Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Fairground art

Section one - About you

Section two - Description of the craft

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:
  • Awareness of the craft: most people don’t see it as distinctive from signwriting.
  • Lack of skilled practitioners: There are very few people with the skills of restoring original fairground art and so repairs and repaints are not of the highest quality.
  • Lack of training opportunities: There are no formal training opportunities and it is difficult to find apprenticeships or people to teach.
  • Loss of skills: Due to a lack of training, many fairground artists are self-taught and don’t always have the higher level skills of their predecessors.
  • Loss of skills: The popularity of vinyl lettering (in the 80/90s) impacted the passing on of skills, although there is now a resurgence of interest in the traditional skills and their aesthetic.
  • Changing tastes and fashions: Airbrushing in the 90/2000s has impacted on handpainted traditional fairground art although this has also become an art form in its own right.
  • Emulations and imitations of fairground art: This is particularly the case with 1940s and 50s style work. Many artists and graphic designers imitate fairground art style without any training in the underpinning craft skills.
  • Poor restorations: These can be done in a vague ‘fairground’ style but don’t have the skill or expertise of a trained fairground artist.
  • Availability of materials: The paints are not as readily available as they used to be.
  • Decline of travelling funfairs

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. lack of demand for products/skills etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

Tick the box if there are difficulties with the supply of raw materials, allied materials or tools

If yes, please describe the issues below

i.e. issues around running any small business, not just crafts

If yes, please describe the issues below

Is the main workforce made up of people who are approaching retirement age?

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. legal restrictions on materials, health and safety etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. Brexit, Covid-19, conflict

If yes, please describe the issues below

Please describe any other issues

Section five - Current Initiatives to preserve craft skills

Please describe any UK projects or schemes

Section six - Main players in the craft – please tell us who you know about

Please list any known practitioners of this craft — add a row item for each person or business and complete the fields to the best of your knowledge. To get started click the `Add practitioner` button below.

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Section seven - Optional additional information

It may include when and where the craft developed, how it has changed over time, etc.

e.g. festivals, religious celebrations, agricultural practices, music, dance etc.

e.g. religious, ethnic, social class. Please give an overview of the techniques involved in the craft.

This may involve different materials, techniques, styles or finished products.

e.g. books, websites etc.