Home-page

DIGITAL PLATFORMS FOR CRAFT

Digital platforms for craft was an 20-month project that aimed to map out the use, features and potential of digital platforms in craft sectors in the UK and China. It was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council in the UK and supported by the Crafts Council, and was a partnership between researchers at the Queen Mary University of London and Hunan University in China.

WHY THIS RESEARCH?

Digital platforms in other creative industries such as music and games generate revenue growth and sustain work. However, there is a lack of research in the use and potential of digital platforms for craft sectors.

WHAT VALUE CAN DIGITAL PLATFORMS BRING TO CRAFT?

Digital platforms provide opportunities for innovation by using new materials and production techniques; they facilitate greater and closer access to markets and customers and help include customers more in the design process.

Digital platforms such as social networks, search engines, online marketplaces, and content distribution can help to generate new products and services both online and offline.

See our case studies for some great examples.

Read our full report for more details.

WHY RESEARCH IN UK & CHINA?

There are deep rooted differences in culture and heritage between the UK and China which would affect conventions and methods of production and consumption in Creative Economies.

There are significant differences between countries’ internet infrastructure and policies of use.

There are differences in digital inclusion between urban and rural areas which are different in China and the UK and which would have an impact of the possible uses and uptake of digital platforms.

RESEARCH PROCESS

Mixed methods research was undertaken in China and the UK including desk research and surveys to gather stakeholders’ experiences and views regarding the features and uses digital platforms for craft and recruit participants in workshops. Workshops and interviews/focus groups were conducted in the urban and rural areas to identify uses and opportunities for digital platforms for craft.

VIDEO ABOUT OUR PROJECT

RESEARCH TEAM

UK

3181591792749_.pic

Prof. Nick Bryan-Kinns

Principal Investigator
3191591792751_.pic_hd

Dr Yuanyuan (Daisy) Liu

Research Assistant
Lauren

Lauren

Student
Pengxuan-Yang

Pengxuan Yang

Student

QMUL Creative Economy Network

Prof. Morag Shiach

Prof. Morag Shiach

Dr. Tarek Virani

Dr Tarek Virani

Jiun-Yi Wu

Jiun-Yi Wu

Justine Kenyon

Justine Kenyon

CHINA

谭浩

Prof. Hao Tan

Principal Investigator
谭征宇

Dr Zhengyu Tan

Co-investigator
4811595052150_.pic

Dr Duoduo Zhang

Co-investigator
赵颖

Ying Zhao

Research Assistant
WechatIMG1638

Huiwen Zhang

Student
IMG_6766

Weiting Gao

Student
3AD8F0EE-A7A9-4E8A-A398-2F1B25AF2481

Yaan Wei

Student
faceu_1591862670309

Xinhui Cai

Student
邓兰婷

Lanting Deng

Student
谢慧玲

Huiling Xie

Student
WechatIMG1633

Ran He

Student

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank all the participants who gave us enormous help in our project including Tatty Devine (UK), Hand & Lock (UK), Bridget Bailey (UK), Maria Sigma (UK), Elizabeth Renton (UK), Jeremy Nichols (UK), Xiang Embroidery (李艳大师工作室, China), Tongguan Kiln Ceramics (铜官窑, China), Yiyang Xiaoyu Bamboo art (危禄绵大师, China), Hunan Arts and Crafts Vocational College (湖南工艺美术职业学院, China), Blue Wood: woodworking experience studio (蓝顶研木社, China), Daxi Leather Studio (大西皮具工作室, China), Zou Liulan: a blue dye artist (邹柳兰, China), Tatala Huayao Cultural and Creative Studio (塔塔拉花瑶文创工作室, China), and all those who contributed and wished to remain anonymous.

Contact Us

Contact E-mail: contact@craftplatforms.org

Craftplatforms.org has been produced by the project research team at Queen Mary University of London, UK, and Hunan University, China.

For more information or to speak to the craft research team, please contact:

Prof. Nick Bryan-Kinns

n.bryan-kinns@qmul.ac.uk

School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science
Queen Mary University of London
London E1 4NS

Prof. Hao Tan

htan@hnu.edu.cn

School of Design, Hunan University
Yuelu Mountain, Changsha