Get your creative juices flowing in Bucks…..

Buckinghamshire is establishing itself as an arts destination with an array of galleries, exhibitions, and workshops. If art is your thing, this autumn is a great opportunity to experience the creativity of Bucks.

The launch of The Buckinghamshire Craft Guild

An exciting new business, the Buckinghamshire Craft Guild, is launching on Friday October 27th 2017. The Buckinghamshire Craft Guild is a member-run business aiming to promote the best in designer and applied contemporary crafts in Buckinghamshire, providing an all-year-round showcase and the opportunity to meet the makers, see demonstrations and learn about the process and artistic creative journey.

The Guild has a new shop at Layby Farm, Aylesbury which will be open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, and will be run by the makers who will offer the public an exciting opportunity to talk to them about their work and watch demonstrations.

The members have all been hand-picked as some of the best in Bucks, and their work that will be on show in the new shop covers a wide range of fascinating craft forms including textile art, ceramics, glass, jewellery, furniture, printmaking, and mixed media assemblages.

Many of the makers also offer workshops and classes, so whether you fall in love with an item in the shop and take it home or feel inspired to learn a new craft, the Buckinghamshire Craft Guild shop is THE place to head to find out more about the best of contemporary crafts in Bucks.

The new Buckinghamshire Craft Guild joins the four other established art & craft related businesses that can already be found at Layby Farm: Obsidian Art Gallery, By Hand Books, Fabric HQ and Freya Jones Weaving & Spinning.

Why not combine a visit to the guild shop with a look at the four businesses who will be joining forces to promote the site as a destination for arts & crafts under the combined banner of Buckinghamshire Art & Crafts.

Find out more > 

Last chance to see two amazing exhibitions at Obsidian Art which are coming to a close very soon: 

Paper, Scissors, Stone
Stoke Mandeville | 15th Oct 2017 - 29th Oct 2017 | Free | Find out more >

Design Factory - An Exhibition of Designer Crafts
Stoke Mandeville | 15th Oct 2017 - 29th Oct 2017 | Free | Find out more >

Arts and crafts at the Claydon Estate

Continuing the creative theme, open Saturday to Wednesday, March through to November, the Claydon Courtyard, Claydon Estate is a hub for events, workshops, arts and crafts. It is also home to a range of galleries, businesses and shops, including a delightful cafe.

Claydon’s incredible Courtyard was once the bustling heart of the Estate. It housed workshops, stables, coach houses, estate stores, the laundry, brew house and the staff accommodation. Why not take lunch in the courtyard cafe before heading off to look round the courtyard, national trust estate house and gardens. 

Find out more > 

Aylesbury Embroiderers

Buckinghamshire County Museum in Aylesbury is the home to the Embroiderers’ Guild which owns a nationally important collection of costume and textiles from around the world, with a number of artists also in residence there. Click on the links below for details of forthcoming exhibitions at the museum: 

The Beautiful Stitch: Textile Treasures of the Embroiders Guild
Aylesbury | 1st Jul 2017 - 28th Oct 2017 | Free | Find out more >

James Fox – Residency exhibition
Aylesbury | 4th Nov 2017 - 2nd Dec 2017 | Free | Find out more >

Ex Libris: Altered Books
Aylesbury | 9th Dec 2017 - 24th Feb 2018 | Free | Find out more >

Queens Park Art Centre

Alternatively, Queen Park Arts Centre is the hub, heart and home of the arts in Aylesbury Vale, with over 70 weekly workshops in the creative and performing arts. The Buckinghamshire Art Society is holding their annual Autumn exhibition at the centre from the 28th October. 

Find out more > 

Artists & Makers Fairs

Lastly, Sally Evans Events arranges a number of artist and makers fairs in the county. If you are looking for something new or unusual, at each fair you will find between 20 and 46 participants each offering something unique, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, photography, glasswork, jewellery, illustrations and accessories for you and your home.

The next event is this coming weekend, across the border in Thame.

Find out more >   

Sign up to our newsletter

Keep up to date with offers and news from Buckinghamshire