Made in the Middle: Contemporary craft from the Midlands
Craftspace presents a wealth of original craft from across the Midlands
Olivia Ricketts
This January Craftspace’s Made in the Middle, will launch at Leicester Gallery, De Montfort University. The ninth in the series, the exhibition draws together 37 regional artists whose work offers a unique glimpse into the diverse and rich creative landscape of the Midlands. Celebrating the distinctive characteristics of the region, the work reflects its post-industrial past through the wealth of materials on display, as well as demonstrating the tangible growing identity of the region’s culture informed by migration.
31 exceptional artists, ranging from 22 to 82 years old, have been selected by a panel of curators and craft sector specialists. Ranging from emerging artists to those with established reputations there will be a variety of techniques and disciplines on display including textiles, ceramics, mixed media, jewellery, metalwork and bio-materials. A further 6 artists have been invited by Guest Curator Jazz Swali, to emphasise the enriching cultural impact of global migration to the region and how the creative influence of a continuing global diaspora enhances its growth and productivity.
Natalie Cole
Deirdre Figueiredo, Director Craftspace said “In 2025, the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, the exhibition shows how artists are playing their role in evolving the cultural voice and identity of the Midlands. The curation of the exhibition gives artists an unusual opportunity to experiment, speculate and make work freely without commercial constraints and audiences will be amazed and inspired.”
With exhibitors from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences the selection of work will convey powerful stories about the world we live in. Selected exhibitors include Gambian textile artist Mahawa Keita, who combines traditional and contemporary textile techniques in her community-focused fibre art, Oxana Geets whose striking ceramic sculptures study ideas of ritual and offering, through stories of migration, Jo Cope, self-taught in shoemaking, combines traditional techniques with upcycled materials to create artworks that blur the line between design and art and Paul McAllister whose ceramics explore post-industrial landscapes and heritage, reflecting on the cycles of decline and renewal in the Midlands. The exhibition will tour to galleries across the Midlands into 2026 raising the profile of regional artists and providing an opportunity to sell. For the public and collectors it’s a chance to commission a unique artwork or buy existing pieces to suit all budgets. Artists’ work is also available to buy online through Craftspace’s shop at craftspace.co.uk
Made in the Middle is a regional touring exhibition curated by Craftspace in partnership with Leicester Gallery at De Montfort University, funded by Arts Council England.
Christopher Day
Artists (Selected)
Aishah Carberry, Clare Pentlow, Emma-Jane Rule, Francesca Buxton, Jade Webb, Jennifer Collier, Jo Cope, Johnny Armstrong, Karina Thompson, Katie Smith, Keeley Traae, Keisha Brittle, Lucy Baxendale, Mahawa Keita, Martha Wiles, Melanie Tomlinson, Michaela McMillan, Natalie Cole, Nilupa Yasmin, Nobuko Okumura, Oliver Bliss, Oxana Geets, Paul McAllister, Rachael Colley, Robert Maurice King, Roo Dhissou, Ruiya Xu, Sarah-May Johnson, Verity Howard and Zoë Hillyard.
Invited artists curated by Jazz Swali: Christopher Day; Farwa Moledina; Halima Cassel; Klara Szafranska; Tereza Buskova and Xin Chen.
Tour schedule (Free Entry)
Leicester Gallery, De Montfort University 25 January – 22 March 2025
Hub, Sleaford 5 April – 6 July 2025
Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery 27 September – 22 November 2025
MAC Birmingham 14 February – 11 April 2026
The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery 4 July – 29 August 2026
For more information visit craftspace.co.uk/mitm | @ craftspace_ | #MadeITM
Halima Cassell
Farwa Moledina
Klara Szafranska