Bailiffgate Muesum and Gallery: Celebrating Endangered Crafts
Bailiffgate Museum celebrates Northumberland’s rich heritage of traditional crafts in new exhibition…
Bailiffgate Museum in Alnwick is delighted to present a combined Museum and Makers Exhibition exploring Lost, Endangered and Heritage Crafts, bringing together historic objects from the museum’s archives with work by talented makers and artisans from across the region.
Inspired by the Heritage Crafts Association’s listings of extinct, critically endangered and endangered crafts in the UK, the exhibition offers a fascinating insight into traditional skills, the stories behind them and their continuing relevance today. By placing historic objects alongside contemporary crafts, the exhibition will highlight both the vulnerability of traditional skills and the renewed interest in preserving and celebrating them. From crafts that have disappeared to those being kept alive by dedicated practitioners, visitors will discover the importance of heritage crafts in shaping local identity, culture and community life.
The exhibition features a diverse range of traditional and specialist crafts, including stained glass, wood and stone carving, hand papermaking, basketry, horn carving, lace making, rag rugging and the making and repairing of bows for stringed instruments.
A programme of workshops and artisan demonstration days will accompany the exhibition, offering visitors opportunities to discover more about these crafts, meet makers and gain a greater appreciation of the skills involved.
Celebrating the makers and keeping the traditional skills alive, the exhibition showcases the work of several talented craftspeople whose practices connect Northumberland’s heritage with contemporary creativity.
Luca Serra – Woodcarver
Anna Corbett – Basket Maker and Fibre Artist
Luke Batchelor – Stone Carver, Designer and Conservator
Lucy Baxandall – Hand Papermaker
Helen Grierson – Glass Artist
Richard Wilson – Bow Maker and Restorer
Thomas “Tucker” Thompson – Horn Carver
Monday Matters Rag Rug Group
Northumbria Lace Makers
Throughout this exhibition, Bailiffgate Museum aims to celebrate the craftspeople who continue to practise traditional skills while recognising the importance of safeguarding those that are disappearing. By bringing together objects from the past and the work of today’s makers, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how heritage crafts can continue to enrich local culture and communities.
Jean Humphrys, Chair of Trustees said “It’s such a privilege to exhibit the skilful work of local makers and to have an opportunity to see how they build on the crafts of the past to keep our heritage alive. There was so much beauty in everyday objects because of the creativity of makers and much of that beauty is captured by the exquisite work of makers of today.”
The accompanying programme of workshops and artisan demonstration days will further explore the techniques, knowledge and creativity behind these crafts, encouraging visitors to engage with the skills that form an important part of our shared heritage. The full list of demo days and workshops can be found on our website- www.bailiffgatemuseum.co.uk
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