Craft Festival Bovey Tracey | 9-11 June 2023

QEST returned to Craft Festival Bovey Tracey this year, with a focus on promoting our work with young people and inspiring craft careers.

We were joined by QEST Apprentice Blue Bell Hill, who showcased her earthenware pottery inspired by the Cornish landscape. Alongside this, we showcased ceramics, embroidery, masks, sketchbooks and even blown glass created by 13-16 year olds from the Craft&Making Saturday Club held nearby at MAKE Southwest – one of four inaugural clubs run by National Saturday Club in partnership with QEST this year.

On the Saturday, young people from the club had the opportunity to visit the fair with their families and see their works exhibited. Several then took turns to volunteer on the stand – talking to visitors about their experience, and in the Children’s Tent – assisting Blue with facilitating a drop-in ceramics workshop for young visitors.

Elsewhere at the fair, Jacqui Carey held a sell-out braid making workshop for adult visitors, stone carver Zoë Wilson was demonstrating her craft, woven textile artist Laura Thomas and embroiderer Hanny Newton were exhibiting with Design Nation members, and withy pot maker Sarah Ready and paper makers Kieren Berry and Zoe Collis could be found in the Heritage Crafts tent.