Craft Makers Peer Support Network

31 October 2024

Join Craft NI and Go Succeed on our short programme to connect with craft makers in Northern Ireland, to share experiences, provide mutual support and learn from other experienced craft makers. 

Eligibility for joining these sessions…

We will be offering three sessions during November/December 2024 aimed at:

• businesses who have been actively trading for at least 2-3 years
• who can dedicate themselves to the 3 sessions lasting two hours each
• craft makers participating must come under Craft NI’s supported disciplines which you can find outlined here.

This series of sessions aims to provide craft makers with a supportive peer network where they can develop and nurture opportunities to connect. Go Succeed and Craft NI provide sessions that include a site visit to an established maker with a physical premises. The programme will have no more than 6-10 craft makers taking part. 

Discussions will cover topics such as developing cohesive product ranges, design principles, merchandising, customer identification and relations, website and social media development, and photography. The second session focuses on reaching your audience and buyers, including selling through retailers and galleries. The final session, led by David Crump, Head of Business Incubation at Cockpit, will cover pricing for small craft businesses. 

To participate in this programme, please ensure you’re able to attend all three of the outlined course dates below:

• Wednesday 20th November, 10am-12.00: location: Belfast Ceramics Studio, Maker talk from Helen Faulkner covering trade shows in RoI, product development and the development of her studio business. 

• Wednesday 4th December, 10am-12.00:  in person at the Craft NI Gallery, Belfast. This session will focus on selling through retailers and finding stockists through fairs and markets in GB. Learn from Stephen Farnan of We have It Wrapped Up and Gail Kelly of Algan Arts who has built up a network of stockists in Britain, as well as Craft NI’s Gallery Manager Rachel Thompson. 

• Tuesday 10th December 10am-12.00: online session Pricing your Product. This final session will cover methodologies to arrive at prices for your craft work for sale. 

Apply here.

Deadline to apply midnight, Monday 11th November