Director of GyreCraft.

What is your background?

I am a curator, researcher and writer, with a focus on craft, contemporary art, design and social innovation, working between London and Shanghai. I have always been deeply interested in the idea of place, and my research has explored how local environments and forms of local knowledge intrinsically shape craft practices.

What is Gyrecraft?

The word ‘gyre’ refers to a circulating movement, like ocean currents. We see it as seeking cultural exchange and hidden connections between communities across the world. Through GyreCraft, we hope to reconnect people with place, and craft with contemporary life, creating new possibilities for dialogue across different cultures. For example, in 2024 GyreCraft curated Quanzhou Pavilion of China: Maritime Echoes, The Story of Stone for London Craft Week. As the start point of the Maritime Silk Road, Quanzhou carries a deeply layered cultural history. What we wanted to bring to London was not only the craft objects, but also the wider cultural ecology behind them – maritime culture, the stone industry, music, puppetry, zanhua (traditional floral hair adornments) – expressed through design, moving image, film, art and craft along the River Thames.

So craft is not simply about the object?

Most people encounter craft as objects placed within museums and art spaces. For us, what truly shapes a craft tradition is not only craftsmanship or technique, but also the local environment, forms of local knowledge, social structures, industrial histories, and the cultural conditions behind it. Even the wind, the soil or the humidity of a place can influence the final form of a work. And yet, much of this context is often missing from contemporary exhibition systems.

And this shaped the idea of the ‘Craft Town’?

In 2014, the World Crafts Council International launched the World Craft City programme, recognising places with strong craft traditions, active craft communities and significant cultural contributions. Today, the WCC network spans over 60 cities and regions. Craft Towns is a much more open and organic idea. Because of their histories, local industries, community life and embedded local knowledge, many towns have naturally evolved around a specific craft tradition. They may not officially carry the title, but they already exist as living local ecosystems shaped by craft.

For Sussex Craft Week, we have identified Arundel and Alfriston as Craft Towns…

ROSA and Sussex Craft Week has opened up my understanding of British Craft Towns, and how the legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement continues to resonate in these places. I am particularly interested in Arundel’s relationship to both the river and the coast. The meeting of these different landscapes gives the town a very distinct atmosphere and sensibility. In Alfriston craft still exists within the rhythm of the village, rather than being separated into exhibition spaces. This feels very close to the idea of ‘living heritage’. I also learned that, historically, Alfriston was an important stopping point for merchants, shepherds and pilgrims. These kinds of movements often leave behind particular forms of cultural memory. I am curious how these things have been preserved over time, and how they continue to shape the community and everyday life there today.

What is the benefit of being named a Craft Town?

It allows a place to reconnect with its own cultural identity and rethink its relevance today. Many traditional towns are facing a similar challenge: how to revitalise local culture and continue evolving, rather than simply becoming part of the past. Another important aspect is economic vitality. For craftspeople, it can open up new commercial possibilities, visibility and opportunities for collaboration. For local governments, it can potentially support cultural development, tourism and related industries.