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

We are offering tours of the building given by the Guild's Honorary Architect, Simon Hurst.
Tours will take place at 12 pm and 2pm. Booking for the tours is essential.

Creative Connections Exhibition

During Open House we will hold an exhibition ‘Creative Connections’ showcasing work by participants of our newly launched initiative of the same name.

Creative Connections is a year-long programme which creates a space for creative people who are beginning to establish themselves professionally. Programme participants meet and connect with Guild members, build supportive networks with each other and develop their professional practice.

The programme includes hands-on workshops, talks, discussions and social events - all opportunities to connect with other creative people to share insights and ideas, encourage each other and navigate the challenges of sustaining a career.

Visit us to gain insights into this new initiative, and the specialist skills involved in furniture design, millinery, stone and wood carving, letterpress, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and much more.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday 21 September, 11am – 5pm, to coincide with the Open House Festival, and will continue by appointment until the end of October.

Exhibitors:
Maddy Barnett
Kendall Clarke
Belinda Coyne
Alice Dudgeon
Isabel Fletcher
Rebecca Gray
Jo Grogan
Rae Holden
Ruth Jenkins
Sofia Karakatsanis
Suvrita Kothari
Joanne Lamb
Sophie Lloyd
Aimee Mackay
Xanthe Maggs
Caitlin Maxwell Hughan
Francesca Miotti
Liaqat Rasul
Emma Sheridan
Oliver Snelling
Andrew Strangeway
Nicholas Topping
Marie Tricaud

Introduction

This year for the Open House Festival, the Art Workers’ Guild will offer tours of our Georgian building at 6 Queen Square in the heart of Bloomsbury, led by the Guild's Honorary Architect, Simon Hurst. Also on show will be an exhibition ‘Creative Connections’ showcasing work by participants of our newly launched initiative of the same name. Creative Connections aims to provide space and support for creative people who are beginning to establish themselves professionally.