Welcome To

CraftNet

A Learning & Innovation Network of Colleges with Programs in the Arts or Design

Most community colleges associate economic development with training the workforce needed by a new manufacturing company or call center, or helping employees adapt to new technologies.  But in many parts of America—especially in rural areas—those jobs are leaving, not arriving.  Some colleges are turning to a different type of development, one that builds on local talent and culture to make more authentic and higher value added goods, as well as attract visitors.  These institutions are working to strengthen the production and marketing capacities of art and craft-based enterprises to satisfy a growing appetite of an expanding middle- and upper-middle class for high quality artisan/design goods.  This presents an interesting challenge for community colleges that have viewed creative arts and craft-based programs as important to local cultural but only marginal to economic development. 

To take advantage of this new opportunity, find new untapped sources of economic growth, and answer the question of “training for what,” colleges from across the nation have joined together with counterparts from across the Atlantic in a learning and innovation alliance called CraftNet.  Members explore innovative ways to use the arts and design to develop their economies and create jobs.  This includes, for example, increasing the business and entrepreneurial skills of those in the arts and crafts, integrating more art and design into products and packaging to add value, contributing to the cultural base of the community, and using the arts to attract non-traditional learners, and increase creativity among all students.

 The charter member colleges—ten in the U.S. from six states (Haywood and Mayland in North Carolina, Hazard and Southeast in Kentucky, Patrick Henry in Virginia, Hocking in Ohio, Southern West Virginia in West Virginia, Stone Child Tribal and MSU College of Technology-Great Falls in Montana, and Santa Fe in New Mexico) along with Coleg Morgannwg in Wales, Plymouth College of Art and Design in England, and Esayidi and Ikhala in South Africa—developed ambitious plans that address various ways to take advantage of the creative talents of students and others in their communities to develop and support small artisan enterprises; influence the design and appeal of traditional products such as furniture, apparel, and home goods; and enrich the cultural base and attractiveness of the community. 

Members have met in North Carolina, Ohio; Southeast England and Wales; Asheville; and Santa Fe.  The European study tour, supported by the Ford Foundation, resulted in plans for a variety of collective and bilateral projects and future benchmarking, including ways to enhance the business and marketing skills and systems of artisan firms.  CraftNet also sponsored an international conference on Community Colleges in Creative Economies, which resulted in the publication of a book in 2006 by American Association of Community Colleges titled Cool Community Colleges.