About Us

The aim of the German Craft Council is to promote stimulating debates between design, craftsmanship, industry, and the public sector on the aesthetic and social quality of our living environment. To this end, the German Craft Council involves itself  in the taking of positions and recommendations for political action and coordinates them with equivalent institutions in other countries.

Meisterrat e.V. was first appointed in April 2017, in Berlin, and arose from activities in close relation with the Direktorenhaus. Through the Craft Council, only institutions striving to improve the environmental conditions for the people and the companies in Germany, as well as conducting production not based on quantity, but rather on quality with high standards, that are taking into account functional, aesthetic, and social aspects, will be created. 

The name “Meisterrat” refers to its historical predecessor, the Master Council of the Bauhaus in Weimar. The members of the German Craft Council exert their function always by themselves, showing a strong autonomy. The members of the council should represent artistic-handmade, philosophical, historical related to art, ethical, social, economic, and legal interests in a special way, as well as promoting different ethical approaches and a wide spectrum of opinions.

For each project, the topics are commissioned by the German Craft Council itself. However, it can also be determined by a third party, when a specific topic is desired.

 


Tasks

The German Craft Council sees it as one of its main concerns to fight off the handicrafts’ marginalised status in Germany.

The main objectives of the German Craft Council are:

  • to raise awareness of the role of society in the craft sector
  • to take part in the public debate on the question of good life quality
  • to improve the economic situation of designers, craftsmen, and manufacturers
  • to develop internationally the quality-based concept “Handmade in Germany”
  • to introduce young people to career paths based in the creative handicraft sector
  • to bring forgotten or marginalised handicraft practices back into the limelight
  • to secure the viability of German manufactories for the future.

 


Topics

The Craft Council focuses on 7 main topics:

  • Quality
  • Sustainability
  • Digital transformation
  • Education and youth
  • International business
  • Local business
  • Immaterial cultural heritage

The Craft Council works on different levels according to those themes:

Exhibitions
The Craft Council would like to strengthen the visibility and economic position of German workshops through exhibitions at home and abroad.

Market development
The Craft Council works on improving market access and expansion through the participation in business fairs, and by creating new trading platforms or performing networking.

Theory development
The Craft Council brings experts together to further develop the theory and discourse surrounding the craft of design.

Networking and exchange
The Craft Council interconnects actors in the creative trades with public institutions and partners, and seeks an exchange with politicians.

Support
The Craft Council supports ambitious activities through prizes and scholarships.

 


Structure

Boat building at Robbe & Berking

The Council works as a tool in the promotion of design and craftsmanship in Germany. Scientists and representatives of public life are brought together with entrepreneurs from various sectors to work together. They engage in a continuous dialogue on the central issues faced by the non-industrial production in Germany.

The Scientific Commission of the Council has 17 members. The scientists appointed to the Craft Council should neither represent the interests of a particular subject nor those of a particular institution or organisation. They are expected to provide professional excellence to the topics that are relevant to the Council.

The Artistic Commission of the Master Council has 20 members. The curators, craftsmen, and designers appointed to the Craft Council decide annually on the main topics.

The Economic Commission consists of 22 members, among which the representatives of the different branches present in the arts’ and crafts’ business, as well as the different branches present in medium-sized manufactories are to be represented. In the working groups, the drafts will first be compiled, and will then be adopted after former consultation.

The commission members for the period 2019–2020 will soon be announced. The recommendations and statements of the council will be published and available directly at the office.

Meisterrat Deutschland e.V.i.G.
German Craft Council
at Direktorenhaus
Am Krögel 2
D‑10179 Berlin
Phone: +49 (030) 48491929