A year-long programme, presented by Crafts, exploring English identity and culture through the lens of craft
This Country is a year-long programme exploring the role of craft in shaping English identity and culture. We’re inviting you, the craft community, to be part of this expansive discussion about what craft has meant and could mean for this country: the traditions we value, the voices that matter and the role of making in contemporary society.
In collaboration with an inspiring group of makers and thinkers across the country, we will challenge preconceived notions about our heritage and paint a bolder vision for the future of craft in England – online, in person and in print.
Why this, why now, and why England?
For myriad historic and structural reasons, England dominates political discourse in the UK and has a disproportionate impact internationally. It’s also the British nation suffering most from an identity crisis in a changing world, the twists and turns of which matter to us all – whether we consider ourselves ‘English’ or not.
Crafts has often turned a lens on specific countries and cultures – our exploration of Scottish identity through tartan, a spotlight on the Mexican makers challenging stereotypes, a focus on Ukrainian craftspeople putting a modern twist on folk traditions and the Arab designers responding to regional upheaval, are just some examples. (all these links are to past issues of Crafts, available for members to read in our digital archive.) Rarely, though, have we turned a spotlight on English identity – a contentious subject that evokes strong emotions and polarised reactions.
Now, at a moment of political change, against backdrop of global conflict, environmental catastrophe and a tectonic shift in the international power balance, it’s time to confront difficult, and often avoided, questions about England's culture and national identity head on, as well as making a case for craft and its role in society at a time of flux. We believe creative minds can envisage and build a better future, while also shining a light on hidden truths and challenging our assumptions. In asserting why making matters, we also ask ourselves what and who we value and what we stand for.
We want to hear as wide a range of views as possible in shaping this programme to understand the people, projects and stories you want us to cover. We also want to create space for free discussion and debate that isn't constrained by editorial decision making. We are currently thinking about how best to do this, and welcome your suggestions.
What next?
Over the summer of 2024, we asked you to help us decide what questions we need to address as part of This Country. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your thoughts with us.
Over the next 12 months, we will explore the various facets of Englishness through four themes – through events taking place across the country, as well as digital content. As well as being interrogative, we also hope to entertain, inspire, amuse and inform you.
PART 1: PEOPLE (Oct-Dec)
We challenge stereotypes surrounding Englishness and delve into the interplay between tradition and modernity. From the tastes and eccentricities that shape our interiors and buying choices, to societal norms surrounding class, politeness and humour – we unravel and reconstruct the complexities of English identity through craft.
PART 2: SEA (Jan-March)
We navigate England's maritime history and its global connections, confronting its colonial legacies, the confluences of cultures that have shaped its craft and how the nation is perceived from the outside, as well within the British Isles. Through craft, we redefine ‘brand England’ and envision a decolonised and just future where our vision of craft is purposeful and inclusive.
PART 3: FOREST (April-June)
The green and pleasant land goes under the microscope, as we delve into the materials and ecologies we have long relied on and how they are changing in the climate emergency. From efforts to revive threatened resources, to the global origins of our botanical heritage, to the limits of growth – both environmental and economic – we dig into the profound, and changing, relationship between England and its verdant landscapes.
PART 4: TOWN (July-Sept)
What is the role of craft in an urban future? Our final season explores making in the metropolis, the creative businesses engaged in placemaking, and the intersection between technology with tradition. From small-scale manufacturing to handmade architecture, we envision a future where craft thrives in our towns and cities, enriching communities and infusing daily life with cultural depth.
How can I get involved?
This is a Crafts programme, so Crafts members will have preferential access to tickets, as well as being able to enjoy exclusive content and the permanent This Country digital archive. However, we want to engage as many people as possible in this conversation of vital importance so are inviting the wider craft community to get involved in various ways, which we will be announcing soon.
In the meantime you can share any ideas or thoughts with us on crafts@craftsmagazine.org.uk with the subject line 'This Country'. Please note that we receive a huge volume of emails to this address, so we can't guarantee a response to all emails or that every suggestion will be taken up, but we will use the feedback to shape the programme as a whole. While we can't credit or platform all suggestions and comments, we will try to showcase a sample of ideas on social media so please provide your social media handles alongside your comments if you're happy for us to name you.
Please do also take some time to read our community guidelines for communicating with our team and with other members of the craft community.
How can I support you?
We are also seeking partners, sponsors and advertisers who can fund this programme, in part or in whole so please do reach out to us if you'd like to discuss these options or if you have any suggestions or connections that might help us.
16 May opening discussion: In a conversation at Crafts Council Gallery at our Spring/Summer issue launch party, speakers V&A East director (and Crafts editor-at-large) Gus Casely-Hayford, artist Corbin Shaw, and designer-researcher Shai Akram considered the often thorny relationship between craft and heritage in England what can be gained if we start to resolve this.
Listen to the recording on our website or on Spotify – or using the embedded link below.
