About Us

President: Joanna Foster CBE, past Chair of the Crafts Council
Chair: Iain Shield

The Oxfordshire Craft Guild is a membership organization of makers working in a wide range of crafts, each with their individual style. Members are admitted on the basis of the quality of their work which is vetted by their peers at interview.

We believe that the use of materials to create beautiful objects enriches all of our lives and that an understanding of the processes and an appreciation of the results is an essential part of education. Creativity can enhance well being, and creative skills are also important to society at large in the fields of technology and industry.

We support and encourage quality craftsmanship and the development and dissemination of craft knowledge and skills by

  • rigorous selection standards for membership
  • presenting and participating in exhibitions and talks
  • helping members develop and disseminate their creative skills and business experience
  • providing selling opportunities for our members
  • recognizing the very best and most innovative work by our members
  • sharing ideas and practices across the different crafts
  • working in partnership with other creative organizations across Oxfordshire
  • expecting our members to maintain their standards of craftsmanship, and to participate in exhibitions and events

Members distinguish themselves from other local makers by using the initials OCG after their name.

How we work

  • OCG is a non-profit organisation managed by its Board of elected members from the different crafts. We have a paid administrator but are also very dependent on members to assist in the running of the Guild in various ways.
  • A major part of our work is organizing and running exhibitions. We mount a six-week Christmas Exhibition at the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock, set up and run by members, and several smaller exhibitions throughout the year.
  • The Guild supports the artistic development of its members in various ways including the Audrey Blackman prize awarded to a piece of work in the Christmas Exhibition. This is selected by independent judges as representing the best use of materials, innovation and creativity.

We have a commitment to encouraging and developing craft by providing educational material (see our YouTube channel), as well as a list of OCG members willing to be contacted to provide talks and demonstrations about their crafts – see here.

  • We hold  business and social meetings throughout the year along with shows and talks when members will have a chance to meet each other and discuss their work and ideas.

We welcome the support given by the Friends of the Oxfordshire Craft Guild who provide encouragement to the Guild and who help in a number of practical ways.

For key Guild contacts see the Contact Us page.

Copyright:
The pictures of Members’ pages are their own copyright and they should be contacted for permission to use.