More than a hundred member of the design and furniture making industry united for the Inspiring Makers event.
Hosted by luxury interiors brand Artichoke and The Furniture Makers’ Company, the day was a platform to inspire future generations of craftspeople to promote hand skills and preserve the legacy of craft through the sharing of ideas, industry connection and the championing of making.
Thought-provoking talks and panel discussions engaged the audience in Bath on topics including AI, gender inclusion, diversity and sustainability with influential speakers from Artichoke, Matthew Cox, Benchmark, The Building Crafts College, Woodland Heritage, ACID, Sylva Foundation and Ergochair.
‘As heritage makers for the world’s finest interiors, we are committed to nurturing talent and preserving traditional handcrafting techniques for the future. Artistry and technical skill at our level can take decades in the making which is why it’s so important to encourage young people into the craft. Along with our other educational initiatives such as apprenticeships, Inspiring Makers helps to encourage, train and sustain the masters of the future. This year’s event was hugely inspiring,’ says Bruce Hodgson, Artichoke founder and creative director.
‘Inspiring Makers has become a cornerstone of our activity, and we’re proud to help organise an event that plays such an important role in safeguarding the future of British craftsmanship. It brings together makers, thinkers and doers from across the industry to exchange ideas, celebrate skill, and inspire the next generation. We are incredibly grateful to the speakers and panellists for sharing their knowledge and experience, and most of all to everyone who came and made the day such a success. We hope to see many of them return for next year’s conference,’ says David Dewing, The Furniture Makers’ Company, south-west region chairman.
Interest in the 2026 event can be registered on Artichoke’s website. Inspiring Makers is supported by Artichoke, The Furniture Makers’ Company, Axminster Tools, Halstock. Sykes Timber, Ergochair and Castelan Group.
Image: James King
