QEST Alumni selected for Homo Faber Fellowship programme

Two QEST Scholars have been chosen to participate in the Michelangelo Foundation’s Homo Faber Fellowship programme in 2024/25.

2015 QEST Scholar and bookbinder Manuel Mazzotti and 2021 QEST Scholar and puppet maker Oliver Hymans have been announced as master artisans for the prestigious programme and will each pair with early career makers Chihiro Shigemitsu (Manuel) and Ash Appadu (Oliver).

They are among the 24 selected duos from across Europe who will exchange and develop skills for seven months as part of the opportunity.

Bookbinding and puppetry are among the list of new crafts introduced in the second edition of the Fellowship programme which is all about the transmission of craft knowledge and skills from one generation to the next.

The Fellowship programme begins with a one-month creative and entrepreneurial masterclass taught by ESSEC Business School and Passa Ao Futuro at the International University of Art in Venice in September. The early career makers will then spend six months in the workshops of their paired master artisans across Europe.

During these months spent in the workshop together, the 24 duos will be challenged to design and handcraft a co-creation inspired by a theme chosen by the programme’s supporting partner Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Manuel, the founder of independent bookbinding and printing studio MAZZOTTI BOOKS, said he is excited to share his skills.

“The opportunity is twofold – it’s the chance to share what I know with others and also the gift of gaining a new perspective,” he said.

“With Chihiro, we will be working on mastering the basics of bookbinding and bookbinding materials, creating a solid craft foundation for her to build upon and have the necessary confidence to deliver projects with the highest standards.

“She will also gain firsthand experience in the day-to-day running of a craft studio,
including supplier relationships, client commissions, studio promotion, and maintenance.”

Oliver, an award-winning puppetry artist and puppeteer, said he was delighted to have been selected and is looking forward to “raising the flag for marionette puppetry”.

“My proposal (for the fellowship) was to have Ash work on a bespoke training programme under my supervision, to create a set of new marionettes which we can use for a future show,” he said.

“We are very confident the momentum of our work on a marionette revival is going to be a success.

“It’s wonderful that Homo Faber saw the need to support the project and to help us work towards our long-term goal of getting this fascinating form of puppetry off the Red List of Endangered Crafts.”

QEST was named the UK partner for the Michelangelo Foundation’s prestigious Homo Faber Next Gen programmes earlier this year, one of four new countries to be added to the programme in 2024.

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