Where we started
What is craft?
In August of 2014, the Provincial and Territorial Craft Councils and the Canadian Crafts Federation set out to "Rematerialize Craft." The goals of this exploration were to clarify and deepen the public’s understanding of craft and make craft more accessible to Canadians.
Existing research here in Canada and around the world was examined; discussions were had with stakeholders – makers, academics, gallery owners, patrons; similar fields were examined; and through case study and research, knowledge was gleaned from those on a steering committee who have been involved in craft for decades.
From all this research, the word craft was found appearing in all sorts of places. Also, there was a prominence in the use of similar terms – artisan food, heritage markets – all terms connected with craft and yet being used to define products that were very different. So what was the connection?