August in Edinburgh always seems to go incredibly quickly, but this year it seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye. The Craft Scotland team are working on a number of projects at the moment, and I’m in the early stages of planning quite a number more.

Jo and Laura began their filming tour of Scotland at the beginning of the month, taking in each of the twelve makers who we are taking to SOFA Chicago and SOFA New York. Their trip has taken them as far North as the Isle of Skye and as far South as Kirkcudbright in their quest to capture each of the makers in their working environments. The first film will be online shortly.

We’re also focusing on the projects we are working on closer to home, with retail opportunities in Scotland being a key priority. Last week the selection panel met to discuss the applications for treat, the partnership pop-up shop we are working on with Fife Contemporary Art and Crafts. I am now exploring possible venues for a number of different selling events - some large, some small - and we’re in the early stages of meeting potential partners.

These things take time and, of course, resources. Following a positive meeting with Creative Scotland last week we are now in the process of pulling together budgets and plans which include a retail strategy, international plan and audience development models.

I’m pleased to say it’s not all paperwork and application forms. Later this week (29 and 30 August) I will be attending the Woven Communities Symposium in St Andrew’s. I will be chairing a session on Weaving into the Future with basket makers Lois Walpole and Jane Wilkinson.

Find out more about the Woven Communities Project.