Endangered Skills, such as those in the first and forthcoming edition of the HC Red List of Endangered Crafts, often link to place as well as to people. Therefore, they are very relevant to the RSA’s Design for Life mission. They involve skills which remain necessary in the modern world. In an era of AI and robots, true craftsmanship is a life-enhancing antidote.
Our speakers will address the latest research and the 2025 HC Red List. They will also explore the importance of, and current UK work on, the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
From blacksmithing to basketry, from weaving to woodturning, the UK has some of the best craftspeople in the world and an incredible range of heritage craft skills. But many of these skills are in the hands of individuals who have been unable to make provision to pass them on. The Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts, first published in 2017, was the first report of its kind to rank traditional crafts by the likelihood they would survive to the next generation, based on intangible cultural heritage safeguarding principles. The list attracted extensive media coverage in the UK and abroad, shining a light on heritage craft practices under threat from a number of issues. The fifth edition of the Red List is published on 13 May 2025.
Speakers
Daniel Carpenter
Daniel is Executive Director of Heritage Crafts. He has worked in the arts, crafts and heritage sectors for the past 18 years, including at Creative Lives (formerly Voluntary Arts), the national charity set up to promote active participation in everyday creativity. He led Heritage Crafts’ Pre-Apprenticeship project in West Somerset in 2017, and was commissioned in 2018 to lead the research on the second edition of Red List of Endangered Crafts, before being recruited onto the staff team in 2019. He is a Trustee of Arts&Heritage, an Ambassador of The Fathom Trust, a judge for the Global Eco Artisan Awards, and a Committee of Recommendation Member for the Ambacht in Beeld Festival in the Netherlands.
Mary Lewis
Mary is the Head of Craft Sustainability at Heritage Crafts, where she advocates for traditional skills and leads efforts to safeguard endangered crafts, while promoting sustainable livelihoods in the sector. With hands-on experience in basketry and knitting, she combines her practical knowledge with a strong background in fundraising, project management, and the development of accredited training and apprenticeships in coppice crafts. Mary oversees research and development for the Red List of Endangered Crafts and plays a key role in sector advocacy, including work related to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Her previous roles include Training Manager at the Small Woods Association and Manager of the Sustainability Centre in Hampshire. Committed to keeping craft traditions alive in a changing world, she works closely with makers, policymakers, and communities. Mary also serves as Chair of the Ironbridge Coracle Trust.
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