About

During London Craft Week 2026, the RCA will be hosting a pop-up Well-Making Space open to the public in their Design Bar space in Battersea. The event will be a place to craft and connect, celebrating the diversity of backgrounds and concerns of RCA Applied Art students. They warmly invite visitors to engage in craft-making activities that aim to uplift mental health and well-being.

Well-Making represents a heartfelt commitment to applied and engaged research, emphasising collaboration and creativity with partners, participants, and community groups. It encourages us to reflect deeply on the processes, places, people, and materials that come together in our shared creative journey, fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for all.

The 2023 Creative Health Review, published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing and the National Centre for Creative Health, characterises creative health as employing creative methods and activities to enhance health and well-being. Creative health contributes to illness prevention, promotes healthy habits, supports the management of chronic conditions, and aids in treatment and recovery throughout life.

The Well-Making Space activities are being organised by staff and students from the Applied Arts department at the Royal College of Art. This encompasses students and staff from MA Jewellery & Metal, MA Ceramics & Glass and MFA Arts and Humanities.