Makers, writers, and Queen’s Scholars gather for Craft Festival Cheltenham

Craft Festival Cheltenham returns from March 10th to 12th 2023 to Cheltenham Town Hall, from 10am to 5pm each day. This popular event typically draws around 2,000 visitors each March and November. Visitors enjoy meeting the makers, shopping for unique crafts, taking part in workshops, listening to talks, and soaking up the creative and friendly atmosphere.

Some of the best handmade original jewellery, ceramics, silver, glass, textiles, woodwork, prints, leatherwork and furniture will be on show. Professional makers are selected to exhibit for the quality and originality of their work by an independent panel.

Local Cotswold-based makers include John Crossley, a furniture maker from Ebrington near Chipping Campden. The event will be his first as a professional maker. He creates functional and beautiful chairs, stools, benches, and stands from his home workshop.

For the first time accomplished makers and scholars of The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) will be demonstrating at the event. They include Sahra Millinery from London and In-Cahoot furniture designer-makers from Oxfordshire. QEST will be inviting Cotswold-based makers to apply for scholarships of up to £18,000 to further their training and education.

"The Capital of Craft" podcast LIVE shows bring TV host and potter Keith Brymer Jones back to Cheltenham. He’ll be talking about his autobiography “Boy in a China Shop” which comes out in paperback this month (February) ahead of his UK-wide speaking tour which comes to Cheltenham in June.

Keith’s co-judge from season three of Channel 4’s “The Great Pottery Throw Down” is Sue Pryke who will also be speaking. Her new book “Design and Create Contemporary Tableware – making pottery you can use,” co-authored with Linda Bloomfield, is out this month too. It’s a step-by-step introduction to pottery for beginners and experts alike.

Also speaking will be Dr Kate Strasdin, a dress historian and senior lecturer at Falmouth University. Her new book “The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes: Secrets from a Victorian Woman’s Wardrobe” is a great genealogical detective story that peels back the layers of a Victorian lady’s life drawn from a book of fabric swatches.

Book tickets online from £7 and secure your free ticket to join the audience for The Capital of Craft Podcast LIVE. Children under 18 years enter and take part for free.

Craft workshop tickets are limited and must be booked in advance. Full details of the workshop programme are available online.

Visit www.craftfestival.co.uk/cheltenham for more information.