Arts & Craft
If someone says ‘Arts & Craft’, what’s the first thing you think? Probably painting or pottery? But the Arts & Craft sector is so much more than that.
Arts & Craft is the creation of visual or artisanal objects. It’s mostly a freelance and project-based sector, and many who work in this sector have ‘portfolio careers’ (which means you have a number of different products that create different incomes). So a glass artist might also have a number of other craft skills that involve glass that bring in income (such as making glass props for TV & film). The specialism in a specific arts or craft medium means you often get requests for unique projects, which means most in the space end up diversifying their income streams.
A lot of people find the idea of living as a full time artist or craft practitioner a daunting one, wondering where to start and how it can be financially stable. However, many individuals across the country build successful careers! With new opportunities for specialist creators, art residencies, craft grants and other funding coming up every week, the arts & craft industry is booming more than ever, and there’s a role for everyone!
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‘Arts’ refers to the industry of the creative visual arts.
The creative visual arts are traditionally painting, sculpting and drawing. The industry around it are those who support the artists.
You can aspire to be a visual artist, but there are also other careers in the industry that are less spoken about, for example being an art dealer, agent or working in artech (the new and booming digital side of the art world).
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Craft is making a physical object by using the hands.
Craft can include; weaving, carving, pottery, embroidery, macrame, beading, sewing, quilting, and many other forms.
The craft world is transforming everyday, with new technology developments allowing for more intricate designs to be done in shorter time, for example 3D Printing and any type of digital craft.
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👀Whilst it's not possible to make a like-for-like comparison on the number of makers who are earning their living through craft in the UK currently, it's likely that this figure far exceeds 32,000.
⚡️A growing craft revival has led to the rapid rise of both makers and consumers. The total value of UK craft sales is estimated to have increased from £883 million in 2006 to over £3 billion in 2019 (Mintel, Hobbies and Interests – UK, February 2021).
❗️ Fine art (drawing and painting) and textiles (e.g., knitting and sewing) are by far the most popular art and craft hobbies, undertaken by 56% and 47% respectively of those who have engaged in arts and crafts activities during the past 12 months (Mintel, Hobbies and Interests – UK, February 2021).
🌲31% of makers have changed their practice in the last three years in response to environmental concerns.
🎨Data from a-n (a sector support body for artists) estimates that around 37,000 people work in the UK visual arts sector.
❓A study was done in 2006 about the craft industry and the state of it at that time, and then a more recent study was done in 2020 which has covered the 14 year gap between the two.
⁉️ At the time of the 2006 study, there were an estimated 32,000 professional makers in England and Wales, generating a turnover of £826m.
💰 Over the last 10 years, the UK's arts industry has grown by over 10% in real terms.
📈 The UK Arts and Culture industry has been growing at a rate of 3.2% since 2008, according to official figures from the British Film Institute.
📊The value of the UK arts industry has increased by 47% in the last decade.
🤩 The UK crafts industry has grown by 24% since 2008 (2014 stat).
👏🏻The UK's crafts and design industry grew by an average of 6.7% per year in real terms between 2007 and 2017, increasing employment by over 25% during this period. By volume, the industry has grown by over 30% in the last decade.
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Arts:
💾 Well, the latest art movement is a little thing called an art NFT. 2021 was the year for NFTs. Top sales included CryptoPunk #7523 for $11,754,000, Beeple’s “Human One” for $28,985,000, and Pak’s NFT drop “Merge,” which set the record for largest sale by a living artist.
📈 There are now upwards of 40,000 buyers of art NFTs per month, and upwards of $20 million in sales are generated a week!
🗝 NFT and blockchain technology can offer new ways for artists to connect with buyers, increase access to and democratisation of the art world, and provide new ways of thinking about exchange of value in the art space.
Craft:
🌟 The findings of the 2020 crafts council report demonstrate how significantly the market for craft has grown, powered by favourable social trends and e-commerce.
💰 The groups fuelling that growth tend to be younger, less specialist interest, less affluent, mass market buyers consuming many more products but at a more modest level.
🌳 Consumer preferences are in part prompted by growing interest in sustainability, provenance and supply chain integrity.
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The Arty Teacher has some incredible free resources for schools & students, as well as a list of recommended schools speakers/people who can help your students learn more in person and they’re based all across the UK!
Tate has created a learning microsite for kids to familiarise themselves with artistry
Like the sound of Arts & Craft?
Learn more on the ERIC app through our industry guides. When you’re ready to explore further, you can start browsing the Arts & Craft section for opportunities, events, courses, employers and more!