Craft schools offer courses for professional enrichment in specialised crafts through residences and community collaboration. There are many colleges and universities offer handmade craft classes through their art departments leading to diplomas, degrees and masters. Non-credit classes for personal enrichment are also offered by a wide variety of organizations, including colleges, non-profit arts organizations and community centers around the world.
Whilst this is not an easy task, here is our pick of the top 5 handmade craft schools in the world:
1.The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD), Canada
Established in 1938, the NBCCD is the only college in Canada that focuses entirely on fine crafts and applied design. The NBCCD provides excellent foundation learning for professional practice and personal development as well as fostering creative enterprise and applied learning in the art of handmade Craft and Design.
Courses on offer include:
•1-year Certificate Programs in Foundation Visual Arts (FVA)
•2-year Diplomas in Aboriginal Visual Arts (AVA), Ceramics, Digital Media, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Jewellery/Metal Arts, Photography and Textile Design.
•2+2 (4-year) Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA) Degree with the University of New Brunswick (UNB)
Whichever program you choose to study, at NBCCD you will graduate with tangible and transferable skills including creativity, critical thinking, innovation, collaboration, resiliency and adaptability.
2.Sturt, Australia
Established in 1941, Sturt is Australia’s oldest handmade craft school and a centre of excellence for the promotion and teaching of Australian contemporary craft and design. Located in Mittagong, an hour south of Sydney, Sturt presents contemporary craft courses for people of all ages and skill levels in full-time, part-time and short course formats.
Part-time courses in jewellery, ceramics, wood and weaving are taught to over one hundred students each week. Their residential Summer and Winter Schools attract over two hundred students in January and July to take part in a wide selection of craft and fine art courses. A selection of short courses in weekend or one day introductory formats are also offered during the year.
3.Penland School of Crafts, USA
An international school for handmade craft education dedicated to helping people live creative lives. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Penland offers one, two and eight-week workshops in books and paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking and letterpress, textiles, and wood. The school also offers artists’ residencies, community collaboration programs, a gallery and information center.
4.University for the Creative Arts (UCA), UK
As a specialist arts university, the UCA programmes are designed to inspire, encourage collaboration and enhance your creative career. Taught and guided by experienced, industry-connected academic staff, students can now reap the benefits of studying in a top UK university.
With more than one hundred and ten creative courses across four creative campuses in London and the South East of England, the UCA is one of the top research communities in art and design and is recognised internationally as world-class in terms of originality, significance and thoroughness.
5.Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), India
The Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) in collaboration with Kingston University, London at its base in New Delhi, aims to give students a thorough grounding in indigenous arts, handmade crafts, traditions and the country’s rich history in architectural design.
The IIAD school of thought is that contemporary learning is less about rigid lectures and much more about nurturing ideas in a collaborative, mentor-driven environment. The IIAD focuses on an equitable student-faculty ratio, open access to work spaces and tools, and a definite emphasis on interactive and critical thinking.