The Wind From Craft Town conference was successfully held on May 15th at the Victoria and Albert Museum, exploring the concept of Craft Town across the UK and China.
This conference explores the concept of the ‘Craft Town’. Cities, towns, and regions that have a unique concentration, culture, and heritage of craft.
The day-long event explored how local heritage can drive innovation, and how craft intersects with design, industry and sustainability. Through this topic, the forum aimed to spark dialogue around emerging forms of cross-cultural collaboration, highlighting how craft towns operate as living frameworks that preserve and renew tradition through creative reinterpretation.
The forum was convened by Chuan Lu, Dr Loucia Manapolu, and Dr Xiaoxin Li, (Curator of Asia department, V&A). It was organised by China Academy of Art, curated by GyreCraft, and with media collaboration from Life Magazine China and ROSA Magazine.
It brought together speakers from both China and the UK, allowing the sharing of experience from different regions.
Speakers at the forum included Wang Sha (Deputy Director, The Research Institute of Better China Initiative), Stephen Knott (Director, the Crafts Study Centre, UCA), Penelope Luk (Creative Director, Crafts on Peel), and Jessica Wood (Founder, ROSA Magazine).
Dr Xiaoxin Li, Curator of Asia Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum, told China Minutes that she was inspired to help convene this forum based on her research in China on Contemporary Studio Craft. While travelling to many places in China, she saw how “craft engages communities, engages local cities and places, how craft can be a driving force to transform places.”
The forum provided an opportunity to see “many different case studies showing many different perspectives and formats into how it is done”. It lets people see “the role of craft in development of places and engaging communities.”
During the forum, attendees had the opportunity to explore various craft demonstrations, publications, and objects brought by the Research Institute of the Better China Initiative, Life Magazine China, Crafts Study Centre (UCA), ROSA Magazine, and Rebecca Skeels.
The Wind From Craft Town was held at the Victoria and Albert’s Hochhauser Auditorium in South Kensington.
The day-long conference took place on Thursday, May 15th.
It was organised during 2025 London Craft Week, one of the world’s most important arts and crafts events. Held in London every early summer, Craft Week brings together designers, brands, galleries and artisans from around the world. Since its inception in 2015, it has helped to create a platform for international and local, historical and contemporary exchange through exhibitions, lectures and workshops. This year’s London Craft Week included a China Pavilion and an exhibition on Bai Crafts.
If you liked this article, why not read: Living Spirits Exhibition: The Life and Craft of Bai People
