Craft is a wide ranging and diverse sector, but one that overlaps with design, fashion & textiles and visual art. Craft and making has the power to enrich our culture and communities, though both traditional making and contemporary studio practice.
The craft sector is made up of over 3,500 makers, designers and artists working across Scotland in home studios, shared studios, studio complexes, maker spaces and academic institutions. These are supported by a network of national and regional development organisations, retail spaces and specialist guilds. As both an art form and a creative industry, craft has economic, cultural, environmental and social impact.
Our aim through Regular Funding is to support a range of venue and non-venue based, national and regional producing, curatorial and developmental organisations that support the craft infrastructure. This support enables public participation in craft and making, and makers to develop their practice and business, including opportunities for making, exhibiting and selling quality work that leads to a broader public understanding and appreciation of craft. Each Regularly Funded Organisation contributes to the support infrastructure for craft in Scotland, nationally and/or regionally.
There are four craft organisations in the Regular Funding 2018-21 Network – Craft Scotland, North Lands Creative, Panel and Fife Contemporary. The work of these organisations also reaches into visual art and design. Similarly, there are other organisations in the network who include elements of craft in their programming, for example An Lanntair, Cove Park, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Shetland Arts Development Agency, The Barn, Atlas Arts, Peacock Visual Arts and Timespan.
Craft Scotland is the national development agency for craft. It provides leadership for the craft sector, working to unite, inspire and champion diverse and high quality contemporary craft. With makers at the heart of its programming, Craft Scotland creates opportunities to practice, exhibit, sell and promote work, and to develop creative and business practice; through exhibitions in Scotland and internationally, through its events programme, partnerships and online channels, encouraging wider audiences to see, buy and learn about craft. It plays a role in advocating for craft as a vital contributor to the cultural, economic and social well-being of individuals and communities.
North Lands Creative is a unique organisation in Scotland, based in the north-east highlands; it is an internationally recognised centre of excellence, exploring the artistic and technical potential of glass, either on its own, or through other art forms and materials. It achieves this by bringing Scottish, UK and international practitioners and artists to its classes and conferences, all from its creative hub in Caithness.
Fife Contemporary is a non-venue based regional organisation that nurtures the creation, understanding and appreciation of high quality contemporary craft and visual art with international significance. Fife Contemporary work with partners to create enjoyable and meaningful experiences for all, through: promoting the practice and work of local and international contemporary craft and visual artists to existing and new audiences; increasing the public’s access to a variety of innovative work; and encouraging lifelong learning, creativity and greater health and wellbeing.
Panel is an independent curatorial and producing agency based in Glasgow and working across Scotland. Panel promotes and celebrates craft and design through accessible and engaging exhibitions, events and critical activity delivered across a range of locations, venues and environments. Its programme engages both designers and public audiences, and makes connections with practitioners and institutions whose work extends into visual arts, craft and other cultural contexts and frameworks.
Find out more about the Regular Funding Network 2018-21.
Image: Craft Scotland Summer Show / Photo by Susan Castillo