Crafts Council: Market for Craft Report
The Crafts Council released this month (May 2020) the most signifiant survey of the UK craft market in a decade. The report looks at market trends of crafts, and how makers can fair in the current and forthcoming economy. The results found an increase from £883m on craft sales in 2006 to over £3bn in 2019, in part due to a growing consumer base of young, savvy craft lovers.
In light of increased sales of craft items, 'The Market for Craft' report found that the role of the intermediary in craft markets has also evolved. Under “Market models, intermediaries and the experience economy are shaping the market”, the report references Yodomo as one such intermediary providing market diversification via the experience economy:
“New intermediaries such as Yodomo provide makers with an opportunity to build sustainable crafts businesses through diversification into craft experiences, tapping into the continuing, and thriving, experience economy. The population survey identified an ongoing appetite for paid for craft experiences, with 20% of the overall market for craft (7% definitely and 13% probably) indicating that they’d pay to attend a craft workshop in the future.” pg. 10
Yodomo is also named in the shifting attitudes of consumers on participation:
“The popularity of craft experiences is the driver behind Yodomo, a relatively new player which had two founding aims: to address needs arising from the wellbeing movement and to help build sustainable crafts businesses by offering an opportunity for diversification. They provide online craft courses, kits and experiences both for people wanting to learn new skills and for people who just want to ‘have a go’... In recent years, the online or physical creative workshop has become an important income stream for many makers and Yodomo works to fill the gap in the market by providing a selection of workshops, through their website, which they produce. They curate the list of makers offering courses, specifically finding highly skilled craftspeople with unusual practice e.g. a Senegalese basketmaker; a shoemaker; a Polish maker inspired by folk art.” pg. 80
Yodomo is the prime example in investigating the experience economy, with the report citing that one in five of the overall market for crafts has paid to take part in a craft class.
With regard to Covid-19, the Executive Summary, by Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director of the Crafts Council, states:
"We now need a different approach to economic development to rebuild the market for craft, growing our own resourcefulness and showcasing how craft can help to generate sustainable, domestic economies at the same time as reaching broader international markets."
The report also covers extensive consumer behaviours and goes on to investigate export potentials.