It’s a Made World

The Great Pottery Throwdown, Blown Away, The Great British Sewing Bee, All That Glitters… How do we explain the sudden cultural interest in all things handmade on TV? And why is Jay Blades from The Repair Shop fast becoming our new favourite fixer?

In its 2020 report, The Market for Craft, the Crafts Council of England describes some of the major drivers in the craft sector at the moment.

A growing market:

• the report found that in 2019, over 70% of UK adults said they had bought a craft or handmade object. With the growth of sites such as Etsy, the audience and buyer demographic is getting younger too;

• jewellery is the most popular craft discipline to purchase by volume, but glass and metal have seen the most sizeable growth since 2006, with ceramics always popular;

• 59% of American craft customers surveyed in the report said they would consider buying from a UK maker. The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland too realises the attraction of Irish design internationally and its Showcase trade show in Dublin attracts buyers from across the US and Europe every year.

A digital detox

Making things is good for us! In fact, most creative activities support our wellbeing as research from University College London finds: the focus and attention we need to make something can act as a good distraction from racing or troubling thoughts; learning skills and mastering materials brings self-efficacy and its associated positive mental rewards; and often a class or a workshop will be a way to do something with someone – reducing isolation or just being together enjoyably. Craft NI’s August Craft Month, coming up soon, will see over 400 craft and making events across the island of Ireland, the perfect opportunity to try something new. And creative activities are replacing the Christmas ‘do’ in many workplaces.

Don’t throw it away

Having a go helps us to understand how difficult it is to make really good things and educates us about the skill and work involved. This makes us better and more questioning consumers, particularly if we are asking questions about sustainability. The margins on most craft businesses are slim, meaning that designer-makers will have given focus to eliminating waste from their processes. Innovative NI craft companies such as Mourne Textiles are working hard to make their businesses circular too. Their Fibre to Fabric initiative aims to develop a new net-zero raw material supply chain for the high end manufacturers who love their textiles, made in Co Down. Arguably, a more sustainable future needs people with ‘material intelligence’ and curiosity –important skills in an increasingly digital world. And supporting a local maker means that a special piece of jewellery, ceramic or glassware won’t have travelled too far, and can be repaired or added to, or simply cherished as a meaningful gift, to mark important events in life or work.

Talent

Northern Ireland has many talented and entrepreneurial craft makers. Did you know that Co Down silversmith Cara Murphy has made the last three Grand National trophies; or that ceramicist Derek Wilson sells well in Japan; or that Mud Ireland will cook you pizza while you do your ceramics workshop; or that potter Helen Faulkner is opening new shared studios where makers can work and learn together? You can find them in Craft NI’s juried Maker Directory online or see work from over 50 of these at our gallery in Belfast and other galleries across NI listed on our website.

But excellent makers such as Cara and others take support to grow. The next generation of makers coming out of Ulster University’s Belfast School of Art, from FE courses, will need help to realise their potential. These creative microbusinesses need access to great start-up support – councils help so many makers with this. And after that, opportunities to show work, to sell, to try out product ranges, help with pricing, networks, access to skills and mentoring to grow their technical expertise as well as the artistic vision which makes this work so unique and of this place. And with support, many could stretch their ambitions across these islands and internationally, helping tell our story out there too.

Katherine McDonald, Director, Craft NI

Craft NI supports and promotes the contemporary craft sector in NI. Funded by Arts Council NI.