PRESS RELEASE: The Goldsmiths’ Centre Publishes Impact Report 2024/25

The Goldsmiths’ Centre, a London-based charity supporting the UK’s jewellery, silversmithing, and allied industries in embracing learning as a lifelong practice, is proud to release its 2024/25 Impact Report, highlighting a year of growth and ongoing support across the industry. 

Available digitally on the Centre’s website, the report reaffirms the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s vital role in nurturing skilled jewellers, goldsmiths and silversmiths, enhancing manufacturing competitiveness, and broadening access to careers in the trade. With generous support from the Goldsmiths’ Foundation, which contributed over £2.2 million this year, the Centre has been able to expand its technical skills training, business support, grant-making, and public programmes.

In response to changing legislation for young people in education, the Goldsmiths’ Centre launched a redesigned Jewellery Foundation Programme for 18 plus learners. The first cohort proved successful attracting a full intake, demonstrating the success of this new pathway in developing industry-ready talent. The Centre also hosted a landmark industry event with the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council (GC&DC), uniting trainees, apprentices, alumni, award winners, and judges in a celebration that will become an annual event. Public engagement continued to flourish through exhibitions, such as ‘Interwoven Jewellery meets Textiles’, and collaborations with Dover Street Market, London Museum Docklands, and Newby Tea, providing commercial opportunities for alumni from the Shine business support programme.

Key impact highlights 2024/25:

• 1,146 hours of Foundation Programme training and 3,120 apprentice training hours
• 584 participants connected through Creative Links events and Creative Inspiration Workshops
• 253 learners engaged in 36 technical short courses taught by 18 craftspeople
• 149 makers showcased their work across 4 exhibitions
• 79 resident craftspeople and 46 Gold members thriving in subsidised workshops and coworking spaces
• 1,076 people inspired through talks, exhibitions, and pop-up selling events

Michael Wainwright, Chair of Trustees for the Goldsmiths’ Centre notes: “Change has been a constant this year, but one thing remains clear: our industry will always depend on well-trained jewellers and silversmiths here in the UK. As a key link in the national talent pipeline, the Goldsmiths’ Centre plays a vital role in strengthening manufacturing competitiveness. As Chairman of my family jewellery business Boodles, I see first-hand how young people trained through the Goldsmiths’ Centre help create some of the finest jewellery made in the UK.”

Annie Warburton FCGI FRSA, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Goldsmiths’ Company, explains: “More than ever, passing on skills across generations is vital to the health of our industry. Grounded in excellence, the Goldsmiths’ Centre is much more than a workspace, it’s a community of practice at the heart of the Goldsmiths’ family.”

Michelle O’Brien, Director of the Goldsmiths’ Foundation adds: “Behind every programme, every grant and every maker supported in the pages of the impact report is the Goldsmiths’ Foundation. We fund it; the Goldsmiths’ Centre delivers it. It’s a significant investment, and we don’t take that lightly. What we see in return makes us proud to keep this partnership strong.”

Looking ahead, the Goldsmiths’ Centre bid farewell to founding Director Peter Taylor FCGI MBE, whose leadership since 2012 has been pivotal, and welcomed Julia Balchin, former Principal of the Royal Drawing School, as Interim Director.

The Goldsmiths' Centre's Impact Report is released each year in a limited print edition and is freely available as a digital download. You can read and download the full report online at www.goldsmiths-centre.org/about-us/our-impact

About the Goldsmiths’ Centre

At the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we support the jewellery and silversmithing industry to embrace learning as an essential lifelong practice. With the support of our primary funder, the Goldsmiths’ Foundation, our mission is to foster capability at every link in the chain, making ongoing professional development visible and accessible to all. Through technical courses and business support, affordable workspace, funding opportunities and events we aim to close the industry’s skills gap, so that creativity, craftsmanship and community can thrive.

For further information on the Goldsmiths’ Centre, visit:
goldsmiths-centre.org | Instagram: @gsmithscentre | LinkedIn: the-goldsmiths'-centre

About the Goldsmiths’ Foundation

The Goldsmiths’ Foundation is a philanthropic organisation that supports vocational and technical training in the creative industries.

The Goldsmiths’ Foundation focuses on advancing creative, technical, and vocational skills, education and training in the craft and trade of goldsmithing, silversmithing and jewellery – as well as the wider creative industries and other fields – through grants, advocacy, and support to charity partners.