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Collaboration Through Craft

The publication ‘Collaboration through Craft’ investigates the current theoretical debates about the collaborative/social power of craft (Gauntlett 2008; Sennett 2008; Adamson 2008.).

The book emerged from the cross-institutional and material project ‘Pairings’ (2009) conceived by Kettle at MMU, and the eponymous conference, which constituted fundamental research on the impact on craft of collaboration. ‘Pairings’ resulted in a UK tour, culminating at Contemporary Applied Arts London 2013. Individual initiatives and linked projects included over 40 participants, and an international conference hosted by Manchester School of Art. (‘Pairings’ catalogue, 2010, ISBN 978-1-905476-53-4)

‘Collaboration through Craft’ establishes the theoretical framework for innovation in cross material practice. The projects report and analyse the collaborative turn in craft and its impact on questions of identities, materials, processes, expertise and pedagogies. The research addresses the elisions and frictions of the collaborative process; new technological potentials of fertilizations between craft and industry/science; the implication of collaborations for issues such as authority and ownership; dispersed models of creativity; and collaborations’ impact on institutions. The collection argues for craft as a field of knowledge and a socio-cultural concept poised between models of expertise, possessive individualism and collaborative labour.

This research has led to the ‘Making It’ project, the publication ‘Making Stories’, an interactive e-book (ISBN:978-09574243-2-6). Consequently Kettle is invited to consult on craft strategy for Arts Council of Great Britain SE.

Kettle led the Pairings conference and exhibitions from which the book originated, initiating negotiations with Bloomsbury. Ravetz drafted the book proposal with input from Kettle. All editors commented on draft chapters, with Ravetz acting as overall academic editor and Kettle as artistic editor. Ravetz wrote the first drafts of the main introduction and Kettle drafted the section introductions, after which all editors commented on portions of each draft. Ravetz was responsible for communicating with contributors, Felcey for coordinating visual materials and Kettle for communicating with Bloomsbury. Ravetz and Kettle each wrote chapters with colleagues. Ravetz 40%, Kettle 40%, Felcey 20%.