40 years of The Makers Guild!
This Year, The Makers Guild is celebrating its 40th anniversary!
Way back in 1984, around a kitchen table in a house in north Cardiff, a small group of like-minded makers got together, frustrated at the lack of opportunities there were at the time to show and sell their work, they decided that they could and should do something about it and so... The Makers Guild was born!
Created as a maker co-operative, the makers curated and presented their work for sale in craft markets at venues across Cardiff, (early on, notably in St Davids Hall, see below), Founder Member Molly Curley recalls -
"In the early 1980's craft fairs were proliferating, which was hopeful for individual craftspeople needing to sell their work. Quality control, however, seemed to be non-existent, and those of us who valued quality decided to run our own events, after a particularly disastrous 'fair' at a local school which attracted no visitors. I organized an event in my local church hall, inviting about sixteen makers whose work I admired. It was a huge success, and it was clear that people valued good design and craftsmanship. We decided to form ourselves into an organized body. Five makers came to the first meeting at the home of Linda Lazenby: Linda, Kathy Williams, Jane Mansfield (paper-maker), Lauraine Voisey (wood-turner) and myself - Molly Curley"
and Founder Member Margaret Hansford recollects -
"Our ambition had always been to have our own premises and although this resulted in a somewhat nomadic few years before venturing into their own fixed home , initially at The Old Library in the Hayes, then the old Techniquest Building in the Bay, where the name Craft in the Bay was adopted, then onward to the Cory's Building on Bute Street, all of which we rented, then finally to Craft in the Bay at the Flourish, where we are today and which we own"
We still maintain the co-operative ethos to this day, with an emphasis on volunteering and a strong sense of community. Today our unique membership has over ninety craft makers from every corner of Wales. Now an Incorporated Charity with our own home in the unique Heritage building, Craft in the Bay. Our Charity facilitates and enables the education of the public through Craft, making us a unique part of the Arts, Creative and Heritage sectors in Wales. The Guild has welcomed over a million visitors over the years and we will be celebrating this milestone anniversary with a programme of craft workshops and events over the coming months, do come along and learn about Craft, and our Makers!
Join our mailing list to find out more or follow us on social media @makerswales
MORE about our History
This Year, The Makers Guild is celebrating its 40th anniversary!
Way back in 1984, around a kitchen table in a house in north Cardiff, a small group of like-minded makers got together, frustrated at the lack of opportunities there were at the time to show and sell their work, they decided that they could and should do something about it and so... The Makers Guild was born!
Created as a maker co-operative, the makers curated and presented their work for sale in craft markets at venues across Cardiff, (early on, notably in St Davids Hall, see below), Founder Member Molly Curley recalls -
"In the early 1980's craft fairs were proliferating, which was hopeful for individual craftspeople needing to sell their work. Quality control, however, seemed to be non-existent, and those of us who valued quality decided to run our own events, after a particularly disastrous 'fair' at a local school which attracted no visitors. I organized an event in my local church hall, inviting about sixteen makers whose work I admired. It was a huge success, and it was clear that people valued good design and craftsmanship. We decided to form ourselves into an organized body. Five makers came to the first meeting at the home of Linda Lazenby: Linda, Kathy Williams, Jane Mansfield (paper-maker), Lauraine Voisey (wood-turner) and myself - Molly Curley"
and Founder Member Margaret Hansford recollects -
"Our ambition had always been to have our own premises and although this resulted in a somewhat nomadic few years before venturing into their own fixed home , initially at The Old Library in the Hayes, then the old Techniquest Building in the Bay, where the name Craft in the Bay was adopted, then onward to the Cory's Building on Bute Street, all of which we rented, then finally to Craft in the Bay at the Flourish, where we are today and which we own"
We still maintain the co-operative ethos to this day, with an emphasis on volunteering and a strong sense of community. Today our unique membership has over ninety craft makers from every corner of Wales. Now an Incorporated Charity with our own home in the unique Heritage building, Craft in the Bay. Our Charity facilitates and enables the education of the public through Craft, making us a unique part of the Arts, Creative and Heritage sectors in Wales. The Guild has welcomed over a million visitors over the years and we will be celebrating this milestone anniversary with a programme of craft workshops and events over the coming months, do come along and learn about Craft, and our Makers!
Join our mailing list to find out more or follow us on social media @makerswales
MORE about our History
Some images of some the first events curated and organised by The Makers Guild, at St David's Hall, Cardiff, 1984
Craft Demonstrations and Workshops by Guild Members in the 1990's
Founder member of the Makers Guild, Molly Curley (b. 1929. d. 2022; and speaking in 2016) about the formation of the Guild.
Created for The Chronicle Project was a community heritage project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and run by VCS Cymru with the aim of documenting the history of volunteering in Cardiff, from 1914 to 2014.
Created for The Chronicle Project was a community heritage project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and run by VCS Cymru with the aim of documenting the history of volunteering in Cardiff, from 1914 to 2014.
Some of our Members recolections...
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ANNE WOODS (Member since 1984)
Newly arrived in Wales from Northern Ireland, where I had been teaching and exhibiting embroidery , I was delighted when some time later a high-quality art/craft event was established in our church hall. Through it I met Molly Curley and Anna Adam. When Molly, Anna and a number of others went on to form The Makers Guild in Wales I was pleased to become a founder member. This was the best thing that could have happened as through the Guild I have met so many talented people who have been a real inspiration. During the years since, I have participated in many ways, including being Treasurer for a time in the early days and acting as part- time manager when the Guild moved into the Old Library with Lorraine Voisey as manager. I continued in this role until we became established in our wonderful gallery on the Flourish and were in a position to employ Simon as permanent manager and all the rest of our excellent staff. I count myself very lucky to have been involved in this great organisation as it has evolved over these 30 years. Working as part of a cooperative movement has built a feeling of community among us all while striving together for the good of the organisation. May the Makers Guild in Wales continue to foster that in the years ahead! 
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SHIRLEY JONES (Member since 1999)
I applied for membership of the Guild in 1999, urged to do so by Kate Bosset. Initially, I was uncertain that as a maker of artist books I was a suitable candidate since, from a few visits to the Old Library, I associated it with an organisation retailing mainly ceramics, textiles and jewellry. However, a determined Kate pointed out that as a writer, printmaker and letterpress printer I offered no less than three crafts, and Kate could be very persuavise. Indeed, when I first saw her in action as the Chairperson, I thought, perhaps a century ago, she might have been one of those intrepid women explorers, who would have seen off an African lion, armed only with an umbrella. She certainly worked tirelessly and with huge determination as part of that small group, which included Molly Curley, Stuart Neale and Ron and Anna Adams, who steered a path from that rather dreary Bute Street site to our splendid new gallery in the Flourish, in 2002. Molly, in her letter welcoming me to the Guild, emphasised that this ‘small group’ put in hundreds of unpaid hours of effort and expertise to ensure the success of this venture, and deserved and expected the wholehearted support of all its members. So obviously I fulfilled my stewarding responsibities consciensiously, and in 2001, took on the curating of an exhibition in Brecon’s fine Museum and Art Gallery, in July of that year, of the work of twenty of our members. The exhibition was opened by Jenny Randerson, then Welsh Assembly Minister of Culture and attended by Lord Livesey MP and Assembly Member Kirsty Williams. Organising over two dozen crafts people well outside their geographical comfort zone was the hard bit, but the standard of work, and the way it was displayed was great. I have never regretted my joining the Guild, and indeed feel my own reputation to have been enhanced in having my work displayed in our beautiful gallery, showing the superb work of my fellow Guild members. |
MGW@40 special event
13th July 2024
We gathered together to celebrate the Guild's 40th Anniversary, bringing together, current makers and old, Trustees past and present along with volunteers and Friends and supporters who have helped the Guild to be the succesful organisation it has become over these last 40 years.
