Exploring the Civic Elements of Craft at the Biennial International Conference for the Craft Sciences (BICCS), taking place from October 22-24, 2025, in Mariestad, Sweden and online.
About the Session
Design has long played a pivotal role in shaping modern Western societies, often balancing between the ideals of social progress and consumerism. However, this intersection has also contributed to pressing issues of sustainability and socio-political alienation. In response, policymakers across the European Union are increasingly advocating for innovative solutions to contemporary challenges, as seen in initiatives such as The New European Bauhaus and Sweden’s national Policy for Designed Living Environment.
While crafts are often associated with sustainability—through their reliance on natural and local materials, traditional techniques, and product longevity—they are less frequently examined through a civic and social policy lens. Crafts are commonly perceived as individualistic studio or DIY practices, overlooking their potential to foster community engagement and collective civic responsibility.
What to expect
This session seeks to delve into the social and “civic” dimensions of craft, investigating how these aspects can be materialized through co-crafting (von Busch 2013; Hansson 2021; Hansson & von Busch 2023 a, b). The session will serve as a platform to exchange ideas, showcase practical examples, and critically reflect on sustainability and long-term development, conceptualized here as “ongoingness.”
Guiding Questions:
- What examples demonstrate how craft fosters hands-on civic engagement and collective participation?
- What are the challenges and ethical considerations in collaborative craft processes, particularly regarding aesthetics and potential scalability?
We welcome a diverse range of contributions, including paper presentations, workshops, and panel discussions.
Submission Details
- Deadline for extended abstracts: April 4, 2025, on BICCS website
- Venue: The Craft Laboratory, Mariestad, Sweden, and online
- More information: BICCS website
About BICCS
The Biennial International Conference for the Craft Sciences (BICCS) serves as a multidisciplinary forum, bringing together researchers across diverse fields of craft research, methods, and practices. With support from Gothenburg Research Infrastructure in Digital Humanities (GRIDH), the conference enhances multimodal communication, reflecting the performative and material essence of craft research. The Craft Laboratory’s film team will document exhibitions and performances presented on-site.
Extended abstracts submitted to the conference will undergo peer review and be published on the BICCS portal. A selection of submissions will later be developed into full papers for inclusion in the FORMAkademisk journal proceedings.
Join us in exploring the civic dimensions of craft and contributing to this important conversation on sustainability, policy, and collective craft engagement.