Townsend, K., Niedderer, K., 2020.

Crafting health, well-being and happiness

Craft as a profession has long been associated with dexterity and skill, independence and fulfilment. From the Renaissance onwards, we have many accounts of craftsmen and women who take great care and responsibility in their practice and who present their work and themselves with pride. Today, with the advent of leisure time, growth in ageing populations and medical and technological advances, the crafts have become more multi-layered than ever, with applications in areas well beyond traditional professions. With this shift, craft practice is increasingly recognized as a positive influence on personal and communal well-being when used as a vocational, leisure and social activity.