Bright Future for Craft Scotland - Funding Update 2025-28

4 Feb 2025

If only we had the space exhibition 2024 / Photography by Ruth Esme Mitchell

Craft Scotland is delighted to announce we have been successful in our 2025-28 bid for £1.3 million in funding across the three years from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding Programme.

We value Creative Scotland’s positive recognition and continued support for Craft Scotland’s important role as the national development agency for Scottish contemporary craft.

Our vision is to make Scotland a place where craft’s vital role in our society is recognised as culturally important and essential to our economy. We support the whole craft sector - makers, curators, educators, craft initiatives and organisations. We connect with public audiences to promote the wider value and benefits of craft. Our research and consultation identify the support and conditions that are needed for the sector to thrive and how best these can be achieved.

The three-year funding is essential to deliver on our new Strategic Plan 2025 - 28 created in consultation with the sector and informed by recent research. This investment will enable the Craft Scotland team and Board to manage our resources to deliver a considered and large-scale programme, and maximise investment.

Craft Scotland have a strong track record of delivering high-quality events, selling exhibitions and showcases at home and abroad over the last 16 years. We have ambitious plans for the return of our Presenting Craft programme to continue to raise the profile of Scottish craft with new and existing audiences. This funding will allow us to return to Scotland with a selling showcase, building on the successes of our Summer Show 2012-2019 and previous programmes. We will share more in Spring 2025.

Craft Scotland Director, Irene Kernan said:

"The talent of Scotland’s makers and championing the great work of the Scottish craft sector was our guiding light in developing the Strategic Plan and this funding application. With the support of our partners, we can continue delivering impactful projects. From showcasing Scottish craft at home and globally to fostering learning and professional development, alongside vital advocacy projects.

Craft is a key part of Scotland’s cultural identity, bringing creativity, joy, and wellbeing to communities. We are ambitious for the sector’s future and look forward to supporting its development, nurturing new talent, and expanding its reach in the years ahead. We are committed to supporting the entire craft ecology, ensuring Scotland’s makers continue to thrive and that the needs of the craft sector remain at the heart of our programme.

Our vision is to build on Scotland’s strong reputation for contemporary craft while fostering an environmentally sustainable, diverse, and forward-looking sector. None of this would be possible without the incredible collaboration of our partners, funders, Board, team, and, most importantly Scotland’s makers and craft community - thank you for your dedication and continued support."

Background

Creative Scotland's Multi-Year Funding Programme 2025-28 is “designed to support organisations delivering sustained programmes of creative and cultural activity” over three years. It has been a long 19-month process, and the challenges and impacts on organisations, programme delivery and their teams have been widely documented.

The Multi-Year Funding Programme was a highly competitive fund. 500+ applicants submitted ‘expressions of interest’ in advance of the application process. For Stage 1, Creative Scotland received 361 applications and saw 281 applications progress to Stage 2, with a collected annual ask of £87.5m. After sustained lobbying by the sector led by Culture Counts - Craft Scotland was also part of these efforts - there was positive news in the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2025/26 including a budget increase for Creative Scotland.

Creative Scotland announced on Thurs 30 Jan 2025 that 251 applications had been awarded Multi-Year Funding, enabling more than £200m in support. Read Creative Scotland’s announcement and see the full organisation list on their website.

If you have thoughts you would like to share on the above topic, please get in touch with the Craft Scotland team via email hello@craftscotland.org.