The UK Crafts At Risk Of Extinction After COVID-19

With COVID-19 having affected every industry in some form, many small businesses are still in danger of closing under the economic recession it has caused. One sector within the UK, which was already at risk before the pandemic struck, is that of heritage crafts. With many being supported by only one or two makers and facing extinction entirely, this has now exacerbated the threat with many artisans unsure of the commercial viability of continuing their businesses.

Upon speaking with the Heritage Crafts Association(HCA), who produce a Red List of endangered skillsets each year, they expressed their concern over the preservation of these artisanal practices. In trying to secure ongoing grants for such creatives, the organisation is working hard to raise awareness around these declines and why, in letting them die out, it could have a much wider impact than we realise. To help establish a more informed perception of the industry, the HCA team recently carried out an independent research project during lockdown, which gave a glimpse into the impact COVID-19 is having on these smaller craft sectors. Of the 100 craftspeople who responded, 56% of them said that there was a smaller than 50:50 chance of their business surviving the next six months. Not the only organisation to raise such concerns, The Crafts Council also fear the economy’s downturn could be a huge blow to the industry. And, with the majority of makers reporting an annual profit of less than £30,000 even before the pandemic, the industry was already in need of support to become financially sustainable.

When studying the Craft Council’s new Market for Craft report, it does however provide evidence that the industry has gained traction with craft buyers rising by 73% since 2006 to an astonishing 31.6 million people. As the research for this report was carried out prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Council decided to speak with a further 600 makers in March to assess the impact of the pandemic more closely. “Orders are down by 67% with further losses anticipated and 60% of artists and makers have low or zero financial reserves,” states Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director of the Council. “A quarter of makers were already facing a negative impact from Brexit on their business, and now many makers will be in a precarious situation in a post-pandemic world – losing not only the opportunities to sell their work, but also other sources of income – for example, teaching and hosting workshops.” The report continues to reveal that in March, UK consumers collectively spent an additional £1.9bn on groceries versus the same period in February. This growth in spending on essentials has inevitably resulted in a decrease on ‘non-essential’ purchases, providing a much more challenging dynamic for makers to navigate through.

This research has become vital in monitoring the progression of these crafts sectors and their need for support at this time. The Red List, which is published biennially by the Heritage Crafts Association, was created in 2017 as a research project and has since developed with now more than 200 crafts featuring in the annual document. Split into three categories – Currently Viable, Endangered and Critically Endangered – the report also notes any crafts which have gone extinct using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. It takes into account the number of people currently practicing and learning the crafts, but also considers the issues they are facing, such as technological change, social trends, environmental issues and competition from low-wage economies.

The most recent Red List has 70 crafts marked as endangered, including those such as chair caning, umbrella making and wheel-wrighting, and 36 crafts marked as critically endangered, featuring age-old skills such as watchmaking and damask weaving. While current reports focus on the UK’s craft industry, the HCA are looking to take it further afield. “I’m about to start working on a Red List toolkit for the Michelangelo Foundation so that other European countries can create their own Red Lists based on our methodology,” explains Daniel Carpenter, Operations Officer for the Heritage Crafts Association. “In doing this, we can hopefully join them all up into a pan-European list.”

The need to address these issues is urgent and Grace Thorne, one of Britain’s last traditional scissor-makers, agrees that when the last practitioner of a craft dies out it takes a huge amount of energy to try and get that back. “Craft skills are like icebergs,” she states. “Any documentation (no matter how good) is tiny compared to the vast amount of subtle craft knowledge that has built up in that person over years and is hidden under the surface.” With the work of the HCA helping to ensure this doesn’t happen, many makers rely on their efforts. Victoria Ajoku is a traditional fan maker and her craft is currently marked as critically endangered. “I envision all crafts as a wonderful piece of ‘knitted work’, she describes when discussing the HCA. “Interconnected, equally special in a distinctive and irreplaceable way, with the HCA as the ‘needle’, ‘weaving the makers’ all together. This analogy helps to portray the support they offer in fighting to preserve these historic skills.

While the way ahead is still unclear, grants have been put in place which go some way to securing the next step for the industry. “We have implemented a small grants scheme to help makers try new ways of working that will better situate them for the post-COVID economic landscape,” says Carpenter. “We have had over 400 applications, of which we have given 42 small grants. We are also planning on merging our Hardship Fund with the Endangered Crafts Fund as we move forward and focus our efforts on the effect of the pandemic on an already threatened industry.”

Individual artists have also rallied together to launch a campaign on social media using the hashtag #ArtistSupportPledge. The initiative, supported by The Crafts Council, asks artists to post images using the hashtag while giving details of their works and price (up to a maximum of £200) and every time an artist reaches £1,000 of sales, they pledge to buy £200 of work from other artist. This unification has not only been vital in sustaining businesses, it has also helped individuals feel part of a wider community through these challenging times with many feeling encouraged by the recognition it has received.

With 2020 seeing many industries adapt to the challenges we are facing, Natalie Melton, Co-Founder of The New Craftsmen and Creative Director of The Crafts Council, is optimistic. “Craftspeople are a resilient and creative bunch and there have been new opportunities emerging,” she says when discussing initiatives including The Artist Support Pledge. “Social campaigns are building them a new audience for their work and driving new direct sales across the globe. Many have turned their teaching skills to good use, running virtual workshops and classes to sustain income and build a network of people hungry to learn craft skills during lockdown.” From a consumer standpoint, the desire to ‘buy local and move away from the high street’ has also increased throughout these past months. This has led to a further interest in topics around sustainability and mindfulness, in which craft plays a huge role. “It is clear that those traditional makers will need to continue to develop their digital skills – social media, marketing and e-commerce – in order to gain visibility and help sustain their futures,” continues Melton. “Smart gallerists have recognised their role in supporting makers to do this – with galleries such as Sarah Myerscough, Flow and The New Craftsmen all working hard to bring the stories of their makers and materials to life creatively during the pandemic.”

As we move into a post-pandemic world, the work of the HCA and The Crafts Council, alongside other organisations such as London Craft Week, QEST and Cluster Crafts, has never been more crucial. As consumers, we must also take responsibility in selecting where we spend our money and place our investments and it doesn’t have to be just focused on purchasing. There are many ways in which we can engage with the industry. “Online workshops are affordable and rewarding,” says Melton. “And even if these options are beyond you, then follow, like and share the work of makers on social channels – it’s free but helps to build their audience and visibility.”

Rallying together to support the craft community in this way will also have an impact on future generations going forward. By investing into such artisans, it builds a more transparent supply chain and the mindsets of buying local, buying less and buying better will all contribute towards the sustainable future we urgently need to create. And, as Grace Thorn states, “Every time you buy something from a maker, even if it is as small as a postcard, they do a happy dance inside.” Isn’t this more rewarding to know the direct impact your purchase has? And, in turn, creating timeless spaces within our homes, filled with passionate narratives and personal connections to the pieces which fill them.

London Craft Week begins on 30th September and the programme can be accessed here. Cluster Crafts is also returning to London on 28th October – 2nd November 2020 – details can be found here.