Introduction to Gentle Craftivism

Course description

How can handicrafts be used as a tool to help create beautiful, kind and fair activist actions, serve social change successfully and manifest positive change in hearts, mind, policies and laws? This free online course focuses on Sarah Corbett’s unique ‘gentle protest’ approach to ‘craftivism’ or activism through crafting. This course provides frameworks, practical case studies and craftivism projects you can deliver yourself.

In this course, you will learn the definitions of ‘craft’, ‘activism’, ‘craftivism’ and ‘Gentle Protest’ as formulated by Sarah Corbett, founder of the Craftivist Collective. You will learn the theory and practice of this unique form of activism and see how craftivists around the world have used this approach in different contexts and scales to create real positive change personally, locally, nationally and globally. Discover how craftivism can be a tool to foster change as well as when it might not be the best tool to choose out of activism’s toolbox of tactics. This form of gentle craftivism is for everyone, wherever you are in the world: from skilled crafters to burnt-out activists, introverts, highly sensitive people, people struggling with anxiety and those people who want to challenge injustice but do not know what to do, where to start or how to prioritise their energies and time.

The course looks at how to use the process of crafting for mindfulness, critical thinking about your activism strategy as well as a process for communal craftivism to find common ground and be in solidarity with others to help make our world a happier, healthier and more harmonious place for all. Secondly, you will see how to use the product as a bespoke gift to give to power-holders such as politicians, business leaders, religious leaders and others to encourage them to use their power to contribute to society and to help you be seen as their critical friend holding them account while also showing you believe they can be part of the solution to injustices rather than being seen as aggressive enemies that shout, don’t listen to each other or, worse, ignore each other. Thirdly, you will learn how craftivism can be used in public spaces (offline and online) as small physical catalysts for thought, conversation and positive action. Finally, you will learn about how to measure the impact of your craftivism projects and consider the strengths and weaknesses of craftivism as a movement.

By the end of the course, you will have a strong understanding of Gentle Protest craftivism and when best to use craftivism in the right context, with the right people at the right time. You will learn from real case studies of how craftivism has helped make positive change in the world in large, small and varied ways through different projects that people have taken part in alone or in groups all over the world in different situations and cultures Understand how important it is to have a clear goal, strategy and power-analysis, and think through how to attract decision-makers to be empowered to be part of the solutions to injustice. The course will give you much more confidence to be a hopeful, kind and effective changemaker using craft as one of your tools to serve social justice!