James Fox | Craftland

For as long as there are humans, there will be craft. For generations, what we made with our hands defined our identities, built our communities, and shaped the character of our regions. In Craftland, academic and multi-award-winning, BAFTA-nominated broadcaster James Fox travels the length of Britain – from the Scilly Isles to the Scottish Highlands – seeking out the last remaining master craftspeople and the vanishing trades that once governed everyday life on these shores.

Stepping inside the workshops of blacksmiths and wheelwrights, cutlers and coopers, bell-founders and watchmakers, Fox uncovers not only our past but another way of living: slower, richer, and more connected to the material world. In an increasingly digital age, these endangered skills feel more valuable than ever, hiding in plain sight, enriching even the most modest things. Revisit James’ talk from our Spring 2026 Festival to celebrate Britain as a true “craft land” and to rediscover the necessary connection between our creative instincts and the world we inhabit: a wisdom that may yet help shape our future.