Craft Hub closing conference at Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

The title of the Craft Hub closing conference ‘Transformation – Effect and Affect of Craft in Society’ was initiated by Astrid Heimer at OsloMet and developed in collaboration with the Craft Hub editorial team. The conference was closely connected to the OsloMet Craft Hub exhibition ‘Transform’ at the University Campus Gallery. Together the conference and the exhibition described two interconnected perspectives of the Craft Hub project.

More than 100 participants took part in the on-site conference which took place at two campuses, 26th and 27th of October. The first day was at Campus Pilestredet, in the center of Oslo City, and included the exhibition opening and a conference dinner. The second day was at Campus Kjeller situated at the Skedsmo Science Park, halfway to Oslo airport. The third day was an online webinar the 1st of November.

There is an essential role for the arts in research and interdisciplinary collaboration in the research landscape today, including in the EU New European Bauhaus plan. This was enhanced at the conference opening by Laila Fauske, Vice Dean of Research, Development and Innovation at Faculty of Technology Art and Design at OsloMet. Barbara Stacher, Senior Expert at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC)’s Cultural Policy Unit presented the current policy and funding opportunities in support of the creative sector including craft. This is a further development of collaboration with Becky Riches and Paolo Montemurro from Materahub. The Exhibition methodology was developed by artistic curator Rita Orlando, which included a traveling exhibition and in-country exhibition. At OsloMet the Vice Rector for Research and Development Tanja Storsul opened the exhibition ‘Transform’ in the OsloMet university’s gallery in PP33. The exhibition was part of the strategy in the OsloMet Visning Arena (OsloMet Exhibition Arena) project that aims for promoting artistic research both as a strategy and as a learning arena where the aesthetic competence in art, design and drama are shown in practice. The material and visual live demonstrations complemented written texts. Together, essential for understanding the content of the professions in the arts.

How Craft Hub began

Craft Hub was initiated by artist and researcher Shelley Doolan at Wales University in 2016. OsloMet has more than 20 years of collaboration with Swansea College of Art at Wales University. OsloMet was involved in CraftHub through a collaboration visit, where International coordinator Steen Ory Bendtzen and former Head of Department of Product Design Gunnar H. Gundersen met researcher Tyra Oseng-Rees. She was their former bachelor student from Product Design. She had done her master’s and PhD in UK on sustainable glass. CraftHub has later been well supported by the University leadership of OsloMet. This includes Einar Stoltenberg, head of the Department of Product Design, an education that was founded in 1917 as Statens Husflidsskole (National School for Crafts). It also includes Liv Klakegg Dahlin, the Head of The Department of Art Design and Drama, an education that was founded in 1875 as Statens kvinnelige industriskole (National School of Industry for Women). There are around 1000 students affiliated to these departments. Today OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University is the third largest University in Norway with 22 000 students.

The Craft Hub project developed through several stages with all partners and successfully was funded in 2020, under the leadership of Carlow County Council and Kieran Comerford. In Ireland Craft Hub was announced as a National Winner in the European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2023 and went forward to become a finalist at the European Awards. The closing conference and the exhibition demonstrated essential qualities of the project and pointed to several ways for the future.

Oslo, 22nd of October, 2023.
By Arild Berg, Coordinator for CraftHub at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University

Craft and crafting fosters creativity, one of the 21st century’s most essential skills for innovation. 

Craft and crafting fosters creativity, one of the 21st century’s most essential skills for innovation. The conference, Transformation: Effect and Affect of Craft in Society, raises awareness of the role of craft in society in the broadest sense. The 35 presenters at the conference came from all over Europe. The presenters shared perspectives on the many roles of craft and the making disciplines in society, and the presentations were connected to one of the three themes: 

• Exploring craft heritage, 
• Aesthetics of materiality, and 
• Technology and craft. 

Among the topics, the effect that craft can have on people in our digital age is demonstrated, for example, how to be creative with new technology and how to utilize interaction between analogue and digital tools and processes. Other topics in the conference are how craft and crafting contribute to engagement and knowledge about sustainable issues by utilizing and upcycling materials in new ways, highlighting aesthetic values, and sharing creative perspectives on social interaction through material culture. The conference allows practitioners and curators to share experiences, skills, and perspectives on craft for a broad audience. There will also be possibilities to discuss the potential for the future development of the project Craft Hub, for example, through education or the EU plan of New European Bauhaus to raise awareness of the role of craft in society in the broadest sense.

By Astrid Heimer Team member for CraftHub at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University

Conference Playlist