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Short abstract

In this Roundtable panellists will explore and address the question of what emerging technologies mean for craftspeople transmitting & safeguarding crafts.

Long abstract

Emerging technologies are creating new opportunities for both the practice and transmission of crafts. 3D printing, CNC machines and design software are becoming increasingly embedded in production processes and working methods, video techniques, virtual and augmented reality and immersive technologies are opening up new ways to transmit hands-on skills and traditional craft knowledge.

At the same time, there are important caveats. From a historical perspective, these developments echo earlier developments when craft knowledge was abstracted and codified through writing and the proliferation of the printing press. Current technological developments may be seen as a new phase in the longstanding tension with embodied knowledge and place-based learning.

In this Roundtable panellists will explore and address the question of what these changes mean for craftspeople for safeguarding crafts.