After a successful first year in 2020, Craft Week Scotland - a nationwide celebration of Scottish contemporary craft - returned in 2021. 

Taking place in-person and online across Scotland from Monday 25 – Sunday 31 October 2021, Craft Week Scotland highlighted the vibrant craft sector to encourage communities across Scotland to discover, shop and learn about contemporary craft. 

Nationwide lockdowns in 2020 and early 2021 had a significant impact on the sector, seeing the closure of galleries, shops and studios. These closures saw big changes in the way that makers produce work and earn a living. In 2021, makers, curators and craft destinations were thrilled to be able to open their doors to the public and craft enthusiasts once more, with Craft Week Scotland 2021 shining a light on the country’s talented craft community.  

As well as online workshops and exhibitions, Scotland’s craft community were invited to host in-person Craft Week Scotland Associated Events such as: open studios, pop-up shops, workshops and exhibitions. 
  

Craft Week Scotland provided makers and craft destinations with a platform to share works and events with craft enthusiasts across Scotland and beyond.  

One of Craft Scotland's key aims as the national development agency for craft is to promote high-quality contemporary craft practice locally, nationally and internationally. We want to encourage Scotland to shop handmade and local, and we are keen to showcase through Craft Week Scotland, this country's talented craft community.  

Craft Week Scotland on Social Media 

Craft enthusiasts joined the conversation on our Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the #CraftWeekScotland hashtag. Makers across the country also took part with our Instagram Takeovers, where we selected five makers to document their inspirations, their process and their working days through exciting Instagram stories. 

During the week, Stoneworker Michelle De Bruin, Fenneke Wolters-Sinke of Fenfolio, Ceramic artist Alison Thyra , Jeweller Jenny Deans and Rebecca Wilson & Jo Pudelko of Central Scotland School of Craft, offered a glimpse into their practice with day-long Instagram Takeovers. Watch our Instagram highlight.  

Craft & Cultural Conversations
 

During Craft Week Scotland, we hosted two online events as part of the Craft & Cultural Conversations talks programme. Placing craft in a cultural context, these insightful talks explored the theme of community in craft, with contributions from a wide range of speakers. 

In the closing Keynote of the talks programme (Thurs 28 October 2021), we heard from Namita Gupta Wiggers - an artist, curator, educator and writer based in Portland, Oregon. Wiggers discussed communities in craft from her perspective as a curator and educator, and the series ended with an overview of the programme's themes by its curator, Dr Catharine Rossi of Kingston University. 

In Empowering Communities (Thurs 28 October 2021), we heard from Edmund Le Brun, co-founder of ISHKAR, and artist/maker Deirdre Nelson in conversation with Dr Stephen Knott, followed by an audience Q&A. In this panel talk, the speakers discussed different approaches to working with and empowering communities who are facing challenges. 

The Craft & Cultural Conversations talks programme attracted audiences from the UK and beyond. Learn more about the online talks programme and our previous speakers. 

As Seen In the Press 
 

Craft Week Scotland received extensive media coverage with multiple press articles, including BBC Radio Scotland, STV, The Scotsman and many regional Scottish titles. Craft Week Scotland press coverage featured a wide variety of makers, craft destinations and craft disciplines, highlighting Craft Week Scotland’s strategic aims.