About
the national charity for heritage crafts
What we do
Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts. Working in partnership with Government and key agencies, we provide a focus for craftspeople, groups, societies and guilds, as well as individuals who care about the loss of traditional crafts skills, and work towards a healthy and sustainable framework for the future.
We are a UNESCO accredited NGO for Intangible Cultural Heritage and an official Community Support Hub for the UK Governments’ Living Heritage in the UK inventory, having advocated for UK ratification of the UNESCO Convention of the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010.
Our Mission
To support and promote heritage crafts as a fundamental part of our living heritage.
We do this through:
- Knowledge – researching the status of heritage crafts and identifying those crafts in decline or in imminent danger of being lost.
- Advocacy – communicating the vital importance of heritage craft skills to the public, Government, key agencies and organisations.
- Safeguarding – ensuring that the highest standard of heritage craft skills are passed from one generation to the next and are recorded for posterity where necessary.
- Support – supporting heritage craftspeople to continue to practice, nurture and pass on their craft.
- Engagement – actively raising awareness and interest in heritage craft skills with the wider public and offering opportunities to engage.
Our Values
Equity and inclusivity
Removing barriers to participation and fostering appreciation of heritage crafts across diverse communities
Credibility and authority
Reflecting the extensive expertise of our heritage craft communities
Collaboration and cooperation
Facilitating connection between makers, supporters and partner organisations
Sustainability and stewardship
Being mindful of the cultural, social, economic and environmental impacts of heritage crafts
Integrity and honesty
Operating openly, accountably and fairly
Continual learning and development
Safeguarding heritage skills by adapting to changing social, cultural and economic contexts
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Amazing coverage of the incredible work of our makers who are keeping their craft alive.
Thank you to the BBC for showcasing endangered crafts in the Southwest of England at our marquee at @craftfestival. It’s your last chance to go and see the @makesouthwest exhibition Staying Alive before it closes this weekend.
This weekend we are going north to Blackburn, where we will have makers demonstrating their work at the @festivalofmaking
We look forward to seeing you there!
#redlistofendangeredcrafts #heritagecrafts #craft
Amazing coverage of the incredible work of our makers who are keeping their craft alive.
Thank you to the BBC for showcasing endangered crafts in the Southwest of England and our marquee at @craftfestival.
In our tent we featured the work @devongrowsflax @mottes_pots @stephs.midnight.flit @sthcoaststudio @devonshoe
This weekend we are going north to Blackburn, where we will have makers demonstrating their work at the @festivalofmaking . We look forward to seeing you there!
Amazing coverage of the incredible work of our makers who are keeping their craft alive.
Thank you to the BBC for showcasing endangered crafts in the Southwest of England and our marquee at @craftfestival. It’s your last chance to go and see the @MakeSouthwest exhibition Staying Alive before it closes this weekend.
This weekend we are going north to Blackburn, where we will have makers demonstrating their work at the @festivalofmaking . We look forward to seeing you there!
Amazing coverage of the incredible work of our makers who are keeping their craft alive.
Thank you to the BBC for showcasing endangered crafts in the Southwest of England and our marquee at @craftfestival. It’s your last chance to go and see the @MakeSouthwest exhibition Staying Alive before it closes this weekend.
This weekend we are going north to Blackburn, where we will have makers demonstrating their work at the @festivalofmaking . We look forward to seeing you there!
Amazing coverage of the incredible work of our makers who are keeping their craft alive.
Thank you to the BBC for showcasing endangered crafts in the Southwest of England and our marquee at @craftfestival. It’s your l
Over 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Laurence Knoop, a liveaboard narrowboater, is a self-employed ropeworker who has spent four years self-teaching traditional maritime decorative techniques under his business @spliceandfid. His bursary will fund intensive one-to-one training with Sue Pennison @rigging_and_ropework, covering rope making, solid decorative knotting for bell ropes and tillers, and specialised covering techniques such as needle-hitching and cross-pointing.
Laurence’s bursary is supported by the International Guild of Knot Tyers.
Laurence said: “Being offered this funding feels like a vote of confidence from the heritage crafts community in my pursuit of decorative ropework as a viable trade. The chance to seek one-to-one training from someone experienced in maritime ropework will be a real boost to my skills development, and I hope it will open up new possibilities for my work.”
Join us on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July at the National @thefestivalofmaking at Blakey Moor Terrace, Blackburn, where we’ll be featuring demonstrations and workshops of crafts featured on the Red List of Endangered Crafts.
During the Festival weekend, you’ll be able to meet some of the expert craftspeople practising endangered crafts, gain an insight into their work and understand the importance of passing these skills on.
Featuring:
• Ruth Farris and Bea Uprichard @fishbone.sycamore, silk weavers
• Phill Gregson @phillgregson, wheelwright
• Craig Peebles @welbyandwright, encaustic tile maker
• Jonathan Reid @ernestwrightltd, scissor maker
Confirmed workshops:
• Introduction to Jacquard Handweaving – 2.30pm – 3.30pm, Saturday and Sunday
• Join The Renaissance: Discover Encaustic Tile Making – 4pm to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday
For more information visit https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/events/national-festival-of-making-2026/ or via the linktr.ee in our bio.
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Trainee Scissor Manufacturers
Location: Sheffield
Established in Sheffield in 1760, William Whiteley & Sons Ltd’s heritage spans over two centuries. Every pair of scissors they produce is meticulously hand-made, assembled, and tested by their skilled craftsmen, using techniques that have been honed and passed down through generations.
They are seeking motivated individuals to join their team as Trainee Scissor Manufacturers. This entry-level position offers a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the fabrication and assembly of high-quality scissors. The role is suitable for those interested in developing skills within metalworking and manufacturing environments, with a focus on learning and professional growth. Successful candidates will receive comprehensive training to support their development in this specialised craft.
This position offers an excellent pathway into specialised manufacturing roles, with comprehensive training provided to develop your technical expertise. They welcome applicants eager to build a career in metal fabrication and assembly within a supportive team environment.
Find out more including how to apply at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/matchmaker.
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
Over 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Emily Scholefield @esch.textiles, from Hampshire, is an artist and embroiderer with a background in ballet who recently completed a contemporary hand embroidery diploma with @handandlocklondon. Her bursary will fund one-to-one online mentoring with Stephanie Woodage of @enpointetutus covering tutu construction, a UAL short course in costume design, and essential equipment.
Emily’s bursary is supported by @costume_society.
Emily said: “I’m so grateful to be given this opportunity to learn tutu-making and develop my skills in costume design. I can’t wait to start the training and I’m really looking forward to creating my costume portfolio and starting my career making dance costumes.”
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Apprentice Leather Worker
Deadline: 10 July 2026
Location: Leeds
Charles F Stead & Co Ltd is world-renowned for producing some of the finest suede leathers in the world. Its suedes are recognised internationally for their quality, innovation and craftsmanship and are supplied to many of the most prestigious footwear and fashion brands globally.
Over the course of the 15-month Leather Craftsperson (level 2) apprenticeship, delivered in partnership with Huddersfield Textile Training Ltd, you will receive hands-on training and support from experienced leather workers, developing the knowledge and skills required to build a long-term career within the leather manufacturing industry.
After this apprenticeship you will have the chance to contribute to the production of world-class suede used by leading fashion brands, with opportunities for long-term career development within the business.
Find out more including how to apply at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/matchmaker.
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
Join us in conversation with tapestry weaver @chrissiefreeth, online on Tuesday 18 August 2026, 7pm (GMT+1)
For millennia, the loom has been central to the lives of women and the art of storytelling. Join us for a fascinating evening with tapestry weaver and archaeologist Dr Chrissie Freeth as we explore how she continues this ancient tradition, transforming small personal moments, fragile memories and unconfronted experiences into large-scale handwoven tapestries.
Chrissie brings a uniquely rigorous perspective to her craft. With a PhD in archaeology and a career that began in the museum sector, her contemporary practice is deeply rooted in historical material culture. In 2016, she was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship, allowing her to study medieval tapestry techniques first-hand across major collections in Europe and New York.
Chrissie’s work has captured the attention of the international craft and art worlds. Her tapestry Saint Catherine was selected for the prestigious ARTAPESTRY6, Song of the Woods was shortlisted for the Cordis Prize and her striking piece Memento Mori was showcased at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition.
This conversation comes at a pivotal moment in her career. Alongside a recent grant from the National Lottery/Arts Council England to push the boundaries of large-scale weaving, her exhibition Good Women is currently on display at @kelmscottmanor – the iconic summer home of William Morris – in their first major exhibition of contemporary craft alongside the Morris family’s own collection, marking a spectacular dialogue between historic textile heritage and contemporary practice.
The session will take place on Zoom and attendees must register in advance via https://chrissiefreethinconversation.eventbrite.co.uk or the linktree in our bio. Attendees will also have the opportunity to submit questions in advance.
Over 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Nic Harding @ravensrockstudio1, from Wirral, served as a Ranger and Forest School practitioner for 22 years before finding leather carving. His bursary will fund ten days of one-to-one training with @armitageleather and a two-day intermediate bag-making course with Jo Heard at the @walsallleatherskillscentre to refine his construction techniques.
Nic’s bursary is supported by @theleathersellers.
Nic said: “This funding is life changing for me, and a catalyst to further my craft and put myself forward. It has arrived at just the right moment. It will catapult my understanding of leatherworking to where it needs to be to feel confident with my craft and stand tall as I offer my work and skills at large.
“It is also part of a larger scheme, one of self care as I continue to recover from the after-effects of complex PTSD, which I have struggled with for ten (very long) years. Getting the bursary and meeting some of the Heritage Crafts team has already boosted my confidence and I am really looking forward to meeting other craftspeople in the 2026 cohort and getting advice on those all important first steps to success!”
