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Maker Application Criteria - Craft Directory
This page will outline and explain the full application process, from what to consider before you apply, to all eligibility criteria and the review calendar.
Please make sure you have read through all the below guidelines before submitting your application.
If you have any queries about the Maker Application Criteria for the Craft Directory, please get in touch with the Craft Scotland team at hello@craftscotland.org before applying.
On this page:
1. About the review process
The Craft Directory Selection Panel meets three times a year and is composed of three members of the Craft Scotland team. You can find the Review Calendar in section 7 on this page.
All applications are assessed against the Maker Eligibility Criteria outlined in section 5 or the Craft Directory Criteria outlined in section 6.
These criteria are in place to ensure that the review and selection process is fair and consistent and that all applicants are reviewed against the same set of criteria.
Our criteria also allows Craft Scotland to consider each application in relation to the Craft Directory’s mission and curatorial vision to showcase the breadth of Scottish contemporary craft from professional makers across the country.
After the review meeting, you will be sent an update on the outcome of your application. You can find details of the possible application outcomes in Maker Application Status outlined in section 8.
- Are a professional maker, living and working in Scotland*
- Work in one or more of Craft Scotland’s eligible disciplines
- That all your work is your design and made by you (or small-batch production under your direct supervision)**
- Meet the Maker Eligibility Criteria outlined in section 5 and the Craft Directory Criteria outlined in section 6
*Location: we support makers who are living and working in Scotland. Makers who are not based in Scotland full-time must demonstrate in their application that a fundamental aspect of their creative practice is actively taking place in Scotland for over six months of the year.
**Production: Handmade objects should be designed and made in Scotland. If part of the design or production takes place outside of Scotland, this should be clearly stated and justified in the application, and the maker’s work should fit the Maker Criteria outlined in section 5.
3. High-quality images
Please note that as part of your application you will be asked to provide a minimum of five high-quality images of your work. High-quality images are important for the Panel to confidently assess your work and your specific craft-making skills.
Please ensure that your selected works form a cohesive collection that will best reflect your craft practice.
Craft Scotland’s curatorial approach focuses on contemporary craft practices where the maker’s use of materials, techniques and overall design intention demonstrates their unique voice, and a desire to experiment and present new perspectives.
You can read more about the disciplines Craft Scotland support, how we define contemporary craft within our programme, and how to send us feedback, on the About: What is Contemporary Craft? page.
If you are unsure about your eligibility for the above, please get in touch with the Craft Scotland team at hello@craftscotland.org to discuss before applying.
4. Craft Directory Fee - Maker Profiles
The annual fee for a Maker Profile on the Craft Directory is £49.
Craft Scotland is committed to supporting makers in the development of a sustainable creative and business practice throughout their career.
Our programme provides support, advice, information, learning and development, and showcases opportunities for makers of all backgrounds, in all disciplines and at all stages of their career.
As we are a registered charity, your Craft Directory subscriptions will help us continue to deliver a vibrant annual programme that supports makers and connects communities with Scottish contemporary craft year-round, online and in-person.
To meet the Maker Eligibility Criteria, you will need to demonstrate in your application that you meet at least one of the criteria of Section A, and at least two criteria of Section B.
These sections are part of the online form and you will be able to provide details of which criteria you meet when submitting your application.
Section A: Training
We understand that there are many different types of makers and craft businesses in Scotland. We try to be flexible in our evaluation of professional development and training when reviewing applications to the Craft Directory to accommodate for the variety of routes into craft.
You should meet at least one of the following:
- You have been practising professionally for at least three years
Or
- You have trained as an apprentice in your craft discipline
Or
- You hold a degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant area
Section B: Your Professional Development
We define a professional maker as someone who is actively involved with the contemporary craft sector, and who can show that part of their revenue comes from their craft practice or work in the craft sector. This involves a wide range of activities, including exhibiting and selling work, teaching and researching.
You must be able to say yes to at least two:
- You have exhibited your work publicly within the last 36 months at a curated show, selected fair, exhibition and/or event (this excludes degree shows)
Or
- You have received one or more prizes, awards or bursaries for professional practice
Or
- Your work has been positively reviewed or featured in an art journal, magazine or newspaper**
Or
- You have been engaged by contractual agreement in an artist's placement scheme (e.g. a residency)
Or
- Your work has been purchased for one or more public collections
Or
- You are represented by a gallery
Or
- Your work is stocked in one or more quality outlets
** You must be able to provide a press cutting in digital format, or a link to the publication as part of your application for this criterion to be met. The form will allow you to upload an attachment or add a link (URL).
6. Craft Directory Criteria - Maker Profiles
Alongside the above Maker Eligibility Criteria, the Craft Scotland Selection Panel will consider if your work and practice meet our Craft Directory Criteria.
The Craft Directory Criteria help us identify if the application will sit coherently with all other profiles on our Craft Directory, and if the Craft Directory would be the best strand of our programme to support the applicant’s work at the time of application.
To meet the Craft Directory Criteria, the Selection Panel will consider the following:
- Does the maker have high-quality imagery for the work presented?
- Does the application show a unique maker’s voice and a coherent body of work or a coherent direction the work is evolving towards?
- Does the work show evidence of being well-designed? By well-designed, we mean that the work shows a strong concept and is intentionality carried through from the initial idea to the final product.
- Does the work show evidence of being skilfully made?
- Will the work coherently fit with other work featured on the Craft Directory?
- Does the application meet the minimum Maker Eligibility Criteria?
Our wider programme provides support, advice, information, learning and development and showcasing opportunities for makers of all backgrounds, in all disciplines and at all stages of their career.
We aim to provide every applicant with feedback on their application to signpost them to the most relevant resource(s) and programme strand(s) that will help them further their craft and business practices.
Learn more about our programme on our Projects pages.
7. Review Calendar
The Craft Scotland Selection Panel meets three times a year to review submitted applications.
Below are the upcoming dates for the Panel and the corresponding submission deadline for applications.
You can submit your application for the Craft Directory at any time during the year. Upon submitting your application, you will receive an email confirming the current year’s review calendar. Your application will then be reviewed by the Craft Scotland Selection Panel at the next panel following the deadline for application.
We reserve the right to change these dates, please always check this page for the most up-to-date Review Calendar.
Winter Review 2024/25
Deadline for applications: 5pm, Tues 4 Feb 2025
Application outcome: Week beginning 25 Feb 2025
Spring/Summer 2025
Deadline for applications: 5pm, Tues 3 Jun 2025
Application outcome: Week beginning 24 Jun 2025
Autumn 2025
Deadline for applications: 5pm, Tues 7 Oct 2025
Application outcome: Week beginning 28 Oct 2025
Application outcome dates are given as an indicator, and we may take longer to come back to you on your application. Read our full Terms and Conditions.
8. Maker Application Status
After the Craft Scotland Selection Panel have made their decision on your application, you will be notified of the outcome via email and your application will be processed on our website.
Their decision will be one of the following:
A. Eligible
If you meet the Maker Eligibility and Craft Directory Criteria, your application is successful.
You will receive your annual payment link via email, and once your payment has been processed, your profile will go live on our website.
You will then be able to log in to add more information, add visuals and create collections, as well as to take advantage of the full Craft Directory benefits.
B. Eligible, Pending Information
In certain cases, an application will meet the Maker Eligibility and Craft Directory Criteria, but we would like to request new images or additional information. Your application will be marked Eligible, Pending Information.
Once you have provided the new images or additional information, we will finalise your application within two working weeks.
Your new Maker profile will then be ready to go live on the Craft Directory. You will receive your annual payment link via email, and once your payment has been processed, your profile will go live on our website.
You will then be able to log in to add more information, add visuals and create collections, as well as to take advantage of the full Craft Directory benefits.
C. Non-Eligible
If you do not meet the Maker Eligibility and/or Craft Directory Criteria, your application will unfortunately not be eligible to move forward.
Craft Scotland believes that feedback is an important and integral part of supporting maker development. For each application that is non-eligible, we will provide feedback on the reasons why it did not meet the Maker Eligibility and Craft Directory Criteria, along with any feedback from the Craft Scotland Selection Panel which you may find useful.
You will be able to re-apply for the next review period should you wish to.
If your Craft Directory application is unsuccessful, you will still be able to access other forms of support to develop your practice on our website. This includes our Maker Community section that includes Opportunities listings and our online Resources. We may signpost you to specific, relevant opportunities or organisations depending on your work.
Craft Directory User Terms & Conditions
If you have any questions, please contact Craft Scotland by email: hello@craftscotland.org
Sections
- Definitions
- Craft Directory User selection criteria
- Your Professional & Personal Contact Details
- Intellectual Property
- Craft Directory Users costs & payment
- Disclaimers & Liability
Definitions
- "Craft Directory User" refers to the user of the Craft Directory
- "Craft Directory User Services" refers to the services that may be made available by Craft Scotland to Craft Directory Users, in relation to the Craft Directory, as detailed below and on the website.
- These Craft Directory User Terms & Conditions set out the additional conditions (over and above the General Terms of Use and the Sales and Payment Terms) relating to joining the Craft Directory as a Craft Directory User and receiving Craft Directory User Services.
Craft Directory User Services
The Craft Directory allows you to promote yourself as a maker. As a Craft Directory User you are provided with an online profile, and on occasion, at the discretion of Craft Scotland, inclusion of your details or Website content in any Craft Scotland print/digital publications, to promote yourself to the www.craftscotland.org online audience.
Your Directory User profile
Your Craft Directory User online profile and inclusion of your details in any Craft Scotland print/digital editions, where available, are considered to be promotional tools for you, and a means for you to create awareness for your work.
Such details will be made available to the public through your online profile on the Craft Directory - showing your professional contact details (including name, contact(s), photographs of your work (collections), a written summary of your CV, and relevant tagging to facilitate searching.
Craft Directory User selection criteria
Please note that in order to maintain a high standard of work and presentation on the Craft Directory, there is a submission process. For instance, the quality of images, text and work of the applicant will be assessed in the first instance by Craft Scotland, and for shortlisted/appeals there is an independent external selection panel. Your application for Craft Directory User may be refused based on the criteria set out, in which case you will be notified and no payment link will be sent.
Craft Directory logo
Directory Users or their agent(s) may use the Craft Directory logo on their own website provided that:
- It is a single instance of the Craft Directory logo used as a link to our website www.craftscotland.org
(b) It is in the context of a factual correct reference to your involvement with the Craft Directory and the logo does not imply Craft Scotland's endorsement of any website or online service
(c) You notify hello@craftscotland.org including the full web address of the page(s) where our logo is used
(d) Where requested by Craft Scotland, you immediately remove such logo from your website.
Craft Directory publically accessible content
As our Craft Directory is a promotional tool, data included in these public profiles may be accessible by the public via wide circulation or redistribution, and via our historical archives. Therefore you should never include any data on your online public profile that you would wish to remain private.
Craft Scotland is not responsible for the content of the Craft Directory, or the actions of the public in relation to the available content.
Professional information you supply
You confirm that all information provided by you is truthful, honest and accurate. Craft Scotland reserves the right to edit the information you supply if Craft Scotland wishes to reduce the amount of information displayed or to amend, refuse or substitute any information tendered if Craft Scotland reasonably considers it unsuitable or inconsistent with the general standard, appearance or policy of Craft Scotland or the Craft Directory.
Your Professional & Personal Contact Details
Professional contact details
Please note that Craft Scotland may publish the business contact details you provide on our Site, the Craft Directory and in our other directories (where known to us as such).
Personal contact details
Your submission of personal information through the Website is governed by our Privacy Policy.
Craft Scotland will need to contact you from time to time with information relating to your Craft Directory Users, the Craft Directory and other publications. It is your responsibility to ensure that we have current and valid contact information for you, at all times, so that we can contact you with information about Craft Directory Users and, where Craft Scotland considers it appropriate and where you have agreed to this, so that you can receive information about opportunities from third parties.
Your email address
Craft Scotland uses email as a method of communicating with its Craft Directory Users. Information emailed to you may contain confidential information about you. It is your responsibility to keep Craft Scotland informed of your up to date email address, to keep such email address secure and ensure that the relevant logins are not known by anyone else.
Owing to the nature of email and the internet, Craft Scotland cannot take responsibility for the successful delivery of email to your chosen email provider. Please ensure that you set up your spam filter / junk mail folder correctly to ensure that emails from Craft Scotland (including automated emails) can be received.
You can update your contact preferences at any time by logging onto our Site.
Please see our Privacy Policy for further information relating to our use of your personal data and any other information that you provide.
Intellectual Property
Restrictions & responsibilities
The intellectual property rights in, or copyright over, the content and/or information sent or made available via the Craft Directory or otherwise on the Website should be the property of the relevant Craft Directory User who makes it available or, in the case that it is not provided by a Craft Directory User, the person who provides the content or information.
If the Craft Directory User or such other contributing person does not own the intellectual property rights or copyright, the Craft Directory User must obtain a licence or consent from the owner for such use in advance.
It is the responsibility of each Craft Directory User to ensure that they have full consent to the use of the copyright for all photography, voice-clips, video and any other content featured as part of their Craft Directory Users. You confirm that any such use, as set out in these Terms & Conditions, including the technical, development and research purposes set out below will not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party.
It is the responsibility of each Craft Directory User to ensure they have any necessary consent from any relevant third party to list details of productions/projects they have been involved in, or will be involved in. You should confirm that any such list does not disclose any confidential information provided by you without you obtaining the relevant consent.
Photographs: further notes
You must provide us with the name of the photographer for all photographs submitted to the Website and the Craft Directory. Photographers must be credited, according to copyright law. We reserve the right to refuse any photograph which we consider unsuitable or inappropriate or should you fail to provide suitable crediting information through the online form.
As a craft directory user you agree to:
A. Grant to the Craft Scotland and its subsidiaries or agents a perpetual, royalty-free, irrevocable, non-exclusive licence (together with the right to sub-licence) in respect of any materials or content submitted to the Craft Directory or to Craft Scotland, its subsidiaries and/or its appointed publicity contractor(s) and/or publisher for the purposes of promoting and publicising Craft Scotland, the Craft Directory, Craft Directory Users or their materials and content, the artists whose work is exhibited, any events, fairs, or activities in which the Craft Scotland and its subsidiaries are involved, both nationally and internationally and any other use as set out in these Craft Directory Users Terms & Conditions.
B. To grant permission to the Craft Scotland and its subsidiaries or agents and/or its appointed publicity contractors and/or publishers to create its own images by taking photographs (in such form as the Craft Scotland and its subsidiaries determines) of any exhibit or stand at any event for the same purposes as are mentioned in (a).
The above licences include:
- Permission to copy and hold any materials or content in any medium including but not limited to the use of the materials or content on the Internet;
- The inclusion of the materials or content on the Craft Directory or Craft Scotland and its subsidiaries’ electronic database(s) which may be available to the public
- The right to alter and/or crop any images in order to incorporate them into the overall design of any publicity, or other, material.
C. Agree to ensure your contact information and content is correct and up to date.
D. Agree to completing and submitting a periodical Craft Scotland’s Directory User survey about the service, functionality and usability of the Website. This may include an equalities monitoring form.
Content: uploading material
You must not upload material that is unlawful, defamatory, abusive, obscene, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate to the Website or the Craft Directory, or which you do not have the appropriate rights to use.
Craft Scotland reserves the right to suspend or withdraw Services and/or Craft Directory Users from Directory User Services who violate the Terms & Conditions and not to use, or make available, any material on the Site or Directory which it deems inappropriate, or to remove material from the Site or Directory which it considers to be in breach of these Terms & Conditions.
In the case of you being involved in a dispute between Craft Scotland and a Craft Directory User, between any two or more Craft Directory Users or between a Directory User and any third party, Craft Scotland reserves the right to remove your uploaded material or content from the online Craft Directory and the Website, at its discretion. On resolution of any dispute, Craft Scotland reserves the right to choose not to reinstate your uploaded material at its discretion.
Joining process
You can apply to become a Craft Directory User by following this link to the joining instructions. Please note that the Sales and Payment Terms and the General Terms of Use will also apply to your use of the Site, the Directory and the purchase of Products and/or Services via the Site.
On being successful as a Craft Directory User, your details will go into our database and be made available on our Website at the earliest opportunity. You will then be sent an automated email (to the email address provided on your application) letting you know that your Craft Directory online profile is now live, and allowing you to review the details. Your unique login to the Directory website account page will give you the ability to make changes to your online profile.
It is your responsibility on your profile going live to check all your details are correct and uploaded further digital photographs of your materials and content, and all other required details. Failure to do so will cause delays to the upload of your details onto our Website.
If you have applied to be a Craft Directory User and you have not received an email confirming your successful application and requesting payment within ten working days of applying to the Craft Directory then please contact us immediately.
Website access information
To access the craft directory online services you will be provided with a login. The login is confidential, allowing live changes to your online profile and account administration access, and should never be shared.
You are responsible for all activities on your account/profile, whether carried out by you or someone else on your behalf. You must keep your login information secure and confidential. If you do share the login with an agent, be sure you authorise and instruct them appropriately.
Photograph upload
Craft Directory Users can add new collections and photographs or new photographs to existing collections to their online profiles at any time by logging into their account page and accessing the Craft Directory.
Craft Scotland will review all content on the Craft Directory on a quarterly basis. Craft Scotland reserves the right to delete all or some of a Craft Directory User's media on expiry of their Directory Users or for any other reason, including, but not limited to, withdrawal of media upload services for whatever reason.
Craft Scotland does not offer its Craft Directory Users the ability to download or otherwise recover media files in their original quality or format. Craft Scotland therefore strongly recommends that Craft Directory Users retain their original media files. Furthermore Craft Scotland cannot be held responsible for loss or corruption of data, including accidental or intentional deletion by either party.
Craft Directory Users Costs & Payment
The costs for Craft Directory User is £49 for a Maker profile and £79 for a Place profile.
Your Craft Directory Users is renewed manually by the user following a payment email. New Directory Users joining the Directory may cancel their Directory User Service at any time within 7 consecutive days, such time period beginning on the day after the application for Directory User Service is accepted, without incurring any fee or penalty. No refund is available on an annual Directory User Service after this period other than as set out in these Directory User Service Terms and Conditions.
Submission of your application amounts to an offer by you to purchase a Craft Directory User profile, and is subject to our acceptance. Your Craft Directory User Services starts on our acceptance of your application.
We only accept payments by credit or debit card via our payment system supplier(s). For your convenience and in order to safeguard your payment information all payments are transacted through the secure server of our on-line payment processing provider and once you have entered all relevant information correctly payments will be taken automatically. Invoices are immediately sent to you by e-mail and may be accessed at any time via your account. We take your personal privacy and financial security extremely seriously, please see our Privacy Policy for more information.
Where a payment is declined, our accounts department will contact you for immediate settlement. If the payment is outstanding after 7 working days following our attempts to take payment, we will suspend your online profile and / or access to the Directory. If payment continues to be outstanding after 14 working days following our attempts to take payment we will cancel your Craft Directory User and / or access to the Craft Directory and should you wish to continue with your Directory Users you will need to re-apply.
Please see also our Sales and Payment Terms for more specifics relating to the processing of your payments.
Termination
Any breach of these Craft Directory Users Terms and Conditions could cause inconvenience and loss to the sender or provider of information or other Craft Directory Users, and loss to Craft Scotland. In the event of a breach of these Directory Users Terms and Conditions, Craft Scotland reserves the right to terminate your Directory User Services, your access to the Craft Directory, and any other relevant Services without notice. Craft Scotland reserves the right to withdraw or withhold the Directory Users Services:
a. Where it considers this to be commercially desirable;
b. To ensure quality of service where we consider a Craft Directory User/(s) to lack the relevant credentials or professional experience;
c. Where our staff or other persons are subjected to abusive, offensive or threatening behaviour by any Craft Directory User; or
d. In any other circumstances at Craft Scotland’s absolute discretion.
Directory user service cancellation
In the event that your Directory Users is cancelled or refused by Craft Scotland, a pro-rated refund for the relevant calendar year in which the annual users’ fee has been paid will be given to you.
You will be contacted each year to confirm whether or not you wish your Craft Directory Users Service to continue. Should you decide to terminate your Craft Directory User Service then your previous print/digital entry and/or online profile entry will still run for the duration of time left of your annual Directory Users Service. Should your Craft Directory User Service lapse, we may offer you another chance to re-join before your details are removed from the Website. We may also contact you with one more opportunity to re-join the year after your Craft Directory User Services lapses. We do not guarantee to make these follow up offers. We cannot guarantee to retain any of your personal or professional information after your Craft Directory User Service has lapsed.
If you contact us and ask to cancel with immediate effect we will then remove your online profile (including any multimedia attached) immediately. You would not be eligible for a refund in these circumstances.
When a Craft Directory User cancels their Craft Directory User Service, to the extent we are allowed to do so by applicable law we will retain their contact details in our internal database for reference purposes, for the following reasons:
1. Some details are retained so that if you re-join the Craft Directory you are recognised as an approved former Directory User and your online profile can be activated as quickly as possible; or
2. To ascertain the previous user status of those applying for future Craft Directory User Services.
Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.
Disclaimers & Liability
Due to the inherent nature of the internet, and other technology systems we use, errors, interruptions and delays may occur in the Craft Directory or Directory User Services at any time. Accordingly, the Craft Directory and Craft Directory User Services are provided without any warranties of any kind and we do not accept any liability arising from any inaccuracy or omission in the information or interruption in availability.
Craft Scotland, whilst using every endeavour to publish your profile punctually, will not be liable for any delay in publication.
Because of the promotional nature of your online profile, Craft Scotland cannot control the circulation of information within your online profile by other parties (whether in print/digital editions or online). We also cannot control disposal or re-distribution of our printed/digital products.
Security concerns
Should you believe that your Directory online profile is being linked, without your consent, to any other publicly available area, by an individual or organisation, other than your agent or representative, please inform us. If you have security concerns at any time you may request that Craft Scotland change your Directory password, login and/or URL.
We recommend that you do not list any personal contact details, or information that you wish to remain private, on your Craft Directory online profile. The Craft Directory is a promotional tool and may therefore be circulated widely by Craft Scotland, other Directory Users or third parties.
Status & role of Craft Scotland
Craft Scotland is not an agent, and Craft Scotland does not take commission on work opportunities, commissions or sales found for or by its Directory Users. It does not commission or sell Craft Directory User’s work, material or content.
