We are thrilled to announce that the 2018 Craft Tour, Craft+Conflict, has been shortlisted for the Exhibition category of the Cumbria Life Culture Awards. A huge thanks must go to Contemporary Craft Tour Officer, Karen Babayan, as well as to the venues, artists, visitors and funders.

During 2019, we will be considering the longer term future of Highlights Contemporary Craft Tour. Karen left the organisation at the end of 2018, to pursue her own exciting career as a visual artist and project manager – https://karenbabayan.com/news/.

We will be researching opportunities for digital and multi-cultural work, work for families and young people and expanding our engagement work with younger audiences.

Highlights Contemporary Craft Tour shows the best of contemporary craft in stunning rural locations. Our ‘pop-up’ exhibition transforms community spaces such as churches, libraries and village halls into contemporary art galleries, showing stunning, challenging, inspiring and surprising work by artists with an established national and international reputation. Our venues in 2018 were in the beautiful counties of Cumbria, Northumberland and Co. Durham.

Workshops in local schools, master classes for adults, artist demonstration days, exhibition tours and artist’s talks revealed the stories behind the work, demystifying the process of design, making and exhibiting.

Photo Credits –

Paul Scott – Cumbrian Blue(s) Foot & Mouth Series
Eva Mileusnic – Counter Flow, ceramic & transfer print
Morwenna Cat – Sweethearts, textiles, print and embroidery