Publications

Craft businesses thrive

By: a-n

A new study has revealed that exports account for 30-40% of designer-makers’ business within Cockpit Arts, with France, Japan and US the main markets.

Based on the livelihoods of incubator tenants over the last three years, the study also revealed that almost a quarter of makers' business income came from the supply of services to interior designers and architects, as well as trade to galleries and retail outlets, whilst over half was direct sales to customers and clients. The incubator studios house makers working in thirteen different craft disciplines, with over a third working in textiles and nearly a fifth in ceramics. Cockpit Arts is the UK's only creative business incubator for designer-makers, currently housing 150 businesses. As a registered charity, it exists to nurture creative talent, from first beginnings through to international success. Studio tenants benefit from affordable studio space, inclusive business and professional development support, and public selling opportunities via open studios events. The annual business reviews provided to Cockpit tenants on a voluntary basis since 2003 are designed to help track and monitor development of each individual business and to provide benchmarking data and growth trends on the community as a whole. Other key findings from the recent study are that whilst some 30% of...

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