30 September 2008

Have your say on the new workforce development plan for the craft sector and influence the skills needed to secure a successful future for the industry.

The Craft Blueprint; a workforce action plan for craft in the UK, addresses skills gaps in the craft sector. A range of ideas and initiatives have been brought together in the past two years by the UK Craft Skills Panel chaired by the Crafts Council in partnership with Creative & Cultural Skills. We would like to hear a range of views on this new workforce development strategy; from craft organisations and makers, business owners, and sole traders to craft retailers and galleries, guilds and societies and anyone who works to support the development of the craft sector or craft makers.

Tom Bewick, chief executive of Creative & Cultural Skills said: “Within the UK, the craft sector is vibrant, innovative, and constantly growing in size and turnover. In order to fulfill its potential to increase the domestic and international market share we need to ensure that the craft workforce is diverse, developed, and at the forefront in best practice and skills and to do this we require feedback on this new plan from those working in the sector.”

Rosy Greenlees, executive director of the Crafts Council said: “We are delighted to have been partners with Creative & Cultural Skills in developing The Craft Blueprint. Craft practice is vital to the long term future of the UK both as a sector in its own right as well as central to other creative disciplines. Ensuring access to those skills as part of a wider strategy for the creative and cultural industries is therefore essential.”

Please go to www.ccskills.org.uk/insight/craft.html to download The Craft Blueprintand post your feedback directly online in the survey questionnaire. The consultation closes 31 October 2008.

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Notes to editors:

Notes to editors:

For more information on this press release please contact Jessica Benson, PR & Marketing Coordinator on 0207 015 1826 or email jessica.benson@ccskills.org.uk

For more information on the Crafts Council please contact Jill Read, Press Officer, Crafts Council, on 020 7806 2549 or email j_read@craftscouncil.org.uk

Creative & Cultural Skills is the sector skills council for the creative and cultural industries. Our remit covers the areas of: advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, and performing, literary and visual arts. Licensed by government in July 2005, Creative & Cultural Skills is one of 25 sector skills councils, known collectively as the Skills for Business Network, to oversee the strategic development of the workforce in our industries and deliver realistic solutions to skills needs. www.ccskills.org.uk

Our remit is UK-wide. Our Chairman is Tony Hall CBE and our Chief Executive is Tom Bewick. Wales is represented by Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Wales Millennium Centre. Scotland is represented by John Stalker, Chief Executive of Festival City Theatres Trust. Northern Ireland is represented by Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of Arts Council Northern Ireland.

Our priorities are outlined in our Strategic Plan 2005-2010.  This document can be downloaded from our website: http://www.ccskills.org.uk/publications/index.asp

Our other partners across the UK craft sector include Craft Scotland, Shetland Arts, Applied Arts Scotland, Cultural Enterprise Office, Craft Northern Ireland, Fforwm Crefft Cymru, Cockpit Arts and Devon Skills of Craftsmen.

The Crafts Council is the national agency for contemporary crafts.  The Crafts Council aims to position the UK as the best place in the world for making, seeing and collecting contemporary craft. For further information about the Crafts Council visit www.craftscouncil.org.uk

The Crafts Council is supported by Arts Council England.