craft&design Blog

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending a day in Saltaire as part of the selection panel for this year’s Saltaire Arts Trail, it was really pleasing to see such a diverse range of work submitted  and together we  chose 120 artists and makers for this year’s event. It looks like being a fabulous Arts Trail so be sure not to miss it, you wont be disappointed – well, I would say that, wouldn’t I, having been one of the selection panel! Here’s the latest news from Saltaire about it all:

Saltaire Arts Trail announces artists and makers for 2012 120 contemporary artists and makers have been selected to take part in this year’s Saltaire Arts Trail from 5-7 May following a record number of applications. An independent selection panel – made up of Angie Boyer, Editor of craft&design Magazine, Izzy McDonald Booth, Retail Manager at the National Glass Centre, and Jennifer Alexander, Assistant Curator at York Art Gallery – considered over 220 submissions from all over the country.

The selected artists and makers’ work represents the diversity of contemporary art and craft available in the UK, including woodwork, jewellery, textiles, glassware, illustration, painting, photography, ceramics, bookbinding, sculpture and printmaking. For the first time, applications were invited from outside the Yorkshire region, and 50 per cent of the artists selected are new to the Saltaire Arts Trail.

Over the May bank holiday weekend, the residents of Saltaire’s historic workers cottages will be opening their doors to the public, transforming their homes into unique art galleries for the Saltaire Arts Trail. The magnificent Victoria Hall in the heart of the village will be the setting for the Makers Fair, with 60 designer-makers selling and demonstrating their work. In addition the cobbled streets, listed buildings and green spaces of the World Heritage Village will be the venue for a huge variety of workshops, demonstrations and art activities for the whole family.

Saltaire Arts Trail (SAT) is an annual visual arts festival supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Since its creation 5 years ago SAT has attracted over 200 hundred makers and contemporary artists and provided opportunities to exhibit and sell their work in over 40 venues across the village. Over 7,000 visitors attended the SAT weekend last year and this year’s events, taking place from 5 to 7 May 2012, look set to be even more popular.

Speaking about the selection, Angie Boyer said: ‘The level of craftsmanship in the work presented was very high. There was a wide choice across the different disciplines. It was not an easy task to say no to people, because you know the effort that’s gone into making and submitting the work.’

Jennifer Alexander said: ‘I was impressed to see lots of experimentation with different ideas. There’s plenty for people to talk about. What’s really nice about the Saltaire Arts Trail is that there’s so much going on, not just the Open Houses and the Makers Fair, but workshops, demonstrations, cinema. It’s giving people a way into contemporary art.’

And Izzy McDonald Booth commented: ‘We saw lots of fresh ideas. Over 50 per cent of the artists we’ve selected are new to the Trail so there’ll be lots of new work on display. I’m looking forward to seeing it all in the flesh.’

Whilst on the hunt for competitions and awards, I came across the following information on the website: http://www.churchcare.co.uk and thought it might be of interest to some of our readers.

Here goes:

The Cathedral and Church Buildings of the Church of England is holding a competition to design comfortable, affordable seats across 16,000 parish churches.  This is a unique opportunity for design students and leading designers to create a chair or bench that will enhance the buildings they are placed in and be celebrated by present and future generations.

The competition has two categories:

• Design a chair to retail under £100, open to students & recent graduates.  The brief is to design a chair that is light, stackable and ergonomic whilst sympathetic to historic interiors.  Designers are encouraged to explore non-upholstered solutions.

• Design a seat(bench or chair) for parish churches, open to all.  The brief is to design a church seat (bench designs welcomed) to meet the criteria outlined in the first category but within an ‘affordable’ price range.

Finalists for the first category will be given an opportunity to pitch their design to leading church seating manufacturers and to win a cash honorarium.

Finalists for the open competition will be invited to submit models or prototypes to display at the awards event.  The winning design will be used in a campaign to encourage parishes to seek good design in church seating.

The full brief can be found on the website www.churchcare.co.uk.

Entries can be submitted via ChurchCare (www.churchcare.co.uk) until 30th March 2012.  Entrants to both categories will be expected to provide drawings and photos of models if available, alongside a 500-word written explanation.  The judging panel, chaired by the Bishop of London, will select the overall winners.  Winning designs will ultimately be chosen on the basis of affordability, functionality, comfort and aesthetic merit.

Further details and an application form can be found at www.churchcare.co.uk/news.

Whilst doing my research of universities and colleges for the NIACE Craft Toolkit, I found some information on the Anglia Ruskin University website that I thought might be of interest – and perhaps serve as a reminder to check whether there is anything going on local to you.

Obviously if you can get involved with an initiative that’s already got funding, it’s money in the bank and you can give your profile a boost locally.

On 31st January the University is launching the Cambridge Art and Science Circle which is a new initiative to bring together artists and scientists from across the city.

The event is part of the VISUALISE art programme which will see a range of contemporary artists working with Anglia Ruskin to create exciting contemporary public art projects, exhibitions, workshops and events across the city.

Bronac Ferran, curator of VISUALISE said “The new Cambridge Art and Science Circle seeks to build an infrastructure of connections that may lead to new partnerships for research and public art projects.

“Cambridge is very much recognised as a centre of science and technology innovation and invention.  Art and artists increasingly work in interdisciplinary ways and engage through collaborations and residencies with specialists from fields such as genetics, synthetic biology, neuroscience and vision sciences.

“The emergence of public art commissioning opportunities in sites such as the new Addenbrokes/Medical Resarch Council context and the transformation of the Ruskin Gallery at Anglia Ruskin through the installation of digital screens, make this the perfect time to encourage new opportunities for partnerships across art and science borders.”

To coincide with the launch of the Cambridge Art and Science Circle, Anglia Ruskin will be hosting the ‘Between: Mind, Matter & Materials’ exhibition from 30 January until 3 February.

‘Between: Mind, Matter & Materials’ will have a ‘private view’ on Tuesday 31 January at the Ruskin Gallery (6-7pm), immediately followed by the launch of the Cambridge Art and Science Circle in the new Lord Ashcroft International Business School.  Both events are free and further information is available by phoning Sarah Jones on 0845 196 2981 or emailing sarah.jones@anglia.ac.uk

Out of Body by Susan Aldworth, one of the artists featured in the exhibition

VISUALISE (www.visualisecambridge.org) is being project managed by Futurecity and delivered in collaboration with Cambridge City Council.

As Contemporary Craft Editor of craft&design magazine I am always on the look out for possible articles for the next issues of the magazine.

As we head into 2012, and the UK’s Olympic hosting year, I would like to feature designer/makers with an Olympic connection. Have you been commissioned to create something for this event? If so then I would like to hear from you.

Please email me, Rachael Chambers, at crafted@craftanddesign.net

I’ve just heard that visitors to Artery Gallery on South Street, St Andrews in Fife, Scotland have the opportunity to win a £500 painting for just £1! The painting ‘Flaming Embers’ has been donated by the well-known artist Derek Collins and can be yours if you have the closest guess to how many matches are in the jar.

Win Flaming Embers for just £1

100% of the proceeds of this competition will be donated to the charity OUCH UK (The Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headache) who support people with what is recognised as the most painful condition known to mankind.

The owner of Artery Jason Michaelson is himself a chronic sufferer and wanted to give something back to the charity that has helped him so much. Jason said, ‘There could be other people out there who may need help but don’t know that this amazing charity exists, so I wanted to raise awareness to let others know that they are not on their own, as well as raise funds to support the charity’s ongoing research�.

Scotland has one of the leading experts on cluster headache in the UK, consultant neurologist Dr Alok Tyagi at Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, which is the only specialist unit in Scotland for this debilitating condition.

If you would like to try to win Derek’s painting and support OUCH UK, please pop into Artery Gallery before the end of January. For further details about OUCH UK, you can visit their website www.ouchuk.org.

A significant day for design in the UK – so, it is important that Government gets it right!

Yesterday Government announced its first assessment of the need for reform of the design intellectual property framework. In May 2011, in his report to the Prime Minister, Professor Hargreaves concluded that design had a “very important contribution to make to growth� to the tune of £33 billion to be precise (and still a growth area!) and yet he was critical of the policy makers whose role in supporting IP in this significant branch of the economy had been neglected.  So, the good news for designers is there has been a flurry of activity and ACID welcomed the opportunity to paint the picture of SME reality by providing solid evidence from a diverse set of case studies. These highlighted the often grim problems that design led companies face. This,  ACID were told, has provided a valuable and credible foundation for future policy in this first IPO assessment. Government plans to publish a formal consultation on how to proceed in late spring 2012. http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/hargreaves.htm

ACID

ACID’s CEO Dids Macdonald said, “I welcome this assessment for design reform. However, it is important that any further research makes clear the relationship between (registered) design rights and innovation in the context of product design. The majority of the UK’s 232,000 designers (in 55 different design disciplines) rely on unregistered (copyright, design and trade marks) and informal rights. In this initial assessment, it is clear that UKIPO has listened and understands the problems facing many SME’s within design. Now the challenge will be to address them sensibly, practically and proactively with more action and less words�.

ACID also urges the Government to fully consider supporting the UK’s designers with the introduction of criminal sanctions for unregistered design right infringement, retaining UK unregistered rights protection and ensuring that in reforming the small claims access to justice system, they fully consider the relative effectiveness of remedies available and costs v outcome.

Nick Kounoupias, ACID’s Chief Legal Counsel and an IP specialist at DMH Stallard said, “I am delighted to see that the possibility of introducing criminal sanctions for unregistered design right infringement is finally on the Government’s political agenda.  It has been for too long anomalous that copyright and trade mark infringement can in appropriate cases be punished with a criminal sentence whilst unregistered design right infringement cannot.  The harm caused to small and medium sized businesses by the flagrant and systematic copying of their designs is horrendous and to the layman in tantamount to theft. Accordingly it should be dealt with in the same way.�

This announcement by Government is timely because in 2012 ACID will re-launch its “Commission it, Don’t Copy It� positive campaign aimed at retail buying departments which is “win win� all around. The designer is paid a commission and a royalty, the retailer may use their purchasing power to produce the products more cost effectively and also has the opportunity to create a UK design signature range, thus, actively supporting UK Design and respect for IP in CSR. The consumer still gets an excellent deal but in the full knowledge that they are buying an original design and supporting British design. ACID are looking to Government to actively support their Call to Action. www.acid.uk.com

 

South East Open Studios 2012 takes place next year from 1-17 June and is open to artists and craftspeople across Kent and East Sussex. Last year over 300 members took part with a wide range of work on show that included paintings, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and metalwork.  Membership includes entry in the full colour guide and on the website, and is available at a discounted price of £95 for applications received before Christmas. Visit http://www.seos-art.org/ for more details.

South East Open Studios

Although I’m known to most  here in  my role as business editor, I spend the majority of my time working face to face with artists, makers and designers helping them make their businesses more successful.

I wanted to let you know that I am developing some new courses and coaching opportunities for 2012. These include a new workshop and  small group ‘business coaching’ days.

The Workshop

Tell your story and tell it well - How to write (and talk) about your work in a compelling way.

‘Tell your Story’ is an innovative workshop designed to help you capture the stories you need to tell to hold the attention of your audience and potential customers.

With less disposable income people are more discriminating about what they buy. Recent research shows that the story of you and your work adds value and can be a clincher in making a sale. You owe it to yourself to send out the most compelling message about your work.

It will help you:

• Find your voice – tell your story as opposed to talking about yourself.
• Tell the stories of your work – what inspires and influences you and the beliefs and values that drive you.
• Make decisions about what parts of the story to tell, and what to leave out.
• Prepare text to use in your marketing materials.
• Decide on the right medium to use to tell your stories.

The day includes - taught input, participatory exercises, a work pack/personal story planner. Plus, a delicious lunch  and  complimentary copy of ‘Make Your Creativity Pay’.

Dates: 18th January, 9^th February 2012 10am – 4pm (with others TBA)

Cost: £125, or £95 for ‘early bird’ bookings

Small Group Creative Coaching

I wanted to find a way of delivering really high quality coaching to makers without it costing the earth. By coming to Loughborough and working with me as part of a small group, you will get a really focused day of business coaching and advice in the company of others with similar ambitions. These days are put together ‘on demand’ so if you’d like to take part, just let me know and I’ll work with you to get suitable dates arranged.  The cost is £80, which includes a tasty lunch and all materials.

 If you want to find out more I am happy to answer your questions, just get in touch: pete@petemosley.com or go to my Eventbrite Organiser Page

The exciting announcement Creative & Cultural Skills have commissioned research agency TBR to map the heritage crafts sector seems to have caused a little confusion as to how that impacts or sits with the work I’m doing with NIACE so I thought I’d explain how it all fits together.

When Skills Minister John Hayes first featured in craft&design magazine he explained that he was looking at how to address training the next generation of craftspeople.

The first issue recognised by the Minister was the need to harness the expertise and knowledge of the sector so he set up a BIS Craft Skills Advisory Board which has already been holding meetings.

The Minister pledged to undertake a national mapping exercise for heritage craft skills sector, working with a range of sector bodies.

John Hayes has also invited NIACE to produce a map of apprenticeship frameworks that support the sector and to look at opportunities for future growth.  NIACE is also developing a tool kit – this is what Iâ€�m working on specifically.

The toolkit is basically a micro website which can be accessed by anyone but in particular people hoping to pursue a career in craft.  I am collecting case studies from people currently working in the industry which details their chosen discipline and how they got there.

These human stories will be really helpful and, in some cases, inspirational.  And, as we are now adding photos, they may also generate new business.

Some of the people that have contacted me also run their own workshops.  There is a separate part of the toolkit dedicated to courses, both through educational institutions as well as independently run.  I’m preparing a list of these as I go and will ensure that any courses advised to me will also be included in the toolkit.

In short then, the mapping exercise will show where heritage craft is at the moment.  The toolkit will be preparing craft for the future.

I have had a great response so far – thank you to all those who have contacted me.  However, I would still love to hear from more of you please.  And don’t forget, if you are running short courses and workshops, include them in the information you send me or, if you haven’t got time to write it, just email me with a convenient time to call you and I’ll write it for you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a craft-focused project that is the biggest of its kind and it costs you nothing to get involved.  Just a few minutes of your time.

I urge you not to miss out.

Those who know me quite well are aware that I do generally need a quite a lot of help on an ongoing basis (the usual … where have I put my keys?, what did I go upstairs for? etc etc), but there are also occasions when I need some help through no fault of my own.  This is one of them.

As readers of our latest e-Newslettermay have spotted,  I’ve just started working with government-appointed agency NIACE to collate as much information as we can about craft.

A huge part of what I am doing is collecting stories from current craftsmen and women but I need the information to cover ALL disciplines and as much of the country as possible.

Rather than me phoning individuals and (as is always the way) choosing the most inconvenient time, I’m hoping that you will contact me – either by phone or email – at a time that suits you.

The information I need from as many craft practitioners as possible is:

Name:

Location:  (Where you are based)

Discipline:  (General description of your craft)

How long you have been working as a craft practitioner:

Please describe briefly how you learned your craft:

Detail any training courses you have attended (these can be accredited or non-accredited, from half-day workshops through to degree courses)

Advise any courses which you would like to have access to (include any that may have been discontinued)

State how/where your work is sold: (ie website, galleries, etc).  Please include here your website details if you have one so that people can look at what you do.

If applicable add alternative career information (this may be a former career or paid work you currently do to prop up your income)

You can either email the information through to me at jan@craftanddesign.net (in which case please also give me a contact number in case I need to clarify anything) or just email with the best time to call and a number you can be reached on and I’ll give you a call.

This is the most major project that’s taken in place in crafts for decades so I really hope that you can spare five or ten minutes to be part of it.

Thanks to everyone for your help,

Jan