http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/, https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/diversity-inclusion/community-guidelines

Crafts Council UK, Crafts Council, 44a Pentonville Road, London (2026)

29/10/2025

A new exhibition on the Victorian embroidery artist Mary Linwood runs until 22 February 2026 at Leicester Museums & Galleries, aiming to illuminate her life and work and restore her place in art history. The exhibition is curated by Ruth Singer (), a contemporary textiles artist who says of Linwood: “What fascinates me is how little known she is, even in Leicester.” The exhibition also features new works by Singer, reflecting on Linwood’s legacy.

With patrons including Queen Charlotte and Catherine the Great, Polly Dunbar asks why Linwood has not found a place in the history books.

This article is paywalled as part of our new membership model. If you're a member, head over to https://bit.ly/43sCt1b to read the article. If you're not yet a member, visit the same page to discover how you can gain access to extensive editorial, networking events and further craft content from just £7.50 a month.

📸: 1.) Pomeranian Dog by Mary Linwood. Photo courtesy of Leicester Museums.
2.) David with His Sling by Mary Linwood. Photo courtesy of Leicester Museums.
3.) Girl weeping over a starved goldfinch by Mary Linwood. Photo courtesy of Leicester Museums.

24/10/2025

'Five Artists Reflect On Their Waning Powers' is an automata by Paul Spooner made in 1983. The piece features five wooden male figures at a narrow bench, stirring coffee, smoking a cigarette, examining their nails, scratching their head and erasing their work. The automata is a lovely piece which we're thrilled to hold in the Crafts Council Collection.

This piece was recently used by The Courtauld to promote their Frank Davis Memorial Lectures 2025-26, as they explore and reflect on our changing relationships with digital technology.

🎬 Visit https://collections.craftscouncil.org.uk/object-w49 to watch a video of the automata in action!

📸: Todd-White Art Photography

23/10/2025

When a much-loved celebrity duo visits your workshop, you've got to honour them with their own bottle!

Glassblower Sam Sweet had the pleasure of hosting Jedward (PlanetJedward) in her studio for a workshop, and made this bottle to mark the occasion, featuring their iconic hair and a stopper in Irish green.

We spoke to Sam about the process and her love of glassblowing...

❓Sam, can you please tell us a bit more about what inspired this piece of work?
"Having just recreated my favourite Armani fragrance bottle as a tribute to Giorgio Armani, the concept was fresh in my mind when Jedward visited. Their incredible energy was so inspiring that I wanted to create something permanent to remember their positivity. I asked myself: if Jedward were to launch their own perfume, what would the bottle look like? It felt like the perfect tribute and perhaps the start of a series celebrating inspirational celebrities."

❓What do you enjoy about providing workshops?
"I love the entire glassblowing process – there's something magical about working with molten glass. What makes it even more rewarding is introducing people to the material for the first time. Watching students' faces light up as they experience the heat and flow, and seeing their designs come to life never gets old. That moment of transformation is incredible every single time.

❓What is it that you love about the process of glassblowing?
"I’m always excited about the potential that every gather of molten glass possesses. The fun for me is having a concept, trying it, and seeing what happens. From there, it's back to the sketchbook to work on the idea further, until the concept and result make something I’m satisfied with. When you reach that point where a piece is 'right', it feels like hitting the jackpot!"

Visit https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/directory/samantha-sweet-glass?utm_campaign=membership_promotion&utm_medium=social&utm_source=cc_facebook to see more of beautiful work by Samantha Sweet Glass.

16/10/2025

'A Place to Keep Our Ghosts', a site-specific installation by Jo Davies, now sits in the Unknown Tomb at Wells Cathedral in Somerset. Running until 1 November, the work is part of Wells Art Contemporary, an annual event set inside Wells Cathedral and its grounds.

We asked Jo Davies Ceramics to tell us some more about the installation.

❓Jo, please tell us a bit more about what inspired 'A Place to Keep Our Ghosts'.
"My site-specific installation ‘A Place to Keep Our Ghosts’ of seven urns for Wells Art Contemporary was made for the site of the Unknown Tomb inside Wells Cathedral. The Unknown Tomb stands empty: prepared, but never used.

The empty tomb has a sanctity that immediately struck me as beautiful and meaningful. It has the capacity to bring out our own grief by inviting us to impose our experiences of loss onto it. With this as a starting point, I created a group of lidded urns - each with differing 'characters' and a sense of humanity - as a familial group that are individual focal points for loss.

By keeping ashes, we allow ourselves to carry our much-loved ghosts with us wherever we are. These containers become hugely important in our grief-process, allowing us to keep them by our sides for as long as we need them.

I hope that the installation 'A Place to Keep Our Ghosts' will be a quiet, calm place to consider the losses in our lives and highlight the importance of the way we decide to keep, carry or place our ghosts through ritual objects or through burial in order to process bereavement."

❓What do you love about working with clay?
"That's a big question. I find clay to be an infinitely fascinating material. I love the meticulous work involved, the co-ordination required and the mental engagement it provides me. I am at ease with the work on the whole despite clay's precarious reputation but, principally, what keeps me coming back to it are the endless creative possibilities it offers."

Visit https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/directory/jo-davies-ceramics?utm_campaign=directory_membership&utm_medium=social&utm_source=cc_facebook to discover more of Jo Davies' work.

15/10/2025

🏆 Announcing a new initiative by Crafts Council: CC Loves, an award presented by our team to a number of makers at selected craft fairs to celebrate work which truly resonates with us.

By awarding , we aim to recognise that which makes craft unforgettable: excellence, innovation and personal connection. We’re also looking for environmental awareness and a clear and considered concept, that has been fully explored and realised.

Winners will receive an award placard, complimentary CC Membership and a shout-out on our social media channels.

We start this weekend at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester, where our Executive Director Natalie Melton will be in attendance.

Keep an eye on our socials for winner announcements!

14/10/2025

Running until 6 December at Ford Foundation Gallery in New York, 'Body Vessel Clay: Black Women, Ceramics & Contemporary Art' features 'Two-Legged Vessel' by Bisila Noha, on loan from the Crafts Council Collection. See the work for yourself on the furthest right in the first image.

The exhibition explores how Black women artists have transformed the field of ceramics over the past seventy years, and we're thrilled to contribute such an important object to such an important exhibition.

📅 Until 6 December 2025
⏰ Monday - Friday, 11AM - 6PM.
📍Ford Foundation Gallery, 320 E 43rd St, New York
🎟️ Pre-register on the Ford Foundation website by 5PM a day prior to your visit.

Visit https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/about/collections/?utm_campaign=collections_loan&utm_medium=social&utm_source=cc_facebook to browse the wider Crafts Council Collection.

📸: Photos courtesy of Ford Foundation Gallery. Photographer: Sebastian Bach
1.) From left-to-right (all Bisila Noha): Reunion I, 2021, Terracotta / Reunion XII, 2022, Terracotta / Two-Legged Vessel, 2020, Black stoneware / *Two-Legged Vessel, 2020, Baney clay (*Crafts Council loan).
2.) Chinasa Vivian Ezugha, Uro (Performance documentation for SPILL 2018).

09/10/2025

Look at this stunning work: a collaboration between Sofía Barbé and Bonner Leather. We spoke to the pair about the process that brought this beautiful felted leather bag into being.

❓How did this collaboration come about?
Jeremy: "We met at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2025 in Manchester. I immediately loved the themes and materials of Sofía's work and suggested collaborating. Over the last couple of years my work has become more decorative, exploring wet worked and moulded leather. Wool felting seemed a perfect fit. This first piece is a prototype, and we have decided on improvements for future collaborations, two of which are currently in development. It is insightful and enjoyable to work with other makers/disciplines; it allows me to forge new friendships, stretch my skills and develop new ones."

❓Can you tell us a bit about your own discipline and way of working?
Sofía: "I am a textile artist and maker. Play lies at the heart of my practice, through needle-felting and mixed-media techniques. I create imaginative wall hangings and sculptures that encourage viewers to reconnect with their inner child."

❓What did you learn from the process of bringing both your skills together and collaborating together?
Sofía: "It was fascinating to see my work transformed into an object, and to realise how versatile my visual language and techniques could be. I approached the project as an experiment, not knowing quite how it would turn out, and that sense of openness made it enjoyable and exciting. I found Jeremy’s approach to construction very interesting. He did a brilliant job of bringing everything together without compromising my work."

❓What have you personally taken away from this collaboration?
Sofía: "The best part was meeting Jeremy. The collaboration received such a wonderful response, which showed me that my audience values seeing my work in other mediums. This has opened up the possibility of creating a broader universe for my practice – one that may, in time, extend into the wider world of art, contemporary craft, and design collaborations."

01/10/2025

🎉 We're thrilled to announce the first cohort of Crafts Council Champions! These nine highly-respected makers are at the forefront of a wide variety of disciplines, and we’re delighted to have them on board.

Each will be supporting Crafts Council in shaping upcoming events, editorial and outreach programmes, enabling us to keep improving our membership offering. They'll also play the role of vital connectors between Crafts Council and the wider craft community.

🥁 So without further ado, please welcome our Champions:
Ash & Plumb (wood artistry)
Chris Day (glassblowing)
Ekta Kaul (embroidery)
Jahnavi Inniss (textiles/graphic design)
Leah Jensen (ceramics)
Lewis Dalton Gilbert (independent curator)
Margo Selby (textiles)
Olga Prinku (botanical embroidery)

📸 Photo credits:
1 & 2.) Courtesy of the maker.
3.) Rory Lindsay at Craft After dark
4.) Yeshen Venema
5.) Courtesy of the maker.
6.) Rory Lindsay at Craft After Dark
7.) Sabrina Chu
8.) Rory Lindsay at Craft After Dark
9.) India Hobson for Quadrille 2021

29/09/2025

Host your next creative event at Crafts Council Gallery in the heart of Central London. See what the space looks like in full flow – now imagine it used for your reception, dinner, product launch, brand activation, awards ceremony, photo and film shoot, talk or exhibition!

Crafts Council is a registered charity, and all income generated from hiring out our gallery directly supports our work to inspire making, empower learning and nurture craft businesses.

Explore the possibilities and venue hire packages via https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/venue-hire?utm_campaign=venue_hire&utm_medium=social&utm_source=cc_facebook.

📸: Rory Lindsay at Craft After Dark.

25/09/2025

🎉 Announcing the launch of Crafts Council Membership: a refreshed and inclusive offering, rooted in feedback from the craft community.

The new scheme draws together the best of what Crafts Council has to offer: quality editorial, engaging events & talks, the Directory platform, practical resources and ticket discounts; alongside new benefits such as the quarterly 'Makers Manual' and exclusive 'What Craft Means To Me' podcast.

Crafts Council Membership is open to all; whether you’re a maker, learner, collector or supporter, join the new offering to get closer to the sector and discover more.

Visit https://bit.ly/48ApHB3 to learn more about our new membership and sign up to .

📸: Rory Lindsay at Craft After Dark.

16/09/2025

With two days to go until Craft After Dark comes to the Crafts Council Gallery in north London, it's time to introduce you to our maker facilitator who'll be running workshops on the night: Eloisa Henderson-Figueroa.

Eloisa is a Chilean/Scottish mural artist from North London specialising in bringing joy and colour through her artwork. She uses collage to bring her ideas to life and uses stickers, tapes and paper to play with shape and colour. Her work transforms ordinary spaces into exciting and happy places to uplift people. She has been teaching children and adults to get creative and feel empowered to play and not worry about the outcome – and just enjoy the process. She has worked with clients including Tate Modern, Meta, Westfield and MINI, bringing her unique and joyful approach to life to their projects.

In Thursday evening's workshop we will be looking at how we can use play to generate ideas around the theme of 'Belongings' through collage, stickers and tapes. Come along for a relaxed evening of playful arts and crafts and see what you can create!

We can't wait to host Eloisa's workshops and see what you all come up with! If you want to get involved, tickets are still available...

📅 Thursday, 18 September 2025
⏰ 6 - 9PM
📍 Crafts Council Gallery, London
🎟️ Visit https://bit.ly/4lV8cOZ to get yours for £10 (+ fees).
🎨 Tickets are free for Directory Makers and members.

11/09/2025

There's just a week to go until the first edition of Craft After Dark – have you got your tickets yet?

Meet fellow crafters, take part in making sessions and get to know Crafts Council's new membership offering. We'll be hosting a series of activities throughout the evening, including a paper collage workshop led by multi-disciplinary maker Eloisa Henderson-Figueroa (more on that next week!)

📅 Thursday 18 September
⏰ 6 - 9PM
📍 Crafts Council Gallery, London
🎟️ Visit https://bit.ly/4lV8cOZ to get yours for £10 + fees.
🎨 Tickets are free for Directory Makers and members.

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