Last year, as I looked at my diary and put in all the exciting craft events and exhibitions to see throughout 2019, I wrote a blog featuring my top exhibitions across the UK and abroad. It’s the same time of year and I now realise it must be an annual ritual because I find myself putting the ‘do not miss’ events into my diary for 2020. This year I spotted something rather wonderful. In 2020, the events are not spread across the country, but there are so many great craft events happening here in the South West which I’ve listed… but if you’re not from ‘round ‘ere’, I’ve also included a London exhibition for those who struggle to escape the metropolis.
Beth Alden, CEO
Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years
to 25 May 2020
The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4DB
The first exhibition to survey Grayson Perry’s earliest forays into the art world will re-introduce the explosive and creative works he made between 1982 and 1994. These ground-breaking ‘lost’ pots will be reunited for the first time to focus on the formative years of one of Britain’s most recognisable artists. The show at the Holburne Museum is also remarkable for the fact that many of the 70 items on display have been crowd-sourced from across the UK, following a hugely successful appeal to the public in 2018.
Craft Uprising! – The Heritage Crafts Association Conference 2020
Saturday 4 April 2020
Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1BX
Book your tickets
At a time when populism has pushed mainstream politics to the extremes and climate change has reached a critical tipping point, craft is occupying an increasingly crucial role – to engage with those we disagree with or to take refuge within our communities of interest, to reflect the counter-cultures happening around us or to become that vital act of rebellion. The theme of the 2020 Heritage Crafts Association Conference is Craft Uprising. The keynote speakers will be Patrick Grant (Great British Sewing Bee) talking about disrupting the fast-fashion industry with his social enterprise Community Clothing and Sarah Corbett from the Craftivist Collective talking about the role of craft in change-making.
As well as the main programme of speakers, you can print your own rebellious messages with Nick Hand‘s letterpress bicycle, bring your craft items for a pop-up gallery on the theme of ‘Powerful Objects’, and network with other makers from around the UK.
Craft Festival, Cheltenham
20-22 March 2020
Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA
Book your tickets
Craft Festival (formerly Made by Hand, Cheltenham) brings together a handpicked selection of 100 leading makers from across the UK. In partnership with The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen, New Brewery Arts, Unit Twelve Gallery, Period Living and madebyhandonline.com. Buy directly from makers presenting a highly selective handmade collection includes jewellers, potters, furniture makers, textile artists, glassmakers and many more, all selling directly to the public.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to watch craft demonstrations and learn a new skill in the wide variety of workshops on offer.
Leach 100: Celebrating A Centenary Of Inspiration & Exchange
The Leach Pottery, Higher Stennack, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2HE
This year the Leach Pottery celebrates 100 years. Established by friends and colleagues Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada in 1920, the Leach Pottery was built with an experimental and progressive spirit and has since forged the shape of studio pottery around the world.
Leach 100 promises to be a year of celebrations, providing new and exciting opportunities to get involved with clay and creativity across the country. From free family activities, internationally-significant exhibitions, to artist residencies, there is something for everyone to get involved in. The Leach Pottery invites you to take part as it celebrates its history and looks forward to the next 100 years.
Special events to look out for:
Century of Connections Exhibition: 21 March - 7 November 2020
Hey Clay! Weekend, including National Raku Party: 15 - 17 May 2020
Tomoo Hamada Exhibition: 16 May - 12 July 2020, opening event 15 May 2020
John Leach Solo Exhibition: 18 July - 27 September 2020, opening event 17 July 2020
Tea Ceremony Day: September 2020
Pottery & People Exhibition: December 2020 - March 2021
More details coming soon.
NEW FOR 2020 Living Crafts
23-25 May 2020
Cirencester Park, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2BU
The stunning Cirencester Park, with its Grade ! gardens I listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, provides a stunning backdrop for the new Living Crafts event on the late May Bank holiday weekend. We look forward to welcoming this new event to our home town for the very first time.
More details soon
Craft Festival
12-14 June 2020
Mill Marsh Park, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot TQ13
Tickets available soon
NEW FOR 2020 Craft Festival, Bath 28-29 November 2020
The Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath BA1 2QH
Tickets available soon
A new venue for the team behind Craft Festival and Craft Festival Cheltenham. 90 contemporary makers of the highest quality selling directly to the public.
And finally for now, a new exhibition space for craft in London opens its doors…
Maker's Eye
28 March – 20 June.
Crafts Council, 44 Pentonville Road, London N1 9BY
Maker’s Eye is the first exhibition at the new exhibition space at Crafts Council. Maker's Eye looks at the Crafts Council Collection through the eyes of 13 makers who have contributed to the shaping of modern British craft. Their very personal selections amount to 150 objects ranging from the functional to the conceptual, with dizzying array of scale, texture, material and colour.
More info