Craftspace is part of the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of funded organisations, once again, for 2018-2022.
Current Focus
Craftspace aims to initiate programmes of work which stimulate artistic excellence, critical thinking, curiosity and understanding of contemporary crafts in the widest social and cultural contexts.
Between 2014 and 2018 the focus of our work will investigate:
Craft in an expanded field
This means investigating crafts practice through a range of interdisciplinary media and mediums. We are working with mac birmingham on a series of projects called Craftspace Curates which will investigate ways in which contemporary craft practice can inhabit the whole environment of an arts centre. We will work with others to commission new interdisciplinary collaborations which present craft, makers and stories of making in unusual ways.
Outsider Craft
Our major touring exhibition, Radical Craft, brings public and critical attention to creativity by self-taught artists from across the UK and abroad who make work in a private domain outside the mainstream.
Developing artistic talent from the Midlands and beyond
We continue the series of Made in the Middle touring exhibitions. Work selected represents some of the best work from emerging and established makers in a range of craft media and disciplines. This project explores the benefit of craft to the economy and its role in social innovation.
Making Moves returns to develop a wider reach. Working with Higher Education to support new graduates, established makers and communities. This project will also include partners in the South West of England.
In:Site Festival will return to Cathedral Square in Colmore Business District where we will continue to develop relationships with the local community and businesses. In:Site is an annual festival in the centre of Birmingham which provides an opportunity for selected new arts graduates from around the country to create bespoke, site-specific artworks.
Social Justice
We are developing an annual Craftivism (craft and activism) focused social action training programme for young people called Making For Change. The project will encourage young people to develop a sense of agency and the motivation to become more active in their communities.
Social Enterprise
Shelanu are refugee and migrant women working with Craftspace to develop a sustainable craft social enterprise. We are investigating the benefits of social enterprise to build a self-sustaining group which encourages independence and integration.
Wellbeing
Working in partnership with (other third sector) organisations who target support young people and young families, particularly those who are vulnerable or accessing social care, we will explore how craft can impact on their social and creative development.
We are part of a consortium working to develop opportunities for the arts to support the delivery of health care services. We are part of a group of organisations looking at consultancy opportunities where the arts can support the health service. (More about our consultancy work here.)
Celebrating 30 years
Craftspace Celebrates 30 years in 2016. A new website will feature work from the Made in the Middle series of touring exhibitions.
Find out more about our approach and how we work in partnership here.
