This summer, explore Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft’s remarkable collection of over 20,000 art and craft objects like never before. As we mark 40 years of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, It Takes a Village invites you to rediscover familiar works, uncover hidden treasures and play a role in shaping the museum’s future.
Created with over 50 contributors, the exhibition presents rarely seen discoveries alongside well-known pieces by craftspeople, including Ethel Mairet, Eric Gill, Joseph Cribb, David Jones and Amy Sawyer.
This is not just an exhibition – it’s an invitation to participate. Local residents can add their own piece of local history to the museum’s Wunderkammer to help build a growing, community-sourced collection. Contributions will be located on a specially designed map of Ditchling by illustrator Neil Gower, creating a living record of the village’s life and creative legacy.
Throughout the exhibition, you’ll see craft in action – from interventions by local craftspeople and museum conservators to live residencies where contemporary makers will work with historic equipment, including a 100-year-old loom and the museum’s 200-year-old Stanhope printing press.
Marking 40 years of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, It Takes a Village looks at the people, places and ideas that have shaped our collection – and considers what comes next.
