About Goldsmiths' Craft & Design Council
The Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council was founded in 1908 and today it still carries forward its original remit to encourage, stimulate and promote the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and design amongst all those in the United Kingdom engaged in silversmithing, goldsmithing, jewellery and allied crafts.
The central aim of the Council is to organise and conduct its prestigious annual awards. By investigating the current and future craftsmanship needs of the profession the competition has become diverse and wide ranging, embracing every aspect of craft and design activity currently being practiced in the industry. It is truly a unique competition to which there is no parallel in the UK. All the work entered is judged by skilled and experienced practitioners drawn from their specialist fields of expertise within the profession. These professionals endorse the high standards and objectives set by the Council, thus validating the status and quality of these awards.
The Council promotes and encourages participation in the competition by means of exhibitions at Goldsmiths' Hall and other trade exhibitions such as IJL at Earls Court in London. The Council's remit and challenge for the future is to continue to encourage and promote the superb levels of skill and diversity that constitute a world-class industry in the UK.
Chairman's Address
The 2009 Goldsmiths Craft and Design Council prize-giving ceremony has seen wide-ranging change and improvement in its presentation. This has been hugely influenced and encouraged by Grant MacDonald, the Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company, who as a craftsman and manufacturer himself, takes the keenest of interest in our competition and year round work. His kind help and constructive comments are once again indicative of the on-going close ties between our founding patrons, the Goldsmiths and the Council, and we in turn strive to serve our craft.
The past year has been busier than ever for the Council, as we have yet again raised our profile above the level of previous years when our only appearance used to be at our prize-giving. Last year we linked up with Coutts London Jewellery Week for a three day exhibition at Treasures at the Tower. This provided outstanding publicity for our present and past winners and all who sponsor and patronise our work. The 'Bloody Tower', needless to say was a wonderful venue, although this may not be an option if we participate again this year, as we intend to do. Once again. Reed International generously sponsored us with a stand at 'International Jewellery London' in Earls Court on the new mezzanine level designers gallery. A huge buzz of excitement permeated this area with innovative, cutting-edge jewellery and silver on display all around us. I feel the images and exhibits on our stand got to the heart of the design/craftsmanship ethos of the design gallery and once again provided the publicity our winners need and deserve whilst furthering the Council's outreach to all in our trade. All working on the stand felt the palpable excitement generated by the show and felt by visitors, who by our reckoning, greatly outnumbered previous years.
Despite earlier mention of our 'centenary book', it has still not come to fruition. We have twice been called to a halt by the unexpected and unavoidable retirement of the two authors appointed to the project. We are not to be thwarted though, and work continues. I regret that publication will not take place under my chairmanship of the Council as this is my last year, but can assure you that the team involved are giving of their very best and I eagerly await the result of their efforts.
As we all look forward to an uncertain future facing the present economic down-turn and where it will take us, may I say a few words drawing upon experience of previous difficult times. At my darkest hours (when I have had an empty order book) I have found myself, paradoxically, at my busiest, making new designs and ranges, new patterns, seeking new markets and customers. Life has gone on and I have been forced to change my working patterns. Although it has proven an unsettling experience at such times, it has made me more adaptable and it is something we can all do. Undoubtedly, the unknown is daunting, but we cannot permit it to overawe us.
Our trade, as a whole, is becoming more cohesive, as intended by London Jewellery First, which I also serve on. The GC&DC, working within the atmosphere of networking and mutual self- help, is deeply committed as ever to the furtherance of our trade. We therefore once again thank all involved in our work; our patrons, sponsors and contributors, everyone on the Council who give of their time and effort unstintingly, our secretary, Brian Marshall, and our assistant secretary, Barry Moss, who make up a team which I am proud to have worked with and with whom I will continue to give my best efforts.
Mark Gartrell
Council Members 2008/2009
Patron: HRH Princess Michael of Kent
Mark Gartrell (Chairman)
Robin Kyte (Vice-Chairman)
Tim Roberts (Hon. Treasurer)
Jennifer Bloy
Graham Hamilton
Brian Hill
Mark Huggins
Richard Jarvis
Samantha Johnson
Tony Laws
Christopher N. Lawrence
Sean Leane
Steve Munro
Brett Payne
Jos Skeates
John Taylor
Peter Taylor
Stephen Webster
Brian Marshall (Secretary)
Barry Moss (Assistant Secretary)