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Crafts Policies in the UK

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A Cultural Economic Analysis of Craft

Abstract

This chapter describes the context for craft in the UK, outlining how successive government policies are impacting on the conditions for craft, including the craft economy. The chapter explores the characteristics of the UK craft sector, analysing the policy and regulatory frameworks within which the sector operates and the impact of those levers. The chapter goes on to assess issues raised by Britain’s exit from the European Union and the opportunities and threats this shift offers. It also considers the effectiveness of measures to sustain the craft economy, addressing the role of the education and training system in supporting the talent pipeline of makers entering craft careers and reflecting on the extent to which the current approach meets the skills’ needs of future makers. In addition, it takes into account the impact of infrastructure and regeneration policies and how property market conditions impact on the supply of studio space. The chapter concludes by making recommendations for how the policy framework might improve the conditions for craft in order to sustain the current wave of interest in craft.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP , Minister of State for Digital and Culture at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK); Fiona Hyslop, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs (Scotland); Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Wales). At the time of writing the Northern Ireland Assembly has been dissolved and new ministers were still to be appointed.

  2. 2.

    In March 2016 the UK Government published a White Paper (Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2016), setting out for the first time in fifty years the government’s ambition and strategy for the cultural sectors in England . Scottish Government ministers are partners in a national Creative Learning Plan (Alba Chruthachail/Creative Scotland and Riaghaltas Na h-Alba/The Scottish Government 2013), and in 2015 the Welsh Government published Creative Learning through the Arts—an action plan for Wales (Llywodraeth Cymru/Welsh Government 2015), intended to improve attainment through creativity , to increase and improve arts experiences in schools, and to support teachers and arts practitioners in developing their skills .

  3. 3.

    To be known as T-Levels, a reform of vocational education qualifications that will sit alongside A-Levels, the advanced level qualifications usually taken at age 18 in more academic subjects.

  4. 4.

    Crafts Council. 2017. Crafts Council Response the Building Our Industrial Strategy: Green Paper. http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/content/files/17-04-11_Consultation_response_final.pdf. Accessed 24 May.

  5. 5.

    A term allegedly coined at the Hamburg Messe, Industry 4.0 integrates technologies from the Internet of Things with other technological advances in production and manufacturing systems.

  6. 6.

    See also Creative Industries Federation (2015).

  7. 7.

    General Certificate of Secondary Education , usually taken in England at age 16.

  8. 8.

    Entry Level and Level 1.

  9. 9.

    The entry process differs in each of the four UK nations.

  10. 10.

    Crafts Council. 2017. “Crafting Professional Practice Through Higher Education”. http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/research-reports/. Accessed 24 May.

  11. 11.

    Charged on most non-domestic properties. See https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates/overview.

  12. 12.

    Areas exempt from office to residential change of use permitted development right 2013.

  13. 13.

    A general, broadly based consumption tax assessed on the value added to goods and services.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Head of Research and Policy, Crafts Council, London, UK

    Julia Bennett

Authors
  1. Julia Bennett
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Correspondence to Julia Bennett .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Anna Mignosa

  2. Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Priyatej Kotipalli

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Bennett, J. (2019). Crafts Policies in the UK. In: Mignosa, A., Kotipalli, P. (eds) A Cultural Economic Analysis of Craft. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02164-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02164-1_12

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-02163-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-02164-1

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

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