How can we change craftsmanship: queer-feminist, collective and sensitive to discrimination? This question kicked off the project ‘Hand, Heart* & Work – A queer-feminist declaration of love for craftsmanship and a celebratory farewell from what we want to leave behind’. The project brought together FLINTA* craftspeople and artists to network, exchange ideas and work together on artistic and craft projects.

In workshops and open formats, we combined artistic and practical work with discussions. We shared personal stories of love and separation in relation to craftsmanship and everyday working life, exchanged strategies against discrimination, questioned hierarchical structures and discussed visions for a craft industry of the future. We built, crafted, sketched and thought, and together we developed a manifesto that was further refined and ceremoniously read aloud at a public closing event.

As a group, we developed formats such as material speed dating, a profile wall for knowledge transfer and the collective design of our event venue. Particularly valuable was the close contact with existing networks and the strengthening of new connections, for example through a group for networking FLINTA* in the skilled trades in Hanover.

The project impressively demonstrated how necessary and empowering queer-feminist networking is in the skilled trades – true to the motto: Form gangs!

(Jeanne Louët, Katharina Becklas, För Künkel)

Funding programme
General Project Funding

Applicant
SK Freie Szene e.V.

Cooperation partners: 
Tischler*innen Netzwerk – nationwide network for FLINTA carpenters, Hanover regional group, Landesverband Maßschneiderhandwerk e. V. Lower Saxony, Andersraum e.V.: umbrella organisation for queer communities and projects in Hanover, Faust Cultural Centre Hanover, Bauteilbörse Hanover

Location
Hannover

Project period
2024

Topics
Crafts & art, exchange and networking, queer feminism, empowerment & anti-discrimination

Project results and presentation: 
FLINTA and queer craftspeople and artists – from apprentices to master craftspeople, from boat builders to costume designers – came together for the public finale. The results were a manifesto, a video documentary featuring the voices of the participants, and a group for FLINTA* in the skilled trades for further networking and mutual empowerment.

Website
www.sk-freieszene.de