Organisers of Made by Hand in City Hall, Cardiff are celebrating the announcement of Major Event funding from the Welsh Government’s Major Events Unit. This is a first craft event of its kind to be supported by the Fund and demonstrates a great commitment from Welsh Government to support small creative businesses across Wales.
The funding, which is for 3 years, comes as a hugely welcomed addition to the funding from Arts Council of Wales and support from Cardiff Council.
Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart, said:
“We look forward to working with Made by Hand to develop the event even further and to maximise the economic benefits of the event for Wales and for the businesses involved. This unique event offers Welsh businesses the opportunity to develop and grow so they can compete on a national and international level. The event also gives the businesses the opportunity to develop marketing, selling and presentation skills and valuable networking opportunities. Welsh Government support will help some of these small Welsh businesses to flourish.”
Made by Hand director Sarah James, is very excited about the opportunity of support from the Welsh Government.
“This support will have a huge impact on the success of Made by Hand and gives 135 SMEs the opportunity to grow their businesses in the heart of Cardiff. Cardiff Council has welcomed us with open arms and I am very excited about the future of the event in City Hall. The ongoing commitment from Arts Council of Wales further strengthens our commitment to supporting the creative economy of Wales”.
Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Wales said:
“We’re delighted to see Made By Hand coming to the heart of Wales and its capital city. The contemporary crafts covers a wide range of types of work from the decorative to the functional, from the collectable to the affordable. One of the joys of the crafts is their beauty and their accessibility. But it’s equally fascinating to see the traditions and legacy of previous generations of craftspeople being reinterpreted by some of the most innovative and skilled makers of the present day.”
Made by Hand will feature 135 companies, handpicked by a panel of industry experts, from across Wales & the UK selling directly to the public. Visitors to Made by Hand can also enjoy workshops for all ages, craft demonstrations, talks and master classes and children can experience free drop-in workshops provided by Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran. All accompanied by live music and the Made by Hand Café.
Councillor Ramesh Patel, Cabinet Member Sport, Leisure & Culture, Cardiff Council said:
“Cardiff Council is proud to be hosting the Made by Hand event in City Hall in 2014 and very much looks forward to supporting the development of an exciting and sustainable craft and design event for Wales and its Capital City.
“We believe the event will further enhance the City’s event portfolio and visitor offer and are confident that Made by Hand will reflect the Capital’s reputation for staging quality events. We have every confidence that the event will provide a valuable opportunity to promote Wales’ creative DNA and further support the country’s creative arts and craft sector.”
There is still time to take advantage of the opportunity and Made by Hand invites applications from makers of the highest quality. The deadline to apply is March 7th. Please email [email protected] for details.
Made by Hand, City Hall, Cardiff October 31-November 2nd 2014
Open Friday 31st 10am-4pm , Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm
Adult daily ticket £6, concession £5
Adult Super Saver Weekend Ticket £11, concessions £9
www.madebyhand-wales.co.uk
