Craft businesses get mentored

Lancashire will be mentoring some of the country's most promising designers, as part of the Craft Council's Hothouse 4 programme.

It's aimed at people whose companies have been practising their discipline for less than two years and have already displayed a high level of technical craftsmanship and originality.

Creative Lancashire is a service provided by Lancashire County Council - through its economic development company Lancashire County Developments. It supports creative and digital businesses with a range of sector-specific specialist business development.

"There are only four regions covering the whole of the country for the Hothouse project, so it's a real achievement that Lancashire was chosen from the North for this inspiring and prestigious programme.

Rosy Greenlees, executive director for Crafts Council, said: "We are pleased to announce that we have selected 38 makers to go through the Hothouse programme in 2014. The breadth and depth of knowledge supplied by a team of Crafts Council, regional partners, and maker development scheme ‘alumni’ equips the new participants with an invaluable set of skills at the foundation of their careers. "Nearly 90% of craft businesses are micro-businesses who often have little access to formal support. Hothouse places business skills at the centre of their creative practice and connects them to a wider network."