Skilled.Seen.
13 - 18 July 2026
We are excited to announce Skilled.Seen. - a maker-led exhibition organised by Sylva Foundation @genderdiverse_makers and hosted at Fusion Arts. This new show celebrates women, trans, and non-binary makers creating furniture, products, and objects out of wood.
Woodworkers from marginalised genders are invited to bring their work into an evolving week-long show, pairing furniture making and heritage woodwork skills with talks, demonstrations and a public exhibition.
Rather than opening as a finished show, Skilled. Seen. will open as an empty space and evolve across the week as makers bring furniture, products and other woodwork into the space. The exhibition will grow day by day, creating a living display of contemporary practice across furniture making, marquetry, carving, sculpture, turning, and green woodworking. A parallel public programme of talks, demonstrations, conversations and gatherings will run throughout the week, leading to the public launch event on Saturday 18 July.
Events
Makers Meet Dinner: Tuesday 14th July, 6-8pm
Join us for a potluck-style dinner and facilitated discussion with makers, students, educators, and allies from across the woodworking and furniture-making community. We’ll gather around the table to share food, experiences, ideas and questions about making, visibility, belonging and the future of the sector.
FREE, book here https://sylvafoundation.beaconforms.com/form/6fbd5ced
Woodwork Demo: Wednesday 15th July, 6-7.30pm
Join us on Wednesday 15th July 2026, from 6pm - 7:30pm for live craft demonstrations as part of Skilled. Seen. See a variety of woodworking skills and techniques up close, meet makers, and learn more about the processes behind the work.
FREE, book here https://sylvafoundation.beaconforms.com/form/2a081f6a
Public Exhibition Opening: Saturday 18th July, 10am-5pm
We are excited to announce Skilled.Seen. - a maker-led exhibition organised by Sylva Foundation and hosted at Fusion Arts. This new show celebrates women, trans, and non-binary makers creating furniture, products, and objects out of wood.
FREE, just turn up!
Skilled. Seen. is part of Sylva Foundation's Woodworking and Gender Project is dedicated to addressing the gender imbalance in the heritage woodworking and furniture making sector and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.- VIP Launch Event: Friday 17th July, 5-9pm
> Find out more and how to take part in this exhibition
