Arts at The Hive
The Hive champions arts, craft, and heritage of the local and wider community
Our programme features the heritage of the Jewellery Quarter, the work of local artists and makers, and heritage crafts. We also explore sustainable practices and projects. You can find out more about the heritage of the Jewellery Quarter, and the role our building played in it on our heritage page.
Craft at The Hive
As part of the Ruskin Mill Trust, which utilises craft activities to support the development of work and life skills in young people with autism and other learning difficulties, we champion craft programmes and the culture of making.
We have a special focus on heritage crafts, particularly those used in the jewellery trade. Our craft campaigns have featured embossing, weaving, glass fusing, crochet, natural dyeing, beadwork, leatherwork, printing, and greenwood furniture making, among many more.
Activities taking place in all the Hive spaces:
Makers' Studio
Most of our craft activities take place in the makers’ studio including regular use by community groups for sessions focused on art, craft, and wellbeing; and the following regular activities:
Make it, Mend It
Make it Mend It is a repair café run on the 3rd Tuesday of the month 6-8pm by Louise from Upcycled Interiors. Anyone can attend to repair or make – let us know in advance what you want to work on so we can check if we have the right tools and materials.
Habit
Habit is our free monthly creative club, from 10.00-12.00 on the last Friday of the month. Workshops and guidance is provided but it’s also an opportunity to chat, draw, and make with company.
The Gallery
A regular programme of exhibitions takes place in the Hive gallery. We work with artists at all stages of their practice. Art and craft is displayed on the walls and adjustable screens, on/in beautiful plinths and vitrines designed for us by the Dual Works, and in audio visual digital formats.
Artist Residencies
We support regular artist residencies at the Hive. Past residencies include Myah Barrah, Thomas Jack Brown, Emily Doyle, Tamsin Lunn, Yasmyn Nettle, Elizabeth Jordan, Nagina Kabul, Martha Kelsey, and Sharonjit Sutton.