Craftsmanship, balance and forward motion

It is 2021, and in a usual year we’d be starting courses and classes next week, we’d be opening a new exhibition and the year would be opening up in front of us. But this is not a usual year and the third lockdown means none of these things are possible.

I often start the year with a blogpost about the shows, events and exhibitions I’m excited about visiting, but that seems like tempting fate. Instead of planning my exhibition calendar I’ve been spending a little too much time on social media over lockdown and the other evening, I came across an Instagram post that made me smile. More than the cat videos that also make me smile, I have found my mind drifting back to this image again and again. So today I allowed myself to ponder why it resonated with me. It sums up my thinking about New Brewery Arts in 2021 in some unexpected ways.

Craft – oh boy, there’s some amazing craft in the image – the man is surrounded by his hand-made bamboo fish-traps. It was the craftsmanship that caught my attention first. He’s encircled by the product of his skill, dexterity and hard work. The materials are, no doubt, locally sourced and he’ll be selling these traps to local fishermen to use locally. I bet that the whole making, selling and use takes place in no more than a 10-mile radius. A perfect example of a local, circular, sustainable economy. Plus, the craftsmanship blew me away (I tried basket making at a class here, and I now appreciate the skill in every basket I see).

But there is more in the image than the craftsmanship in the traps, I see the skill in loading the bike too – there’s balance. It was this idea of balance in 2021 that got me thinking. In this year we are all going to need to take on difficult loads, the skill is in making what may be unwieldy, difficult and cumbersome balance. As we continue to respond to what comes - the changes, new rules and possibilities - we can manage the burden better if we can find balance..

Finally, the photo represents forward motion. Whatever happens in 2021, we go forward under our own steam. There is, it seems to me, no other choice. Each day we pedal on and at some point this year we’ll find ourselves somewhere exciting with fresh potential ahead and new challenges to enjoy.

So, for 2021, I hope for craft at our backs, a huge wealth of skill, dexterity and hard work surrounding us. I hope we can bear the load with a delicate sense of balance, poise and steadfastness. And I know we will face the year head-on as we travel through it.

That is why I couldn’t shake the image from my mind – it sums up all I hope for 2021. Bring it on.

Supporting creativity

You’ll have heard that New Brewery Arts received a grant from the Cultural Recovery Fund. This week I was asked why we’re increasing our class fees while getting public funding. It’s a sensible question and one worth an answer.

The answer involves three things; how New Brewery Arts is usually funded, what the Cultural Recovery Grant is for and how we’re changing what we do in response to COVID. 

You may not know, but in normal years we receive no government funding to support our work or shield us from difficult times. Locally there are cultural organisations that receive support every year from local and national government funds. We apply when possible, but there’s not been enough government funding for all organisations that apply, instead we’ve become successful at being self-reliant. 

So we are thrilled to receive public funding now when we truly need it. The Cultural Recovery Grant has been pivotal in keeping New Brewery Arts afloat. It has enabled us to pay our bills and cover ongoing costs in 2020 when our usual income completely disappeared. We had half a year without any income from classes, and income from every thing we do was (and continues to be) dramatically reduced. The grant supports us until March 2021, then we return to standing alone without government funding. The £2 per class increase is not to recover losses from lockdown, instead it ensures we continue to pay our tutors a good fee. It ensures we cover the changes COVID entails such as smaller groups, fewer classes running simultaneously, extra cleaning and enough materials to ensure nothing is shared. 

COVID has changed everything. We want to engage afresh with our purpose and values and create new ways of doing things. Research shows that regardless of skill level, taking part in activities like painting or pottery helps people manage their emotions, build confidence and explore solutions to problems. We know time spent being creative brings real benefit to health and mental wellbeing and we believe this is more important than ever. COVID-19 has given us time to evaluate our charitable impact and for 2021 we want everyone to benefit from creativity in their lives and their wider community.

In 2021 we’ll encourage and enable everyone to connect with their creativity. New Brewery Arts exhibitions are always free, and this will continue. We’ve relaunched our bursaries, which offer reduced fees to people in Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds who would greatly benefit from having access to craft and creativity in their lives but are prevented from doing so due to personal circumstances. We’re devising new projects with our local communities in 2021, in particular vulnerable communities and individuals facing increasing social inequality. We’ll continue to support the 500 plus creatives and crafts people we work with each year through subsidised studios, professional opportunities and employment as well as advice and support. 

To do all this we need support from both funders and individuals like you. So thank you, being an active part of our programmes, engaging with us, reading this blog post demonstrates that you support our purpose to be here for everyone who needs creativity in their lives right now. If you are able to help us achieve more please donate and join us in our work. £2 per class, or a donation of £2 a month enables us to bring craft and creativity to all. The Cultural Recovery Fund recognised we are an organisation worthy of support, we hope you feel the same.

Beth Alden, CEO

A Language of Clay - Podcast

Before lockdown our CEO Beth Alden went to Fire Works Clay studios in Cardiff to meet with three of the participants of our current exhibition ‘A Language of Clay’ – artists Zoe Preece and Lisa Krigel and curator Ceri Jones. At the time, the exhibition was due to open in just a few weeks’ time. We recorded a podcast that day, with the three discussing their relationship with ceramics, their influences and also their favourite hand-made things. Enjoy listening.

The exhibition is at New Brewery Arts until the 3rd October. Please pre-book your visit online.

For more information about the project, including films and publications visit languageofclay.wales

“I was in awe of this cup, I was just in a place of wonder at this cup. I knew the raw materials I’d made it from, and I knew the whole process to get there and there was this really fine bone china cup. It was almost like it was the first time I’d seen a cup, it was that kind of feeling. ”

— Zoe Preece

Make a pledge to support Craft

We reopened our shop a week ago, and it has been delightful to welcome back many regular supporters. Our exhibition gallery opens on the 1st August and we are hopeful classes will resume in September.

While we might be getting back to normal, things remain tough for craftspeople. Many independent makers, craftspeople and designers have – throughout lockdown – been hit especially hard. Not only have many not received furlough, or been able to claim support as a business but they have lost out on routes to earn a livelihood. Craft fairs and exhibitions have been cancelled throughout 2020, and other opportunities to earn an income such as teaching evaporated throughout lockdown.

Reopening our doors feels like a huge step in reopening opportunities for crafts people to make a living. Our ongoing relationship with craftspeople plays a pivotal role in creating a fair, earned wage. We hepl sustain the livelihood of over 400 UK craftspeople every year, supporting independent makers and small studios, heritage craft methods and new craft thinking.

As a charity we are here to connect people with the hand-made and promote the joy and fulfilment of making. We have striven to do what we can to support craftspeople over lockdown. We supported our on-site studios by reducing studio fees for 6 months and we worked with the #DigitalCraftFestival promoting makers and craft.

We don’t support makers alone; you do all this too. Your purchase in the shop or online, booking of a class, your donation to our charity, enables us to support craftspeople.

But, these are extraordinary times – we need your help more than ever so we can work to support craft and creativity in all our lives. Give a pledge to help us support craft, through a small, regular donation. You can make your pledge here.

We are determined to continue, despite the tough months past and the uncertainty ahead. The impact of 2020 will be profound on New Brewery Arts. We hope you will join us and continue supporting, and enabling craft.

Beth Alden
CEO New Brewery Arts