Pledge your support for Craft NI and the Arts
Over the next few years, securing funding for craft will be significantly more difficult than in recent times and considerably fewer resources will be available to support and market the craft sector. Craft NI is calling on designer-makers to pledge their support for Craft NI and the Arts by writing to / emailing the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Government Departments and your local MLAs. You can find more information here.

August Craft Month
This year’s theme was the Slow Movement. Over 60 events took place with over 100 designer-makers and organisations taking part. An estimated 30,000 visitors attended events. Through support from Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) we were able to fund radio and billboard advertisements and achieved coverage of over 150 articles in local and national newspapers.

Website www.craftni.org
In July we launched our new web site and e-bulletins, this time thanks to Invest NI and webtraffic has increased by 62% since then. The new site helps to enhance the experience of public audiences who visit it. It also hosts new features such as an online Craft Map of studios, galleries and shops where the public can see, make and buy craft.

Export Development Programme
In 2010/11 we supported 10 designer-makers to attend several high-profile tradeshows including Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, 100% Design and Top Drawer. The project is funded by the Creative Industries Innovation Fund to support export growth and craft business development.

C3 – Collecting Contemporary Craft
This programme was launched on 3 November at the Ulster Museum and sponsored by Northern Bank. Ten designer-makers were selected for the programme which will be used to promote a collectors’ market for craft in Northern Ireland.

Craft & Cultural Tourism
Craft NI has published a document to raise awareness about craft can contribute to Northern Ireland’s cultural tourism portfolio.

Finland Study Visit
In November, representatives from the education and training sector visited Finland to learn about how craft skills and enterprise are delivered within the Finnish schools and colleges. We’ve posted information on our website at www.craftni.org/news.

These are just some of the ways in which Craft NI has been working to support the sector. A list of our planned activities for 2011 is available here. We will also keep you up-to-date by email if you're signed up to our mailing list.