Situating Craft Guilds in the Creative Economy: Histories, Politics and Practices

The currency, role and practices of craft guilds represent a significant gap in our knowledge and understanding of the contemporary creative sector. This lack of critical attention seems to imply that they are marginal, nostalgic, and anomalous, in contrast with other creative sub-sectors such as 'digital media'. Yet craft guilds display a very distinctive combination of notable characteristics: unusually longstanding and resilient, with deep historical roots and wide cultural trajectories; typically artist-maker led; specific to a particular range of practices; quality-controlled through specialised aesthetics of skill, born of long apprenticeship; spatially-defined, with primarily rural 'county' memberships of considerable size; producing work which is the most accessible form of artistic experience for millions of people. As such, their internal governance is deeply implicated in a key range of distinctions and working practices with long histories and complex politics and geographies. The research will examine both the organisation and management of guilds and their functions for their supporting membership within the craft economy. Bringing together both governance and practices, it will interrogate just how rich in contemporary relevance these are for the wider development policies of the 'creative industries', which have recently been given such high national economic priority.

Attention will therefore be given to situating guilds within the formal governance of the sector at regional, national and international scales. This will include the historical context of guild organisation and the links to policy-led, sector-wide, support initiatives in the twentieth and twenty-first century. It is timely to note that the activities that the supposedly 'marginal' guilds have traditionally organised are precisely those now being aspired to in support of the 'new' broader creative industrial economy - networking, mentoring, supporting micro-businesses, promoting new markets and fostering innovation. Investigating the geographies of guild activities will address key issues here: the dynamics of networking; the sustenance of practitioner-led communities of practice; long-term mechanisms for supporting lone practitioners in peripheral areas; product and market innovation.

The place of the guild in the creative life of its membership will also be examined. Historically, guild's have been understood to offer practitioners a variety of opportunities to network with their peers, display and sell their work, access continued professional development, and be part of a practitioner led network that champions their craft at a regional, national and international scale. This research will ask practitioners about the role and value of the guild in their practice over the course of their career. Given the powerful legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement with its ethos of mutuality and socialist principles, this research will seek to understand the moral and ethical politics embedded in guild members' practices. By investigating the politics of craft in a historical context, the research will seek to question and understand the implications of craft politics for contemporary guild organisations.

This research will offer a historically and geographically situated analysis of contemporary guilds within the broader context of the creative industries. At present the craft industry contributes £3 billion GVA to the UK economy (with an estimated potential for further growth of 63%) and employs up 13% of people working within the creative sector (around 88,000 people) many of whom hold guild membership. There are over 100 self-defined craft guilds operating across the UK and many more guild-styled associations. The research will consider the role of contemporary craft guilds in fostering development and innovation for their members, and will bring out the value that understanding guild practices can deliver to the wider creative economy.

Who will benefit from the research?

1. Craft guild officers and membership
2. The Craft Council and World Craft Council
3. Those who strategize and deliver policy in the creative industries sector
4. General craft audiences and consumers
5. Craft sector
6. Museums, archives and marketing personnel with interests in representing craft histories and practices

How will they benefit from this research?

1. Craft Guild officers and membership: Guilds will be given the opportunity to collaborate in research that will provide historical and contemporary analysis of guild activities and this will help formulation of strategic management, ensure the interests of guild members are being served and enable deeper public engagement.

2. Craft Council and World Craft Council: This research will support The Crafts Council's strategic aim to build a strong economy and infrastructure for contemporary craft by undertaking rigorous analysis of the key professional practitioner led networks that support craft makers throughout the UK. It is anticipated that the findings may assist the World Craft Council with the development of craft strategies in other national contexts.

3. Those who strategize and deliver policy in the creative industries sector: The ways in which guilds deliver key elements of the creative economy skills kit will inform creative sector strategists looking for sustainable policies.

4. General craft audiences and consumers: The Craft Council identifies a broad public audience for the craft sector. This research will be used for audience engagement in the short term and will influence the strategic development and market expansion of the craft sector.

5. Craft sector: Although the craft sector is a significant part of the creative economy it is often sidelined in relation to digital media. High profile research situating crafts within the creative economy will assist in raising the profile of the sector.

6. Museums, archives and marketing personnel with interests in represent craft histories and practices: This research will produce new knowledge and materials that will enhance public engagement with the craft sector.

What will be done to ensure that they benefit from this research?

Stakeholder Committee:
The key beneficiaries have been consulted in the development of this project and in the establishment of the key objectives. This consultation strategy will continue throughout the project with the establishment of a Stakeholder Steering Group who will work with the PI and RF to ensure the needs of the beneficiaries are met. The Research and Knowledge Transfer team at Exeter University will support the steering group.

Beneficiaries' workshop and report:
A beneficiaries' workshop will be delivered which will be open to all who have a stake in the broad outcomes of the project. Invitations for this event will be sent to creative arts governance agencies across the sector. The workshop will be recorded and hosted on the project website to enable a wider audience to engage with the outcomes of the project. An end of project report will be published for beneficiaries hosted on the University of Exeter project website in perpetuity. This will be circulated electronically and presented in hard copy to key policy audiences (e.g. Department for Culture Media and Sport; Crafts Council; Arts Council and World Crafts Council).

General public engagement:
The RF and PI will write an article for The Crafts Council magazine, which is aimed at a general audience. Materials from the research suited to public audience engagement will be shared with guilds, museums and archives. Copies of research findings will be circulated in hard copy and will also be available on the website of the project.

Research and Professional Skills for staff working on the project:
Staff will enhance their trans