On Saturday MAKE Southwest opened their doors for the first ever Green Maker Initiative Event, taking up the whole building formerly known as the Riverside Mill in Bovey Tracey, writes Hannah Mills-Brown.

The Jubilee Gallery played host to multiple informative and interactive stands with local craft and sustainability organisations such as Wood Lab, Climate Emergency Bovey & Heathfield, Mend Assembly and Precious Plastic Plymouth and Tavistock, set to the backdrop of Julia Manning’s beautiful print exhibition, The Decline of Eels.

Low Carbon Devon and University of Plymouth erected a giant map on the gallery wall which plots Southwest makers who are actively engaged in reducing their environmental impact, alongside an exhibition of a handful of our pledged Green Makers’ work. Both the map and the GMI exhibition can be found in the Jubilee Gallery until March 19.

Cornwall based ceramicist and member of both MAKE Southwest and Design-Nation, Bridget Macklin, replicated her studio in our Maker Showcase Gallery.

Bridget was hand building her beautiful pots all day and engaging the public in conversations about sustainable making.

Upstairs was bustling with activity and bargains with the first perfectly Imperfect Sale. A dozen Green Makers were selling their slightly imperfect items at reduced prices to ensure nothing in their creative practice goes to waste! Jane Deane was demonstrating natural dyeing

We launched a Materials Exchange for makers to donate unwanted materials to swap for something they can use in their creative practice. This is now a permanent fixture upstairs in the old cafe space of MAKE Southwest, and makers are welcome to come in to swap their materials any day that we are open (Wednesday to Saturday, 11am-5pm).

We were very pleased to see more than 300 visitors on Saturday, braving the miserable weather in the morning and was commented on by all those attended as a hugely successful day.

Given the success of Saturday’s event, MAKE Southwest are hopeful that this can become a yearly occurrence.

Always check the website for up to date opening hours www.crafts.org.uk/

About the Green Maker Initiative

At the end of 2021, MAKE Southwest (formerly Devon Guild of Craftsmen), in partnership with EDRF-funded Low Carbon Devon project at University of Plymouth, launched the Green Maker Initiative (GMI).

The idea was to encourage craft makers to consider the environmental impact of their creative practice and inspire them to take steps to become more sustainable.

Open to craft makers based in the Southwest, the GMI provides free support, resources and advice for crafts individuals and groups based in the region.

Although in its infancy, more than 100 participants have already signed a pledge to improve their environmental actions over time through a series of simple commitments.

The Green Maker Initiative is funded by Arts Council England which has supported fantastic local collaborations and a line-up of bespoke events.