This September, Crafts Alive is showcasing 50 skilled designer-makers from the Gloucestershire Guild.

'In the Maker's Hands - The Tools of our Trade' is a celebration of craft at the historic Arts and Crafts house, Rodmarton Manor, near Cirencester.

Through its unique partnership and with the generosity of the Biddulph family at Rodmarton Manor, the Guild has the privilege of re-imaging one of the country's finest Arts and Crafts houses, which is still a private home and whose ethos and values are in perfect alignment with the Guild's.

The designer-makers from the Guild will be working across a range of disciplines and materials as well as featured guest artists.

This inspirational five-day celebration of the very best contemporary craft for sale takes place over three floors of the house, the Chapel, and the garden alongside demonstrations, workshops, talks, performances and delicious locally made food and drinks.

The guild is particularly excited about its partnership with a new play featuring the creators of this great house. 'Cotswold Makers' will premiere at Rodmarton for two nights during the festival, which runs from Wednesday, September 13, to Sunday, September 17.

The creative partnership will also involve the Gloucestershire Deaf Association. The playwright Frank Hatt has a hearing impairment and one of the main characters, Sidney Barnsley's wife Lucy, was profoundly deaf. The GDA have offered to make a BSL video of the play free of charge, and a BSL signer will be provided for the two performance nights.

Crafts Alive will be open at Rodmarton Manor, near Cirencester, GL7 6PF, from 10am to 5pm on the five days and tickets are £12 (under 16s free). Tickets include access to the Manor House, the gardens, daily demonstrations and interactive drop-in workshops.