Spotlight // Shelanu: Women's Craft Collective
Shelanu & Craftspace
Women’s Craft Collective
The Paperdolls are very proud to support the work of Birmingham-based Shelanu: Women’s Craft Collective. ‘Shelanu’ means belonging to us and is a collective of migrant and refugee women working with the charity, Craftspace, to develop craft skills, confidence and well-being through social enterprise. The women learn creative skills from professional makers and with their support utilise these skills to produce high quality craft for sale inspired by their new home, the city of Birmingham, their diverse cultural perspectives and shared experiences of migration.
Prior to Covid restrictions, the group met each week to work on projects and continued to meet during lockdown on
Zoom. They also ran craft workshops in the community, sharing the skills they have learned. They sell their work at craft fairs and in shops and take on public and private commissions. Working alongside professional artists and other creative professionals enables the Shelanu women to build creative, social, language and business skills empowering members to improve their employability.
Being part of Shelanu combats feelings of isolation, increases confidence and a feeling of being able to contribute to the community. Any woman over 16 living in Birmingham who has migrated there or is a refugee or asylum seeker can join Shelanu. No experience or knowledge of craft is required to join, just energy and enthusiasm!
It is free to attend the Shelanu sessions. All equipment and materials are provided free of charge and there is support for members’ travel costs to attend. Monies made from sales of the work goes back to Shelanu for training, members’ travel, materials and running costs.
Paperdolls will continue to champion this incredible social enterprise and we look forward to raising awareness of the wonderful individuals and artists that help Shelanu continue to grow and flourish.
“Shelanu means ‘belonging to us’ and is a collective of migrant and refugee women working with the charity Craftspace, to develop craft skills, confidence and well-being through social enterprise.”
About Craftspace:
Craftspace is a charity, based in Birmingham, working collaboratively regionally, nationally and internationally, building relationships between artists, people and organisations and encouraging the sharing of ideas, skills and knowledge. Craftspace creates opportunities to see, make and be curious about exceptional contemporary craft. They do this through different scales of touring exhibitions and across artform productions, participatory projects, action research and consultancy.
Craftspace initiates artistic programmes which stimulate creative excellence, critical thinking and understanding of contemporary crafts in the widest social and cultural contexts.
Craftspace aims to challenge perceptions of craft by consciously creating enquiring contexts and collaborations in which makers can gain new perspectives on their practice and participants experience the breadth of crafts practice.
Expanding ownership of crafts and its ideas and processes depends on bespoke partnerships in community and commercial settings, often with organisations that have previously had little experience of contemporary craft. Explorations of how craft is situated within the world beyond the immediate object develops an appreciation of the wider role of makers in society and the rich potential for ideas and processes to be relevant and socially engaging. Craftspace aims to build cultural, human and social capital through our work.
Craftspace has 30 years’ experience and continues to learn, push boundaries and challenge ideas. Their artistic programme, of which Shelanu is just one, is rich and diverse.
To find out more, visit craftspace.co.uk
To shop jewellery by Shelanu Collective click here
Follow on social media: @craftspace_
