Supporting diversity and expertise development in the contemporary craft economy

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In collaboration with the Crafts Council, this research focuses on the politics of expertise and diversity in the craft economy. Developing initial work in an AHRC-funded Creative Economy Engagement Fund (CEEF) project (to be completed December 2018) which examines how social media can support diversity in craft, this Fellowship intends to develop intellectual, practical and policy contributions pertaining to issues around diversity and expertise in craft. The research primarily seeks to problematise existing notions of expertise in relation to the craft economy, challenging notions of amateur, feminised, craft activities which are perceived to require a lower level of expertise compared to masculinised forms of craftsmanship, such as those lauded in Richard Sennett's The Craftsman (2008). By addressing the framing of expertise in craft, this research will contribute to knowledge on expertise in contemporary craft practice, and provide the underpinning research for policy recommendations to address inequalities in the wider creative sector.This research is partly led by insights from my PhD on how artists develop and signal expertise on social media platforms. In the PhD I found that creatives who have the time and skills to promote their art online are able to make a living, but not everyone has the means to do so. Within the context of existing literature highlighting the precarious and unequal nature of creative work (Banks, 2017) it is essential that creatives from all backgrounds are able to access the resources they need to flourish and/or make a living from their practice. For makers in particular, skills in self-promotion are crucial as the creative sector is predicted to see a 'return to artisanal employment' (Nesta, 2017). As such, makers from all backgrounds should be able to develop the skills to sell products and make themselves visible online, or at least benefit from the opportunities for mutual support and connectivity online (Patel, 2017). Yet my PhD research and insights from the current CEEF point to a lack of confidence and skills with social media use, particularly among women from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. The research will involve an ethnography of makers and spaces around the UK, to examine the forms of craft practice which take place within minority ethnic communities. Though aspects of such practice have been explored in the past, for example Parminder Bhachu's (2004) account of Asian fashion economies, this research is situated within the context of the contemporary digital and cultural economy and seeks to address issues of inequalities in the sector, particularly around gender and race. The project will also include the development of a bespoke STEAMLab workshop for makers to develop digital skills, as part of Birmingham City University's pioneering STEAMHouse programme (www.steamhouse.org.uk) which provides space and facilities for makers, scientists and academics to develop new projects and products. The STEAMLab workshop will explore aspects of creativity and wellbeing through digital skills development, to encourage makers to use digital technologies to flourish through creative expression and connectivity with online maker communities. The insights from the ethnography and workshop will inform the Crafts Council's research strategy and Talent Development Programme. Some interviews with makers will be packaged and edited to form a podcast series on craft practice which will be hosted on the project website. In conjunction with the Crafts Council a policy document will be developed with recommendations for using digital technology to support diversity in craft. As part of the project I will also organise an international conference on expertise and diversity in craft and the creative economy at Birmingham City University. From this I will edit and produce a journal special issue which explores the themes and intellectual questions raised in the conference.