Arts University Plymouth at Craft Festival 2026

<p dir="ltr">Alongside the university’s presence in the festival’s Aim Higher area, members of its alumni community will be exhibiting work across the weekend, while student work and course information will also be part of the university’s wider presence in the town.</p> <p dir="ltr">Craft Festival’s 2026 programme includes more than 200 selected makers, alongside workshops, demonstrations, talks, craft cinema, food and live music.<br /></p>

<p>Among the Arts University Plymouth alumni exhibiting this year are <strong>Bonnie Mustoe-Whitehill</strong>, whose jewellery is inspired by the quiet beauty of the natural world; <strong>Emmy Palmer</strong>, who combines knitting and glass in work shaped by colour, texture and hand process; and <strong>Val Muddyman</strong>, whose jewellery draws on the shoreline, transforming seaweed and sea glass into distinctive contemporary pieces. Bonnie and Val will exhibit in the festival’s Precious Jewellery section, while Emmy Palmer appears in Glass.</p>

<p>Their work reflects a rich range of contemporary craft practice, from delicate metalwork and tactile jewellery to experimental glass. Bonnie Mustoe-Whitehill graduated with First Class honours in BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices and was recognised as a runner-up for New Designer of the Year in 2022, while Emmy Palmer’s journey at Arts University Plymouth began with Foundation study before progressing to what is now BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices but was then known as BA (Hons) Applied Arts, specialising in glass. Completing her BA (Hons) Jewellery &amp; Silversmithing at Arts University Plymouth in 2017 with first class honours, Val Muddyman’s jewellery practice is rooted in Devon’s coastline, with recycled silver and gathered materials shaping work that feels closely tied to place.</p>

<p>Arts University Plymouth’s festival presence will also include members of its craft teaching team, with BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices Senior Lecturer and Course Leader <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/gayle-matthias">Gayle Matthias</a> and Lecturer <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/jason-marks">Jason Marks</a> taking part in the university’s activity across the weekend.</p>

<p>Running alongside the festival period is <strong><a href="https://makesouthwest.org.uk/all-activity/ramm-and-aup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remnants</a></strong>, an exhibition of work by second-year <strong>BA (Hons) Textile Design</strong> students at Arts University Plymouth in collaboration with MAKE Southwest. Developed in response to artefacts from the collections of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, the exhibition explores historical narratives, material qualities and cultural significance through print, knit, construction and other handcrafted textile techniques. Together, the work celebrates tools, process and craftsmanship, foregrounding the physical relationship between maker, material and technique, and reflecting on the enduring relevance of handcraft in contemporary textile design.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Visitors to the Arts University Plymouth stand in the Aim Higher area of Craft Festival will be able to find out more about <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-craft-material-practices"><strong>BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices</strong></a> and the new <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/cert-he-ceramics-glass"><strong>CertHE Ceramics &amp; Glass</strong></a>, as well as free craft taster workshops planned for Arts University Plymouth’s Open Day on 20 June. A small selection of student work will also be on display, including ceramic and glass pieces developed through a collaborative brief that gives first- and second-year students experience of designing, making and presenting work for a live public setting, with some pieces available to purchase at the festival.</p> <p dir="ltr">BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices combines traditional making with contemporary material exploration in Arts University Plymouth’s Materials Lab and Fab Lab South West. Students work across a range of processes, while also building professional experience through exhibitions, competitions, live briefs and external opportunities with partners including MAKE Southwest, The Box, the Eden Project and New Designers.<br /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.craftfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Craft Festival Bovey Tracey </a>takes place at Mill Marsh Park from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 June 2026. Advance adult tickets start at £10, weekend tickets start at £19, and accompanied under-18s go free.</p>