Local craft showcased around the world

With internationally-recognised maker talks, behind the scenes studio tours and maker clips, August Craft Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the local artists, designers and makers who all invest so much effort into growing the craft sector across Northern Ireland.

In addition to the digital events, which include a webinar series with some of the leading names in the craft world, there will be a special exhibition at Craft NI’s gallery throughout August and September.

With August Craft Month taking place against a backdrop of a worldwide pandemic, Northern Ireland’s craft makers have submitted works which were inspired by the lockdown period for the ‘Unlocked’ exhibition.

August Craft Month is coordinated by Craft NI on behalf of the craft sector and funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Craft NI Director, Katherine McDonald said: “This is the 14th annual August Craft Month and with everything that is going on in the world at present it will certainly be the most unique. The craft community has not been immune to the effects of the pandemic, with retailers having to close temporarily and fairs and markets suspended. So this made us more determined than ever that we continue to raise the profile of Northern Ireland makers and their beautiful work through August Craft Month. We are so delighted by the range and quality of the pieces submitted for the exhibition.

“August Craft Month will have a different feel this year with many of our events taking place online, but we are excited by the prospects of having a worldwide audience.”

Highlights of August Craft Month 2020 include Craft in Conversation, a weekly webinar series which will be hosted by BBC Radio Ulster’s Culture Cafe presenter and one of the best-known voices for the Arts in Northern Ireland, Marie-Louise Muir. Marie-Louise will be in conversation with leading figures within the craft world. The series will feature Glenn Adamson, a curator and writer who is currently Senior Scholar at the Yale Centre for British Art and Kate Malone, the London-based ceramic artist who was recently a judge on the BBC’s Great Pottery Throw Down with Sara Cox. The series will end with a discussion on how craft businesses can bounce back through the pandemic – Bill and Chrstine Steenson established the successful Steensons jewellers in Belfast and Glenarm and will talk about business resilience during challenging times.

For more information on the events across Northern Ireland, visit www.craftni.org/augustcraftmonth.