa Falaschi, our Marketing Manager, who has worked at Craftspace since 1999.

To celebrate Craftspace’s 40th Anniversary, we commissioned the artist Stewart Francis Easton to create an artwork which would explore the story of Craftspace through 40 objects. Stewart created a series of four beautiful graphic quilts. You can see them on our website via the link in our bio.

1. Drawing of the Custard Factory by Stewart Francis Easton.

?Here’s a round-up of what’s on…We are so excited to be hosting an Off-Loom Weaving workshop as part of Birmingham Desi...
22/05/2026

?
Here’s a round-up of what’s on…

We are so excited to be hosting an Off-Loom Weaving workshop as part of Birmingham Design Festival

It will be in their Analogue Hub at Howells (B5 6ET) on Thursday 11 June at 2.00pm until 4.00pm. Tickets start at £10, and are available via their website bdf.events

Head to their website to explore the talks and workshops going on over the festival, and to book your place. Most of the talks are free!

ELSEWHERE:

Some of our staff have been listening to the Material Matters podcast with Grant Gibson and Leah Jensen about sewing as emotional repair. It's amazing how making can support the mind though difficult times.

.matters_grant.gibson .jensen

Images:
1. Off-Loom Weaving workshop.
2. Detail of 'MRI Scan', a page from Brain Tumour Book by Leah Jensen.

Our Director is a Trustee of The Crafts Study Centre and has worked with Director Stephen Knott to consider and open dia...
20/05/2026

Our Director is a Trustee of The Crafts Study Centre and has worked with Director Stephen Knott to consider and open dialogues about representation and diversity in collecting and programming. It's the last chance to see Black Atlantic Makers on until 23rd May co-curated by Stephen and Paula Ogun Hector. The centrepiece is the Tapestry of Black Britons including a new panel on African Romans. Around that is a thoughtfully curated selection of exquisite, skilled and joyful artworks which reveal shared histories and diasporic connections. Lookout for other fascinating sections 'The Raw Origins of a Diaspora' a decolonial perspective on materials and powerful images from The Black Artisans.


Images:
1. Tapestry of Black Britons
2. Doreen Gittens
3. Donald Baugh
4. The Black Artisans
5. Marcia Bennett-Male

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years ‘We can’t stop the waves’ tile (2013) by Craft in Mind project participantYout...
19/05/2026

We’re celebrating 40 Objects for 40 years


‘We can’t stop the waves’ tile (2013) by Craft in Mind project participant
Youth Craftivism Project with artist Carrie Reichardt

This tile was made as part of the Craft in Mind project (2013). A youth craftivism project, with artist Carrie Reichardt, they used making as a tool for activism while exploring mental health.

‘I chose this tile when the project finished because I really liked the image and the phrase with it. Things can get very busy at Craftspace and sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming. However, it’s a lovely team to work in and there is always support. The phrase also reminds me that, no matter how much you plan, things can change and you learn how to roll with it.

I keep it on my desk. It also reminds me about the impact our projects can have. Plus, it’s well made and a great image!’

Nominated by:
Emma D, Craftspace’s Exhibitions and Projects Development Manager.

To celebrate Craftspace’s 40th Anniversary, we commissioned the artist Stewart Francis Easton to create an artwork which would explore the story of Craftspace through 40 objects. Stewart created a series of four beautiful graphic quilts. You can see them on our website via the link in our bio.

This week is Creativity and Wellbeing week! - search online for events in your area.

Images:
1. Tile drawing by Stewart Francis Easton.
2. We can’t stop the waves tile.
3. More tiles from the project.

Address

Unit 204, 60 Frederick Street
Birmingham
B1

Telephone

+441216086668

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Craftspace posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category