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].
Latest Red List stories
Craft skills remain under threat with 20 new additions to the Red List of Endangered Crafts
Nine more grants to help save endangered crafts
Craft skills under threat with 17 additions to the Red List of Endangered Crafts
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Over seven posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent Endangered Crafts Fund round.
Aaron Wright @wrightsheritageglaziers, from Norfolk, has secured an Endangered Crafts Fund grant to support high-quality apprentice training in historic stained glass conservation.
Stained glass conservation is a highly demanding, intricate discipline that faces a critical skills gap as experienced practitioners approach retirement. Funding is a major barrier for small independent studios trying to train new talent, as the cumulative costs of wages, travel and statutory fees are incredibly high.
This grant will cover the costs of enrolling Aaron’s apprentice Josh onto the Stained Glass Apprenticeship at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Aaron, who is in the final stages of his own ICON Accreditation @conservators_uk, is fully funding Josh’s living wage, travel and accommodation to provide a stable, supportive environment. Through structured mentoring on live commissions, this project sets a brilliant example of sustainable, fair-wage training in the heritage craft sector.
This round’s grants are funded by the Julia Rausing Trust and a private donor.
Aaron said: “We are incredibly honoured to receive this support from Heritage Crafts. As a newly established conservation studio, the funding represents far more than financial assistance; it is a vote of confidence in our vision to preserve traditional stained glass craftsmanship and invest in the next generation of heritage conservators. It will help us continue delivering high-quality conservation while ensuring these specialist skills remain part of the UK’s living heritage. We are sincerely grateful to Heritage Crafts for helping make that possible.”
Over 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Gabe Perrott, from Bangor, works as a maintenance assistant at the Clandeboye Estate and has a background in heritage maintenance, timber preparation and vintage car restoration. His bursary will fund intensive one-to-one training with Bernard McCrickerd of @bemacjoinery, focusing specifically on the repair and restoration of sliding sash windows, alongside a tailored toolkit.
Gabe’s bursary is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the All Ireland Heritage Skills Programme.
Gabe said: “Securing the funding means I can learn more and improve my skills which I’m able to utilise at work, helping preserve the history of the site.”
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Leather Goods Apprenticeship
Deadline: 28 July 2026
Location: Somerset
For more than 50 years Price Western Leather Company has been dedicated to one simple mission – ensuring frontline professionals can rely on their equipment when it matters most. They combine traditional craftsmanship with practical operational insight to create premium duty equipment trusted by forces and organisations across the UK and overseas.
The role will involve the development and production of various products using detailed specifications:
• Use of cutting press
• Use of skiving machine
• Prepping leather
• Using CNC machine
• General fabrication
• Quality checking
• Carry out sewing tasks
• Stitching different leathers/materials
The Leather Craftsperson (level 2) apprenticeship includes time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Find out more including how to apply at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/matchmaker.
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
Heritage Crafts has awarded seven new grants through its Endangered Crafts Fund, which was launched in 2019 to increase the likelihood of at-risk craft skills surviving into the next generation. This round’s grants are funded by the Julia Rausing Trust and a private donor.
The seven successful recipients are:
• Elena Fleury-Rojo @redflowerglass, from Essex, to purchase a dedicated scientific glassblowing torch setup and associated equipment, to build on her training bursary and preserve the endangered craft of scientific glassblowing.
• Robert Girling @selinijewellery, from Lancashire, to purchase specialist machinery and establish a functional diamond cutting workshop, expanding his lapidary skills into traditional diamond cutting and passing this endangered knowledge on to future generations.
• Rosa Harradine @rosaharradine, from Sheffield, to purchase an antique Lipe & Walrath stitching machine to use alongside her foot-powered winder, to improve efficiency and sustainability in traditional broom and brush making.
• Philippe L’olive, from Kent, to purchase and modify a draw-bench and its associated tooling to produce specialised tubing in-house, as part of his mission to reduce reliance on imported components in UK brass musical instrument making.
• Mark Marchant @ceramicmouldsuk, from Stoke-on-Trent, to support specialist tool costs, materials and teaching time to train an apprentice in mould making, blocking and casing, safeguarding critically endangered industrial pottery skills.
• Caroline West @englishlacemaker, from Tyne and Wear, to establish a national mentorship programme that pairs aspiring lace teachers with experienced makers, to address the critical shortage of teachers in the endangered craft of bobbin lace.
• Aaron Wright @wrightsheritageglaziers, from Norfolk, to support the costs of enrolling an apprentice onto the Stained Glass Apprenticeship at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, helping secure the future of historic stained glass conservation.
Read more via the linktr.ee in our bio. We will post more about each of the recipients over the coming days.
We are delighted to announce our expert judging panel for our inaugural Emerging Green Woodworker of the Year Award, supported by @woodsmith_uk! 🪓🌳🪵
• Mike Abbott @abbottslivingwood – Universally acknowledged as the ‘godfather’ of British green woodworking, Mike has spent over forty years reviving and refining traditional woodland skills. Through his internationally acclaimed courses in Herefordshire and three seminal books, Mike has trained thousands of makers worldwide, fostering a global ‘New Wood Culture’ and securing the future of the craft.
• Maurice Pyle @mauricewoodsmith – With a background in outdoor education and personal development, Maurice has dedicated his career to connecting people with nature through green woodworking. He honed his expertise alongside iconic craftspeople like coppice merchant Bill Hogarth, later founding Woodsmith to deliver community woodcraft courses and supply high-quality specialist tools.
• Lorna Singleton @lornaweavesoak – A master coppice worker and basket maker specialising in oak spelk baskets and hazel basketry, Lorna is a graduate of the Bill Hogarth Memorial Apprenticeship Scheme. Dedicated to passing on heritage skills and ensuring that woodlands are valued, Lorna’s work is regularly exhibited and she teaches throughout the country.
This new award celebrates those in the first five years of their professional practice who are breathing new life into freshly cut wood, be that bodging and chair making, pole lathe turning, bowl and spoon carving, timber framing, hurdle making, shingle making, split wood basketry… or others.
There is a £1,000 prize for the winner to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, we are also running similar awards in crafts, such as building crafts, with additional prizes of £1,000 provided by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and others.
📅 Deadline: Friday 21 August 2026 (at 5pm)
➡️ Nominate someone (or yourself) today via the linktr.ee in our bio or directly at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-awards/emerging-green-woodworker-of-the-year-award/
📷 Sharif Adams by @suzybennett.photography / @dartmoor.artisans
The Endangered Crafts exhibition at Stourbridge Glass Museum @glassmuseumuk opened today!
A partnership between @glassmuseumuk @contemporaryglasssociety and @heritagecrafts, the exhibition features fabulous objects made using crafts featured on the Heritage Crafts Red List including scientific glassblowing, brilliant cutting and neon sign making!
A lot of the curation and organising was done by glass artist and trainee scientific glassblower Elena Fleury-Rojo @redflowerglass, who is a Heritage Crafts training bursary and Endangered Crafts Fund recipient.
There were also some amazing demonstrations of mouth blown flat glass, glassblowing and neon tube bending… all in a UK heatwave! 🥵
The exhibition is open until 7 November 2026.
✨ Nominations are OPEN for the 2026 Heritage Crafts Awards! ✨
For the fourteenth year, Heritage Crafts is celebrating the incredible master craftspeople, emerging makers, and unsung heroes keeping the UK’s traditional living crafts alive. 🛠️🧵
These awards celebrate the extraordinary talent across the UK, from silversmiths and weavers, to stained glass makers and upholsterers and beyond – who work with their hands, heads and hearts to preserve our cultural legacy.
🏆 With 22 categories and prizes include:
• Patron’s Award for Endangered Crafts: £5,000 award (£1,000 for runner-up) for safeguarding at-risk skills as per the Red List of Endangered Crafts
• National Makers of the Year: Regional awards up to £2,000
• Emerging Makers: £1,000 prizes for early-career practitioners (new categories announced!)
• Backbone of the craft: Celebrating top Trainers, Trainees, Community Catalysts and Lifetime Achievers
📝 Key Info:
• All via a single online form.
• Finalists will be invited to a high-profile Winners’ Reception at Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, this November in partnership with @thegoldsmithscompany
⏳ Deadline: Friday 21 August, at 5pm
🔗 Nominate someone (or yourself!) today: Head to the Heritage Crafts website to apply via the linktr.ee in our bio, https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/opportunities/awards/ or the ‘Opportunities’ section of the Heritage Crafts website.
Help shine a spotlight on the makers who define our culture. Our enormous gratitude to our generous sponsors who make this possible.
The awards are presented in partnership with supporters the @kingcharlesfund, @royalmintuk, the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, @thegoldsmithscompany, @costume_society, @marshawards, @theleathersellers, the Broderers’ Company, @SPAB1877, @bsmgp, @woodsmith_uk, @sonnaz_, @roseuniacke, @hiutdenim and @mournetextiles
#HeritageCrafts #HeritageCraftsAwards #UKMakers #TraditionalCrafts #CraftAwards
Our Endangered Crafts Fund at @heritagecrafts is one way we support makers in keeping their skills alive.
As @patternmakers mentioned, it’s more than the financial support, it’s about being part of a community of makers and having access to support. When makers receive funding from us, they have access to our Recipients` Circle, fostering long-term support with regular Circle Social and Circle Surgery meetings.
Applicants who practice an endangered craft can apply for up to £2,500 develop their practice. Whether it’s for tools, machinery or for creative way to pass on the knowledge. For example, @patternmakers was able to apply for a large dyeing vat, which helped her to be able to print longer length of fabric, which keeps her practice viable. Look how beautiful her work is on display at this year’s @craftfestival in Bovey Tracey. 😍
When you become a member or donate, this is the sort of work you’re supporting!
DEADLINE for the next round of applications is 5pm, Friday 16 October 2026.
We have more details on our website under `Opportunities`.
If you’re thinking of applying these are the sorts of things to consider…
Does your idea help ensure the longer-term viability or survival of heritage craft skills, for example:
⭐️developing a new, innovative approach to heritage craft skills;
⭐️investing in more efficient machinery;
⭐️developing new routes to market;
⭐️exploring the use of sustainable alternative materials while maintaining the heritage character of your practice.
Direct and indirect skills transfer, for example:
⭐️taking on a trainee or apprentice;
⭐️preparing to teach courses, including the creation of training materials;
⭐️online or video content to support skills sharing and documentation;
⭐️specialist tools and equipment to facilitate training.
Continuous professional development, for example:
⭐️acquiring the knowledge and skills required to run a successful small business;
⭐️acquiring the advanced craft skills or allied craft skills necessary to make a craft practice more viable, e.g. through a training course or self-directed learning.
