Traditional craftspeople come together at the HCA launch and forum

Tuesday 23 March saw the official launch of the Heritage Crafts Association at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The HCA also played host to the first forum for traditional craftspeople across the spectrum of craft forms.

Traditional craftspeople may not be the most likely of campaigners, but representatives of most of the country’s top crafts organisations – from the British Artist Blacksmiths’ Association to the Association of Master Upholsterers – met for the first time in response to what is widely seen as a traditional skills crisis.

The afternoon launch featured Phil Harding, presenter of Time Team and one of the best flintknappers in the country. Phil expressed his delight at being asked to speak, not as an archaeologist or TV personality, but as a traditional craftsman – something he cares passionately about: “Thank goodness there are still people who care and are collaborating to save these crafts, which are still very relevant today.”

The launch also featured demonstrations by basketmakers, calligraphers, hand engravers, quilters and the last scissor makers from Sheffield, along with most of the mentors from the recent BBC2 Mastercrafts programme fronted by Monty Don.

The crisis faced by many traditional craftspeople is largely due to the fact that their crafts fall outside the remit of the current support agencies. In England for example, the Crafts Council exists to support contemporary and innovative crafts, whilst English Heritage’s remit is to protect the nation’s buildings and monuments, not its inherited knowledge and skills.

In 2004, the report Crafts in the English Countryside recommended the establishment of a ‘vernacular Crafts Council’ to support the traditional crafts, but unfortunately this recommendation was never acted upon, while in 2003, international cultural agency UNESCO passed a Convention that recognised traditional crafts as a key part of national heritage. The Convention was signed by 117 countries, but the not the UK.

Robin Wood, Chair of HCA said: “The V&A is home to some of the finest craftwork in the world, but the skills that produced much of that craftwork are under threat. It was wonderful to see people actually engaged in making things in the V&A and we hope this highlights the plight of some of these endangered skills.”

The HCA also launched its Friends Scheme at the launch. For more information and to sign up, either as an individual Friend or an affiliated group, visit www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/signup.html.

To read Robin Wood's blog on the forum and launch, visit http://traditionalcraftsblog.blogspot.com.

To view more pictures from the event, visit the new HCA Flickr group.

Photos ©2010 Heritage Crafts Association, all rights reserved:

1. Left to right: Matt Williams (Mastercrafts thatcher), Andy Oldfield (Mastercrafts stonemason), Sophie Hussain (Mastercrafts stained glass artist), Dave Bragg (Mastercrafts thatcher), Robin Wood (HCA Chair) and Guy Mallison (Mastercrafts greenwood worker).
2. Phil Harding, flint knapper and archaeologist from Channel 4’s Time Team, addressing delegates at the HCA launch.
3. Samantha Marsden, hand engraver, demonstrating at the HCA launch.
4. Delegates at the HCA forum for traditional craftspeople.