The Red List
of Endangered Crafts
From blacksmithing to basketry, from weaving to woodturning, we have an incredible range of heritage craft skills in the UK and some of the best craftspeople in the world. But many of these skills are in the hands of individuals who have been unable to make provision to pass them on.
The Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts, first published in 2017, was the first report of its kind to rank traditional crafts by the likelihood they would survive to the next generation, based on intangible cultural heritage safeguarding principles, led by Heritage Crafts, the only UK UNESCO-accredited NGO working primarily in the domain of traditional craftsmanship.
Donate to save an endangered craft (£5 for the 5th edition)
The list attracted extensive media coverage both in the UK and abroad, shining a light on heritage craft practices under threat from a number of identifiable issues. It is our hope that this research will act as a call to action to those who have it within their power to resolve or alleviate these issues, and that this project will mark the start of long-term monitoring of heritage craft viability and a shared will to avoid the cultural loss that is borne each time a craft dies.
Heritage Crafts is committed to updating the list on a regular basis, and so, with support from the Pilgrim Trust, over 900 organisations and individuals were contacted directly by email and telephone and invited to contribute to the research between September 2024 and May 2025. Participants were asked to provide background information about each craft, such as its history, techniques and local forms, as well as current information relating to the number of skilled craftspeople and trainees, and the ongoing issues affecting the viability of the craft, including the effects of the current energy crisis.
Each craft was then classified into one of four categories of endangerment using a combination of both objective criteria (such as numbers of crafts people and trainees) and subjective criteria (issues affecting the future viability of the craft including training opportunities and market trends). Issues affecting the viability of heritage crafts vary on a craft-by-craft basis, though many can be grouped, and possible solutions devised that will help many crafts practices become more viable.
For the purposes of this research, a heritage craft is defined as ‘a practice which employs manual dexterity and skill and an understanding of traditional materials, design and techniques, and which has been practised for two or more successive generations’. The research focuses on craft practices which are taking place in the UK at the present time, including those crafts which have originated elsewhere, and on those aspects of each craft with a high reliance on hand-work and which involve high levels of hand skill.
If you have any queries about the research, are aware of a heritage craft that is not listed, or have further information to add about any craft, please contact [email protected].
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Craft skills under threat with 17 additions to the Red List of Endangered Crafts
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This week’s #mondaymaker is Deb King @debkingdesign – a handweaver.
Deb is an award-winning handweaver and textile artist who creates timeless designs with care and attention, focusing on the tactility, drape and weight of pieces alongside the appearance of finished cloth. Deb uses natural materials and yarn, often from individual farms and micro mills, supporting British growers and processors.
View Deb’s full profile on our maker’s directory: https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/maker/debking/
#heritagecrafts #mondaymaker #handweaving
Living Heritage in the UK information sessions
Heritage Crafts’ @maryeluned_craft is fresh from speaking at the The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi last week, and will be running two online information session this Thursday for anyone thinking of nominating their living heritage practice on the new Living Heritage in the UK inventory, launched by the government a little over a week ago. This is part of Heritage Crafts’ new status as a Community Support Hub for the inventory.
Sign up for free via the Linktr.ee in our bio for online information sessions at 3pm and 6.30pm. We’ll also be running further sessions in the new year.
At our recent Heritage Crafts Awards Winners’ Reception at @wentworth_woodhouse, bursary recipient @kerriehanna gave this wonderful speech about the difference her bursary had made.
“It’s a real honour to receive this Heritage Crafts bursary, and I want to extend my sincere thanks to Heritage Crafts and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“Growing up, I was always captivated by stained glass – one panel in particular which stands out in my mind is the ‘Patience’ window in St Anne’s Cathedral by Ann Smyth. Within the window, a woman was shown holding a spherical portal to another realm, and the way light shifted through it in the changing Irish weather, felt like a threshold into a parallel world. This image left a great impression on me.
“I never imagined I’d have the chance to study glass, with no dedicated courses in Ulster. I got in touch with several organisations, and just by chance Glassmarque Design replied. They needed help for a few weeks to finish a project as the main artist had been unwell so time was against them. Those few weeks turned into four years of assisting with new commissions and restoration work.
“In 2023, I took the leap and set up my own studio. Since then, I’ve been delighted to work on commissions for organisations including the National Gallery of Ireland, Belfast City Council and the National Trust.
“The image of that window from my childhood makes its way back to me now. The woman in the glass holding a portal to another realm; today, this bursary pushes me forward to pass through a new threshold, leading me to pathways of knowledge, new skills and possibilities.
“Not only will I deepen my technical skills, but I will be lucky to build creative community as part of the craft lineage in this historic medium. It is an honour to be welcomed into the Heritage Craft fellowship with everyone in this room and wider networks beyond.”
Over 36 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Ian Horne @boobrie_creations, from Glasgow, served for eight years in the RAF, including tours in Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan. His background in plumbing and welding led to an interest in metallurgy and subsequently to coppersmithing. His bursary will fund intensive training with contemporary coppersmith and fellow veteran @royevansmetalikart.
Ian’s bursary is funded by the Royal British Legion.
Ian said: “Securing this heritage craft funding in coppersmithing is deeply meaningful to me as a sculptor and emerging creator. It not only provides the resources to develop my skills in a traditional craft, but also gives me the opportunity to carry forward a practice rooted in history while bringing my own contemporary voice to it. This support affirms my place in the industry and fuels my commitment to preserving and reimagining coppersmithing for future generations.”
This week’s #craftfocus is stone carving.
Stone carving is an ancient practice involving the carving of figures, patterns, ornaments, lettering and more into stone.
First, a suitable stone is selected (such as marble, limestone or granite) and it is gradually shaped, beginning with knocking off large, unwanted sections (known as ‘roughing out’). Next, finer detailing, smoothing and polishing is carried out.
Tools used include mallets and hammers, a variety of chisels (point, claw and flat) for cutting and shaping the stone, and files and abrasives for finishing.
Stone carving is classified as viable on our Craft Inventory, however, threats to its viability include a lack of training options. While there are numerous qualifications in stonemasonry, there are few qualifications specifically for stone carving.
Demand is often reliant on heritage projects and large-scale public or private conservation work; when this is lacking, the market for stone carvers significantly reduces. Competition from modern technology can also limit work.
Images: Lily Marsh @lilymarshsculptor & Rob Lenihan @roblenihan.art
#heritagecrafts #craftfocus #stonecarving
Over 36 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Zakara Akhonzada modamender, from London, has made clothes for friends and family for many years and is striving to become a skilled tailor in a number of styles including traditional Afghan attire. Her bursary will fund her place on the pattern cutting, waistcoat making and tailoring courses at @fashionenterltd.
Zakara’s bursary is supported by the Capri Holdings Foundation.
Zakara said: “I am truly grateful for this funding. It gives me the chance to create beautiful designs and become the professional, high-quality fashion designer I’ve always dreamed of being.”
At our recent Heritage Crafts Awards Winners’ Reception at @wentworth_woodhouse, bursary recipient Aminat Seriki @s.i.l.e.nt.t gave this wonderful speech about the difference her bursary had made.
“Whilst at university, I realised that I wanted to be a craftsperson through the emphasis I placed on textile materiality and craftsmanship in my design projects. Although my passion for machine knitting wasn’t directly connected to my Fashion Design with Marketing degree at Central Saint Martins, I discovered that I enjoyed the endless possibilities knitwear offered and the technical problem solving involved. I found real satisfaction in working from scratch with yarn rather than starting with woven fabric.
“One of my biggest obstacles was the financial barrier as the cost of specialist training and equipment made it difficult to progress. I had reached the limits of what I could achieve through self-directed learning from online forums and YouTube. I was no longer progressing due to gaps in my technical knowledge and lack of confidence to develop my ideas into fully realised garments.
“Receiving the bursary has truly changed the course of my knitwear journey. It has provided me with the one-on-one guidance I have long needed. It gave me time to immerse myself fully in experimentation and to learn from my mistakes. It opened doors to new training such as knitwear programming that I wouldn’t have had access to and introduced me to a community of machine knitters who have supported my development. More than anything, it showed me that others believe in my craft and my potential, and that has meant more than I can say.”
Aminat’s bursary was funded by the Capri Holdings Foundation for the Advancement of Diversity in Fashion.
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Upholstery assistant
Deadline: 15 December 2025
Location: South West
Atlas Contract Furniture Ltd designs and manufactures quality, bespoke and long-lasting contract furniture for the hospitality, leisure and Marine industry across the UK, in Europe and beyond. As part of the Upholstery team, you will be joining a dedicated group of skilled individuals who take pride in their work and ensure quality at all points of the process. You will assist in producing consistently superior quality furniture to client expectations and in line with company procedures and practices.
Core responsibilities:
-Accurate fitting of springs, foam, hessian as per handovers ensuring exacting standards, and that Company processes and procedures are always adhered to.
-Organising own work in line with production schedules, ensuring seating is always produced on time, whilst maintaining high quality standards.
Visit #matchMAKER via the linktr.ee in our bio to find out more.
