Grants available to help save endangered Sussex heritage crafts from extinction

In 2021 Heritage Crafts published the third edition of its groundbreaking Red List of Endangered Crafts, the first research of its kind to rank the UK’s traditional crafts by the likelihood that they will survive into the next generation. The report assessed 244 crafts to ascertain those which are at greatest risk of disappearing, of which four were classified as extinct, 74 as ‘endangered’ and a further 56 as ‘critically endangered’.

Recently, Sussex-based Deborah Bowness completed one-to-one training with a wallpaper conservationist to learn traditional wallpaper making techniques. This was funded through the Endangered Crafts Fund which offers ring-fenced grants to Sussex-based practitioners of endangered crafts listed on the Red list.

There is a maximum of £2,000 available for each project and Heritage Crafts will work with applicants to develop and support their work. Projects could include training to learn a new craft or technique for the applicant or their apprentice, specialist equipment that will enable them to continue practising a craft or add a new product to their business, materials and equipment to start running workshops, or other innovative approaches to supporting and promoting endangered crafts.

The Endangered Crafts Fund is now open with a deadline of 3 March 2023. Applications can be submitted online at www.heritagecrafts.org.uk/ecf-apply. Please note that this is a competitive process and not all applications will receive funding. Potential applicants who would like to talk over a project idea are encouraged to contact Mary at [email protected].

Mary Lewis, Heritage Crafts Endangered Crafts Manager, said: “During the energy crisis and cost-of-living crisis our craft skills are at more risk than ever before. We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Sussex Heritage Trust to address the specific challenges craftspeople are facing in Sussex, a region renowned for its craftsmanship and material heritage.”

Simon Knight DL, Chairman of the Sussex Heritage Trust, said: “Excellent architecture and design, traditional building skills and craftsmanship are an important part of the rich heritage of Sussex. This partnership with Heritage Crafts will address the particular challenges of these crafts and facilitate the transfer of endangered crafts, building skills and knowledge to the next generation.”

For more information about the Endangered Crafts Fund, email Heritage Crafts Endangered Crafts Manager Mary Lewis at [email protected] or Sussex Heritage Trust General Manager, Helen Reeve at [email protected].