Interview with Rosy Greenlees (Director of Crafts Council) by Claudia Clare

There is a very interesting couple of entries on Claudia Clare's blog here, about an interview she had with Rosy Greenlees, the Director of the Crafts Council. It's definitely worth a read!

correction...

Since i last wrote, i've heard that the ECA Glass department is, in fact not closing. Ring any bells? Like GSA, they are simply not going to recruit any more students, from now on. However, since they recruit directly into 2nd year, this means there will be only 2 more years of undergraduate students there.

Closure of Edinburgh College of Art's Glass

We just heard the sad news yesterday that the Edinburgh College of Art is closing their Glass department. It is well-known and successful, and again the only one in Scotland, and i was shocked to hear about it. I don't have many more details right now, but will try to find out more.

The future of craft, or materials & skills based practice, in Scotland (and also the UK) is looking bleak, with the closure of the only remaining ceramics and glass courses. It makes me very sad, and worried, that both GSA and ECA are proving to be so short-sighted, closed-minded and conformist. With opportunities to study at degree level no longer available, it will have to be up to us, as makers, to ensure our disciplines are kept alive and moving forwards.