What Craftspace does

Craftspace is a UK-registered educational charity (Charity No. 1001237) founded in 1986 and headquartered at Unit 204 Argent Centre, 60 Frederick Street, in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. It creates opportunities for the public to see, make, and engage with contemporary craft through touring exhibitions (including the long-running Made in the Middle programme), learning and participatory projects, workshops, and consultancy. The organisation curates and commissions work by artists — over 40 years it has worked with 2,500 artists across 500+ exhibitions, reaching 2.8 million viewers and engaging 265,000 people in making activities — and runs social-impact programmes such as the Shelanu migrant and refugee women's craft collective and the Crafting Pathways youth development programme in partnership with The King's Trust and South & City College Birmingham.

The portfolio of products and services comprises retail offerings (Shelanu jewellery collections — Migrating Birds, Interlocking Stories, and Nurture — priced £12–£104; Workshop-in-a-Box craft kits at £23–£110; exhibition catalogues £6–£10), a digital online shop, touring exhibitions for hire to galleries and venues, the Craftspace+ annual membership at £30/yr, optional donations, and paid consultancy. Distribution is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer e-commerce, touring exhibitions delivered through partner venues (Ikon Gallery, mac Birmingham, Leicester Gallery), community workshops at schools and partner venues, email newsletter (circa every 6 weeks), and organic social channels.

The revenue model is grant-dependent: Arts Council England and private trusts and foundations provide core public and philanthropic funding, supplemented by shop sales, exhibition hire fees, membership, donations (including via Easy Fundraising), and consultancy. The organisation is led by Director Deirdre Figueiredo MBE, operates with a 1–10 person team, and had its headquarters seriously damaged by a flood in September 2025, with the team subsequently working mainly from home. It has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed funding rounds or external investment.

Name

Craftspace

Legal name

Craftspace

Website

https://craftspace.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Craftspace is a UK educational charity founded in 1986 that curates contemporary craft through touring exhibitions, learning programmes, and social-impact collectives (notably Shelanu for migrant women), serving galleries, schools, and the general public via e-commerce, workshops, and Arts Council-funded programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts & Cultural Charity Services

akta.pro primary industry

Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA), Crafting Tools & Equipment Retail (Cutting, Adhesives, Heat Tools) (CRALACAC), Beading & Jewelry-Making Supplies Retail (CRALADAK)

Keywords

• Contemporary craft exhibitions
• Arts charity programmes
• Craft education workshops
• Social enterprise jewellery
• Artist commissioning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Craftspace+ membership at £30 per year providing behind the scenes updates and access to supporters
2. Shop Sales: E-commerce sales of jewellery, craft kits, catalogues and gifts through their online shop
3. Exhibition Hiring: Touring exhibitions available for hire to galleries and venues nationally and internationally
4. Grants and Funding: Income from Arts Council of England grants, private trusts and foundations, and individual donations
5. Consultancy: Income from consultancy work based on knowledge and experience developed through their programme

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Craftspace is an educational charity that curates and tours contemporary craft exhibitions to galleries and venues across the UK, runs community craft programmes such as the Shelanu women's craft collective for migrant and refugee women, delivers artist development and youth engagement projects, and sells associated craft kits, jewellery, and exhibition catalogues through an online shop.

Product overview

Craftspace is an arts charity offering a portfolio of craft-focused products and programmes. Its core offerings include Shelanu, a women's craft collective producing jewellery collections (Migrating Birds, Interlocking Stories, Nurture); Workshop in a Box craft kits for at-home creative activities; exhibition catalogues from major touring shows (Made in the Middle, Radical Craft, A Sense of Occasion); and educational programmes like Crafting Pathways. The organisation also runs projects celebrating craft and migration stories, with a commemorative 40th anniversary quilt series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shelanu: A women's craft collective of migrant and refugee women working with Craftspace to develop craft skills, confidence and well-being through social enterprise. They produce high quality craft inspired by Birmingham and migration experiences, including jewellery collections such as Migrating Birds, Interlocking Stories, and Nurture.

Products and services

• Shelanu Women's Craft Collective A social enterprise collective of migrant and refugee women who design, make and sell contemporary craft jewellery and products inspired by migration themes and Birmingham. Aimed at supporting craft skills development, confidence building, and income generation.
• Workshop-in-a-Box Craft Kits Curated craft kits containing materials and expert guidance for at-home creative activities. Available in Paper Craft (£23), Off-Loom Weaving (£33), and Collage, Mark-Making and Stitch (£33.50), plus a Jewellery Quarter workshop version at £110. Aimed at individuals, families, and schools seeking creative activities.
• Shelanu Migrating Birds Jewellery Collection Jewellery collection featuring swallow, sparrow, and wave motifs symbolising migration and arrival in Birmingham. Made with copper outlines wire-cut in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter and finished with enamel and silver fixings. Earrings range from £12-£104. Aimed at consumers seeking contemporary craft jewellery with social impact.
• Shelanu Interlocking Stories Jewellery Collection Jewellery collection with interlocking geometric designs in gold and silver finishes, designed and finished by Shelanu members. Aimed at consumers seeking contemporary craft jewellery.
• Shelanu Nurture Jewellery Collection Walnut and enamel jewellery collection designed and finished by Shelanu members. Aimed at consumers seeking contemporary craft jewellery with social impact.
• Exhibition Catalogues Exhibition catalogues for Craftspace touring shows including Made in the Middle, Radical Craft, A Sense of Occasion, Taking Time, Flow, and Yoruba Textiles. Most catalogues priced £6-£10, with family activity packs and some items free. Aimed at exhibition visitors, students, and craft enthusiasts.
• Made in the Middle Touring Exhibition A major touring exhibition celebrating the best of contemporary craft from the Midlands. Available for hire to galleries and venues nationally and internationally, with virtual tour access. Nine editions delivered since 1995. Aimed at galleries, museums, and cultural venues seeking contemporary craft programming.
• Crafting Pathways Youth Development Programme A youth development programme pairing Birmingham-based young people with professional artists to develop artistic skills, build portfolios, and learn about creative careers. Delivered in partnership with The King's Trust and South & City College Birmingham. Aimed at Birmingham-based young people interested in creative careers.
• 40 Objects for 40 Years Commemorative Quilt Series A graphic quilt series by Stewart Francis Easton commissioned for Craftspace's 40th anniversary in 2026, depicting 40 objects that tell the story of championing the power of craft. Aimed at exhibition visitors and craft enthusiasts.
• Craftspace+ Annual Membership Annual membership at £30 per year providing behind-the-scenes updates, supporter access, and engagement with the charity's work. Aimed at individuals and craft enthusiasts who want to support Craftspace's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 265,000 people engaged in meaningful craft interactions over 40 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• British CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 August 2026Generous supporter of Diasporic Creative Exchanges: India – Birmingham event organised by Craftspace in collaboration with Ikon Gallery.
• The King's TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Crafting Pathways project to recruit Birmingham-based young people for artistic skill development. Young people were paired with professional artists to develop their artistic skills and learn about creative careers.
• South & City College BirminghamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Crafting Pathways project to recruit young people for artistic development opportunities. Collaborated in recruiting participants for the programme matching young people with professional artists.
• Ikon GallerymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on events including Diasporic Creative Exchanges: India – Birmingham. Working together to deliver programming at Ikon Gallery venue.
• mac BirminghammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for exhibition delivery including A Sense of Occasion (co-curated) and Queer+Metals exhibition tour (November 2022-April 2023).
• Leicester GallerymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue host for Made in the Middle exhibition. The virtual tour was created while the show was at Leicester Gallery.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Craft Scotland: Scotland's national craft development charity. Closely analogous model: charity-funded programmes that support makers, run exhibitions, and deliver learning activities to develop craft practice.
• Crafts Council: The UK national charity championing contemporary craft. Directly comparable mission of developing makers, supporting craft practice, and advocating for the sector, with overlapping workshop and exhibition programming.

Emerging players

• The New Craftsmen: UK contemporary craft platform curating and selling work from British makers. Comparable focus on contemporary craft and direct-to-consumer craft retail, though structured as a commercial venture rather than a charity.

Broad incumbents

• Victoria and Albert Museum: Major UK decorative arts and craft institution. Comparable through its craft collections, exhibitions, and learning programmes, but at vastly greater scale and with a permanent venue.
• Etsy: Global online marketplace for handmade craft goods. Comparable craft-retail overlap with Craftspace's e-commerce shop and Shelanu jewellery line, but at platform scale.
• Hobbycraft: UK's largest specialist craft retailer. Comparable through craft supplies and kit retail, but operating at mass-market scale across physical stores, contrasting with Craftspace's curated, education-led offering.

Regional players

• Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: Major Birmingham cultural institution with craft and decorative arts collections. Comparable regional cultural footprint and audience overlap, though broader art-historical scope than Craftspace's contemporary-craft focus.
• The Holburne Museum: Bath-based museum with strong decorative arts and craft programming. Comparable craft-curation and learning activity model, though based in a different UK region.
• Ikon Gallery: Birmingham-based contemporary art gallery and major Craftspace partner. Comparable venue-led programming and shared audience in the West Midlands, with overlap on collaborative exhibitions.
• mac Birmingham: Birmingham arts centre and long-standing Craftspace exhibition partner. Comparable role in delivering exhibitions and participatory arts programmes to Midlands audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tweetcraftspace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL543g8kDHwN1eDWGpxbLsQX-w7_uVRfFh
• Facebookfacebook.com/craftspace
• Instagraminstagram.com/craftspace_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/craftspace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Craftspace