Community

Craft Festival Community

How it Began

Craft Festival was founded in 2004 and is a non-profit making organisation and we celebrate our 21st Anniversary in 2025. The event has grown from around 2,000 visitors to over 10,000 since it started and has become one of the most prestigious and much loved craft events in the Europe. Craft Festival was made possible with the award of LEADER+ funding from the European Union. We have accessed various funds over the years but we are now self-sustaining with additional support provided by working in partnership with a variety of organisations and businesses. 

Craft Festival came about when a group of Bovey Tracey craft businesses joined forces and formed a non-profit making company with the aim to bring a large craft fair to Bovey Tracey. The aim of the Fair was to showcase the very best in British craft and the create a new, sustainable and strong market place for contemporary craft but also to bring greater prosperity to the town of Bovey Tracey. The town has a long history of making and at one point up to 15 commercial potteries were running in the area. The House of Marbles and Make South West were founding directors.

Craft Festival is run by Sarah James MBE, Nina Fox and her team.

We have since expanded to events in Cheltenham and Cardigan Castle. We launched Find a Maker directory and business school in 2021 and currently have over 450 members. Our podcast, The Capital of Craft has over 40 episodes to enjoy.

Award Winning Festival

In 2015, 2016 and 2018 we were awarded a Gold medal as Visit Devon's Festival of the Year and our first GOLD for Festival of the Year at the South West Excellence Awards in 2018. We were also delighted to win overall Winner of Winners for the South West 2018.

Our latest event, Craft Festival Wales 2024 at Cardigan Castle was recently awarded Caru Ceredigion's Event of the Year (Community).

Our Director Sarah James was awarded an MBE for Services to Craft in the King's Birthday Honours List 2023.

Our Community Fund

If we have any surplus from the Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey, some is invested back into the company and we also give money away to local charities. For many years we supported The Bovey Tracey Youth Café giving them, in excess of £8,000. Our director, Sarah James was also a Trustee for 5 years.

We are now opening out the opportunity to charities, non-profits and local community groups in the TQ13 9 and Heathfield postcode area to be supported by us via our Community Fund. Applications will open in January.

Craft Festival Fund Recipients: 

Bovey Tracey Primary School Parents and Teachers Association.

Bovey Tracey Swimming Pool

Bovey Tracey Youth Cafe.

Plastic Free Bovey 

Bovey Futures

2022 Craft Festival Awarded

£750 to Bovey Tracey Swimming Pool to help towards new renewable energy project.

£100 to Friends of Mill Marsh Park to plant spring bulbs.

The Craft Festival Cup

In 2019 we founded the Craft Festival Cup to encourage young makers from the local area.

2019 Craft Festival Cup Winner, Matilda Slee from Blackpool Primary School, Liverton.

2022 Craft Festival Cup Winner, Erin from Blackpool Primary School, Liverton. 

2023 Craft Festival Cup Winner, Evie Coates from Blackpool Primary School, Liverton.

Nourish Festival

In 2014, we set up Nourish Festival with The Cheeseshed and Erica Steer, the then director of the Make South West. We wanted to create a free event located on Fore Street in Bovey Tracey. We founded Nourish which celebrates the best in food, craft and music and it’s been a great success bringing over 2000 visitors to Bovey Tracey in one day.