The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen is thrilled to be able to present Crafts Alive, a celebration of contemporary craft and design at Rodmarton Manor, near Cirencester, from 8 - 12 September.

This five-day festival inspired by 'The Lie of Land' will celebrate The Guild's deep-rooted connection with the countryside and heritage craft and is the perfect event for design, craft, handmade, interiors and garden lovers.

Around 50 of The Guild's members will sell their unique handcrafted work in ceramics, jewellery, leather, textiles, wood and more alongside internationally acclaimed guests.

There will also be a programme of workshops, talks and demonstrations, physical theatre performances, lessons in plantsmanship with displays and sales as well as an artisan café and gourmet street food.

Crafts Alive at Rodmarton Manor is an exciting opportunity for The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen to show its outstanding contemporary craftwork in an important heritage setting.

Rodmarton Manor, built and developed by the Biddulph family, is a unique expression of the Arts and Crafts movement and is the perfect backdrop for The Guild's original purpose of promoting fine craftsmanship, encouraging participation, and bringing together communities.

This year for the first time ever the family are opening up the attic bedrooms and two of the open-air bedrooms to the public.

Alongside the variety of new work showcased by Guild members, the festival will include:

• Daily demonstrations with five professional craftsmen and women, promoting understanding and an appreciation of traditional skills and craftsmanship
• Heritage Crafts Association apprentices of the year in 2020, Sam Cooper and Richard Platt will demonstrate the craft of rush-seated ladderback chairmaking alongside the film The Chairmaker featuring their mentor, Lawrence Neal, sponsored by Marchmont Farms Ltd.
• A 'Village Produce Show', a most exciting and colourful installation with daily creative activities making vegetables for children and adults.
• Taster workshops for adults and children making baskets, printing aprons, and enamel work
• Talks engaging with heritage and endangered crafts: Alex Langlands, archaeologist and broadcaster, will talk about the long history of crafts in Britain; Mary Greensted will talk about 'The women who helped make Rodmarton: Margaret Biddulph, Hilda Benjamin, Louise Powell and Eve Simmonds'; Matthew Harris will speak on 'Field Notes, and Martin Graebe will share 'Arts and Crafts: Folk Song and Dance' focusing on Cirencester and the surrounding area.
• House tours including the attic bedrooms and two of the open-air bedrooms.
• Physical theatre performances with song, poetry and puppetry inspired by the Lie of the Land.
• Plant and planting demonstrations with Julie Dolphin from Miserden Nursery

There will also be special guest exhibitors too. Textile artist Matthew Harris and LOT, a collaboration between jewellers Jed Green and Sarah Pulvertaft and embroiderer Beatrice Mayfield, will be exhibiting their extraordinary work in the Chapel.

Crafts Alive at Rodmarton Manor, by kind permission of John and Sarah Biddulph, is open from Wednesday 8th - Sunday 12th September between 10am - 5pm, with £10 entry fee to the public.

For more information, go to https://guildcrafts.org.uk/crafts-alive-at-rodmarton-manor/