Background:

Far from being stuck in the past, could craft be key to our future?

The Goldsmiths Company celebrates its 700th anniversary in 2027. A contemporary company with deep roots in the past, it fulfils the same purpose as when it was first set up. In our era of deep fakes, the Company’s Assay Office plays a vital role in assuring the quality of precious metals and the coin of the realm.

Drawing on goldsmithing and related trades, this talk reveals the surprising relevance of craft to contemporary life. Scientists and craftspeople are joining forces to unlock solutions to ‘wicked’ health and environmental challenges. Makers are innovating new materials to solve resource issues. Touch is the most overlooked of our senses, yet new research reveals that craft provides greater life satisfaction than employment.

Offering a new vision of craft, you’re invited to think of making as a mindset with the power to transform our world.

Speaker:

Annie Warburton is Chief Executive and Clerk at the Goldsmiths’ Company. She is the first woman to hold the role in the Company’s near 700-year history. A writer and TEDx presenter specialising in design and craft, Annie was previously CEO at Cockpit, an award-winning, UK top 100 social enterprise. As Creative Director at the Crafts Council, Annie led research, innovation and education initiatives and a portfolio of UK and international exhibitions, including at the V&A, London Design Festival, Design Miami and for UK City of Culture. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Fellow of the City & Guilds Institute, council member at Creative UK, and honorary Associate of Newnham College, Cambridge.