Craft Action Collective

Want to creatively challenge injustice, but don’t know where to start?

Craft Action Collective is a creative group which will seek to think deeply and respond to injustices in a gentle, careful way through craft and printmaking.

With courage and care we’ll talk, discuss and make together. It’s quiet activism for everyone, including introverts, where we’ll use the medium of craft to stand alongside others.

It’s helpful if you let us know you are planning on coming, by emailing gemma@saw-newcastle.org

Upcoming sessions

Sessions are on the first and third Tuesday of every month (except August), 6:30 – 8pm

Patchwork bowls: we’ll be layering newspaper, paper and fabric to create individual bowls. The process will help us think about how different issues connect or fracture relationships and how we can possibly think about repair and reconciliation.

Tuesday 16 January, 6:30 – 8pm: we’ll be cutting our paper, fabric, and shaping our bowls.

6 February, 6:30 – 8pm: we’ll be continuing to cut our paper, fabric, and shaping our bowls.

20 February, 6:30 – 8pm: inspired by the Japanese tradition of adding gold to fracture points on ceramics – we’ll be adding our own metallic connections to show where we think points of hope lie.

5 March, 6:30 – 8pm: What small thing could lead to big action? What big question would you like to ask? Make a small wooden protest placard that can pop up in surprising places. We’ll be learning nail varnish remover copy transfer – that’s putting images and letters onto wood using the magic of nail varnish remover. Use collage and stamping techniques to make your message stand out.

Tuesday 19th March, 6:30 – 8pm.

Screenprinting wooden posters. Learn how to screenprint your own slogans and pictures using letters and shapes cut out from newsprint paper. Screen Print these onto wood for a more permanent placard. We’ll be thinking if slogans make a good or bad impression and playing around with our own words.

We’ll be having a break for Easter, so there will be no Craft on 2 April – we will return on the Tuesday 16 April

16 April Learning how to marble paper – a brilliant technique for creating unique wave-like patterns on paper. We’ll be thinking about how we can make waves of change. We’ll be using our marbled paper as a backdrop to our printing in future sessions.

7 May, Dyeing paper with natural dyes – using dyes made from plants we’ll colour paper which will be used in future printmaking sessions. More information coming soon.

Future dates: 4 & 18 June – Craft TBC

All workshops are free (donations welcome) and suitable for adults

It’s helpful if you let us know you are planning on coming, by emailing gemma@saw-newcastle.org (6 September requires booking)

“I have found the Craft Collective workshops so welcoming, gently challenging and personally nurturing”

“The people both attending and facilitating seem genuinely invested in the positive outcomes of combining craft with informative discussions around issues.”

“It felt a very gentle, inclusive space…the team are so welcoming and accepting of everyone who comes through the door.”

“People are happy to talk, the facilitators are helpful, and we can just quietly get on if we prefer”

What Craft Action Collective participants think about the group

Craft Action Collective Past sessions

Follow the link above to see examples of past sessions