'the shape of things' was a national craft initiative which supported culturally diverse artists to make and show significant new work; which developed new audiences for contemporary craft; and which stimulated debate about diversity in craft. This site provides a lasting legacy and archive for the main programme which finished in June 2012
These are the key reports produced by 'the shape of things'. Other documents are in the archive pages
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Legacy document which summarises the initiative and what it achieved
A detailed account of 'the shape of things' by its instigator, producer and Director, David Kay
Hybrid were commissioned by 'the shape of things' in 2010 to undertake an in depth evaluation of the programme
These toolkits and publications will provide support for developing and managing initiatives such as 'the shape of things'
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Commissioned by the Arts Council, this publication goes beyond criticism to propose a new concept of creative diversity to promote a culturally integrated British society.
Arts Council's reports on diversity
This link takes you to a list of Arts Council England's reports on diversity
Toolkits from Arts Council England
A range of toolkits from Arts Council England, many on developing audiences
Forming Ideas aimed to broaden and strengthen the debate around contemporary craft practice and to build national and international networks
Museumaker was a programme which unlocked the creative potential of collections through imaginative interchanges between the heritage and contemporary craft sectors
A Guide to Unlocking the Potential of Collections through Contemporary Craft
A comprehensive toolkit by Museumaker which explains in detail how museums and artist makers can work together on the creation of new work
Making it to Market: Developing the market for contemporary craft
This report represents the findings of a two-year long research programme by Morris Hargreaves McIntyre into the market for craft, with a specific focus on contemporary fine craft
Information from the Crafts Council for people who want to buy and sell craft
Crafts Council research reports
The link takes you to the Crafts Council's research reports
Recording the Crafts is based at the School of Creative Arts at the University of the West of England, Bristol and gathers materials which will act as a resource for those researching the nature of the crafts. These materials are usually in the form of digital video and sound recordings of people who have been intimately associated with the development of the crafts in Britain
The organisations below provide support and information linked to the aims and values of 'the shape of things'
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Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people's lives
iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) creates exhibitions, publications, multimedia, education and research projects engaging with new ideas and emerging debates in the contemporary visual arts which reflect the diversity of contemporary society
Audiences UK aims to further thinking in audience development and to disseminate information to help the sector's sustainability
The Contemporary Art Society develops public collections of contemporary art by working with Museums and Galleries across the UK
The National Society for Education in Art and Design is the leading national authority concerned with art, craft and design across all phases of education in the UK
The Crafts Council's goal is to make the UK the best place to make, see, collect and learn about contemporary craft
details about 'the shape of things' from stats to the audience development framework...
the exhibitions extended our crafts audiences and our audiences from diverse communities...
has a history of exhibiting work by Black and Asian artists and in the past has shown work by...
Wahid's work is intensely personal. It communicates instantly her need to express...
the exhibition here meant that the initiative could engage with a privately run gallery and...
the experiment is running now, the reactants and their medium are selected...
both sets of work are extremely moving and beautiful. An exhibition to engage both the emotions and the intellect...
I want to prove that craft can step out of its domestic environment to engage with a wider public audience...
this has given me time to examine the cultural legacy of my Iranian heritage and how that makes itself visible in my practice...
just like the differently coloured and contrastingly textured clays hewn from the Earth we are all of one substance, despite our superficial differences...
with 3D Design Craft Students at De Montfort University, Leicester...
when I record words, I create something; a tangible paragraph that no one else can replicate...
I was introduced to new ways of thinking and practices, a fact that was amazing...
describes how the fusion of her Vietnamese and French background and cultural experience...
the role of exhibition in provoking thought is at the core of achieving the ambitions for 'the shape of things'...
a quick tour of Alinah Azadeh's exhibition at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery...
upholds the re-use, repair and value of handwork with materials sourced from her family and friends...
timelapse of his exhibition installation at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery...
is interested in the sculptural potential of functional objects and investigating the notion of cultural identity and the artist...
we met just as I had started wearing the headscarf and was being seen as a 'muslim artist', which I am, but not just that...
