MAKING IT
Showcasing emerging artists, makers and designers in the Southwest
24 July – 12 September 2021
Devon Guild of Craftsmen is inviting applications to be part of its ambitious exhibition and development programme for emerging talents in the South West. If you are an artist, maker or designer in the first five years of your creative career and based in the South West of England, we would love to hear from you
Making It aims to be the leading showcase for emerging artists, makers and designers in the South West, celebrating innovation, diversity and collaboration in craft and making. The exhibition will see up to 30 emerging talents shown in the prestigious Jubilee Gallery at Devon Guild of Craftsmen, along with an engaging programme of public events.
Image: Ambrose Vevers, exhibitor in a previous emerging maker show
Devon Guild’s Jubilee Gallery
Why exhibit in Making It?
FREE application process and participation
The opportunity to showcase your craft to a new audience at Devon Guild (In 2019 an average exhibition saw over 16,000 visitors to Devon Guild)
This exhibition falls over Craft Festival weekend (10-12 September), which sees an additional potential 10,000 craft loving audience to Bovey Tracey, home of Devon Guild, during one very busy weekend!
There will be a series of funded CPD and networking sessions for exhibitors led by Cultivator Cornwall with Design-Nation, specifically tailored for emerging makers and new businesses
There will be prizes awarded by leading organisations and people during the show:
Craft Festival will offer a free stand at Craft Festival 2022 and free listing on Find a Maker. In choosing, Craft Festival will prioritise work by Black, Asian and ethnically diverse makers
Design-Nation will award a year’s full membership of Design-Nation with a package of support and opportunities to nurture the creative practice of the winner, for ‘excellence in new creative practice’ in one of the following craft and design categories:
Architectural Product (3D) - Ceramics - Furniture - Glass - Jewellery - Lighting - Metal - Mixed Media - Paper - Surface Design & Print - Textiles: Fashion - Textiles: Interior - Wood
There will be mentoring opportunities on offer from Devon Guild Member artists, makers and designers, established and successful creative businesses.
Am I eligible for Making It?
Applicants must:
Have been practising professionally as an artist, maker or designer for less than 5 years;
Work in an area of craft (including photography, film makers, digital practice, printmaking & sculpture);
Be a resident in the South West (based on Arts Council England’s area boundaries)
Selection Criteria - we are looking for artists, makers and designers who:
Respond and relate to one or more of the exhibition themes (see themes below);
Produce innovative, imaginative work coupled with a sensitive use of appropriate materials;
Show the potential to achieve the highest standards of workmanship and design;
Show a clear sense of personal direction;
Are keen to develop professionally: Cultivator and partners Design-Nation will deliver a series of CPD sessions for exhibitors, selected artists will be expected to attend at least 4 of the 7 events.
Themes
We expect the selected exhibitors to respond to one or more of the following themes:
Innovation
Innovation can happen through well-considered and unexpected new use of traditional techniques or the clever implementation of latest technologies – true to the spirit of craftsmanship, we are interested in the aesthetic and artistic quality of the work as well as the innovative process of making.
Diversity
Diversity is a quality craft often possesses – from the diversity in material, process, and form, to craft’s empowering role in community engagement, social advocacy and identity representation. We aspire to remove barriers and be open to all and strongly encourage applications from individuals currently underrepresented in the creative and cultural sectors. This includes but is not limited to people of African or Caribbean heritage; Arabic heritage; Latin American heritage; East Asian, South Asian and South East Asian heritage; people from traveller communities; disabled people; LGBTQIA+ people and people from a low-income background. For this reason, we will ask about your background in the application.
Collaboration
Collaboration is a crucial part of many creatives’ work; especially in the last 12 months collaboration has become a useful motivator and a channel to the outside world. Where the boundaries between art, craft and design often blur, we see some of the most exciting work happening on the fringe of disciplines.
Important Information
Exhibition dates Saturday 24 July - Sunday 12 September 2021
Delivery dates 16 - 19 July 2021
Collection dates 13 - 15 September 2021
Sales information Devon Guild commission: 50% *sales agreement will be on a sale or return basis.
Selection Panel
Sarah James, Contemporary Craft Festival, Capital of Craft podcast
Takahashi McGil, designers and makers of functional homeware and furniture
Cultivator Cornwall, creative business development programme
Devon Guild of Craftsmen exhibitions team
Jacqueline Moore, Director, MAKE Hauser+Wirth, Somerset
How to Apply
Sounds like something you want to be involved with? Great, here’s what you need to do:
Step 1. Read the Application Information (below)
Step 2. Apply online for FREE using this link
PLEASE NOTE: Applications not submitted in the correct format will be discounted. You will not be notified of this. Therefore, it is important that you read and understand the Exhibition and Application Information BEFORE you apply.
If you have any questions, please contact exhibition curator, Flora Pearson, at flora.pearson@crafts.org.uk
Application Information
Deadline: 9am, 6 May 2021
You will be asked for the following. We suggest you get the information together before you start the online form. Accepted file types are stated below.
Your contact details
Artist CV (Word document or PDF)
Artist statement - this is written directly into the online form and is in 2 parts: 1) up to 250 words about you, your practice and how you relate to the 3 themes of our exhibition; 2) up to 250 words about how you would benefit from this opportunity. If you would prefer to submit files in other format (audio, video), please upload them to platforms such as Dropbox or Vimeo and share the link and password (if applicable) in the relevant space
Details about your background (see ‘Diversity’ above)
6 x high resolution images .jpg / .jpeg [File names must include your first name, surname, and the number of the image. For example, Alex Smith 1, Alex Smith 2, etc. File sizes must be between 700 – 3000KB (3MB) and roughly A4 in dimension. Please provide a short description of each image and retail price, if relevant]
About the Organisers
Cultivator is a professional and business development support programme, focusing on the creative sectors in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. Since its launch in 2017, it has supported over 800 creative individuals, collective, businesses and organisations across the disciplines of visual art, craft, design, performing arts, music, heritage, screen and literature. Innovation and Inclusion is an important strand of support in Cultivator Phase 2 (2019-2022). Cultivator advise and guide businesses and organisations to see the sustainable value of diversifying their workforces, creative output and audiences/client bases; helping them harness the wealth of diversity by adopting inclusive practice.
Devon Guild of Craftsmen is an acclaimed exhibition space for contemporary craft and design located in Bovey Tracey on the edge of Dartmoor. Founded in 1955 by a small group of enthusiastic makers, the Guild has over 250 selected Members from the entire South West region in a wide range of craft. It also supports craft education in a wider context through its educational charity, and profits from its trading ventures help to subsidise this work, which includes the exhibition programme, projects in schools and community groups, lectures and training. Apart from a handful of items, the Devon Guild shop sells only the work of its Members, while the exhibitions aim to show a broad range of the best craft from around the country.
Craft Festival is a non-profit making company and the first Craft Festival started in Bovey Tracey in 2003. Since then, Craft Festival has become a collection of highly selective craft events in Bovey Tracey, Cheltenham and Bath. After a number of years, Craft Festival are merging the brands of their Contemporary Craft Festival and Made by Hand Events.
