History

The Art Workers’ Guild was founded in 1884 by young architects and designers who wanted to create a meeting place for the fine arts and the applied arts on an equal footing. Many of the prominent figures of the Arts and Crafts Movement were active members of the Guild and its principle of ‘learning by doing’ soon spread through art education and had a worldwide influence.

The Building

The Guild's home consists of a Grade ll* listed 18th century London town house, linked by a newly refurbished courtyard to the lecture hall, seating 100 and built in 1914 in what was the garden. Designed by F. W. Troup, the hall is a fine example of Arts and Crafts design. It houses portraits and sculptures of the Guild's Masters from its foundation to the present day.

Until recently a utilitarian outside space, the courtyard was redesigned in 2016 by Simon Hurst and is now covered with a beautiful glazed barrel vault roof supported by cast iron ribs. Designed and crafted by the Guild’s own members, it complements the existing architecture, in that its aesthetics are craft-orientated and largely handmade.

The Guild today

The Art Workers’ Guild is a unique body of more than 400 artists, craftspeople, architects, and academics working at the highest levels of excellence in their professions. We represent over 60 creative disciplines, including sculptors, architects, textile artists, potters, graphic designers, glass engravers, jewellers, furniture makers and printers. It is a place where traditional skills meet modern design and method, where creative connections are forged, and the work of the hand and ‘learning by doing’ are celebrated.

The Art Workers’ Guild is a registered charity that advances education in all the visual arts and crafts by means of lectures, meetings, demonstrations, and discussions. It fosters and maintains high standards of design and craftsmanship in all branches of the visual arts and crafts, in any way which may be beneficial to the community.

Besides hosting the Guild's own lectures and events, the hall and other rooms are made available for the meetings of some 70 other arts-based bodies, so that it is estimated that between 25 - 30,000 people use the building every year to attend events, educational lectures and study groups on the visual and decorative arts and crafts.

The Guild runs a varied and wide-ranging Outreach programme of practical workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations, collaborative projects, and discussions. The programme brings the diverse skills of our members to a broad range of people including students, educators and academics, policy makers, medical professionals, scientists and engineers, families, young people, and refugees. We hope that everyone who participates gains an insight into the many ways in which craftsmanship and making nurture creative thinking, and how these can play an important role in everyone's life.

A tour of the building

During Open House the Art Workers’ Guild will hold two tours of our beautiful Georgian home at 6 Queen Square in the heart of Bloomsbury, led by our former Honorary Architect, Simon Hurst.

The tours will take place at 12pm and 2pm and booking is essential.

Table Top Museums

We are very happy to welcome back Table Top Museums for Open House 2025.

Come and delight in an exhibition of over 20 installations, curated by Guild members and others. Discover this inventive celebration of the individual and extraordinary rules of those who collect.

Introduction

This year for the Open House Festival, the Art Workers’ Guild will offer tours of our Georgian home at 6 Queen Square in the heart of Bloomsbury, led by the Guild's former Honorary Architect, Simon Hurst.
Also on show will be the Table Top Museums; an inventive celebration of the individual and extraordinary rules of those who collect.