Courses & Events
Skilled. Seen.
A week-long, maker-centred exhibition celebrating women, trans and non-binary people who work with wood.
Responding to a long history in which women and gender-diverse makers are overlooked, left out of records, or absorbed into stories centred on men, businesses or movements, Skilled. Seen. reflects two ideas: Skilled speaks to the depth of knowledge, persistent practice and material understanding in working with wood. Seen speaks to visibility. Not just being present, but being recognised, credited and valued as a maker.
Rather than curating a show behind closed doors, Skilled. Seen. evolves as makers are invited to bring furniture, products and wood-based objects into the space. This way the exhibition becomes truly representative while being actively shaped by makers. This matters to us because visibility is traditionally a manifestation of privilege: to those who have access to training, workshop space, tools, mentorship, money, time, confidence, networks, institutional approval…
Taking part in Skilled. Seen. is free of charge. We encourage women, trans (including trans men) and non-binary makers to bring work they are proud to share: pieces that say something about their practice, their skills, and their passion for timber. Alongside the exhibition, we collect the makers’ journeys. Stories about how they came to this work, what shaped them, and what keeps them making. Together, the work and the stories paint a richer, more honest picture of who is working with wood today.
Makers Meets
@genderdiverse-makers
Our Gender Diverse Makers Meets bring together women, trans, and non-binary makers from across all the traditional woodworking, carpentry and furniture-making and related communities. They’re a welcoming, inclusive space to connect, share skills, and build confidence – wherever you are in your journey.
We meet online every third Tuesday of the month, 7–8pm, for an hour of community building, peer-led talks, demos, Q&As and friendly chat. Sessions are relaxed and informal, with a focus on practical knowledge sharing and mutual support.
We also aim to host in-person gatherings around the country in friendly workshops and studios. These socials offer a chance to meet face to face, exchange ideas, try your hand at something new and see each other’s work in real life.
Our events are free of charge and open to everyone traditionally excluded from the woodworking industries. You’re always welcome to bring dependents if you want to and it helps you join in.
A safe space to connect, learn, and thrive – as makers, as learners, and as a community.
Workshop Experience Course (six weeks)
Our six-week course integrates education and business in a supportive workshop environment, where participants work on commercial-style projects in our professionally-equipped Wood School.
The daily programme mirrors production standard and workflow of a commercial workshop through low-volume batch production of varied projects. While fostering a sense of belonging in the workshop environment, participants develop practical skills, technical proficiency, and experience professional standards essential for employment in the heritage woodworking and furniture making sector.
Applications for the 2026 Workshop Experience course have now closed. We aim to open applications for 2027 in December 2026.
“The Workshop Experience course has been instrumental in injecting me with the confidence I needed to pursue my dreams. What were once closed and sealed doors, are now ajar thanks to the project and the experiences it facilitated. From workshop visits, batch production projects to industry standards, exquisite teaching and compassionate approaches to learning, I could not have asked for a more well rounded, fulfilling experience. Thank you!”
Sylva Summer School
Our Summer School, part of the Woodworking and Gender project, is designed to foster gender diversity and inclusion in the heritage woodworking and furniture sector. This week-long programme welcomes early-career designers and makers who identify as female, trans or non-binary, offering a unique opportunity to develop skills and connect with like-minded creatives.
Held at the Sylva Wood School, the Summer School provides access to professional workshops, expert guidance, and immersion in a supportive, sustainability-focused community. Participants work on project briefs, explore underutilised timbers, and engage in hands-on learning, all while aligning with the environmental principles of Sylva Foundation.
“In an industry that is very male-dominated, it was a very special and refreshing experience to join an accessible training opportunity for early- career creatives from marginalised gender identities.”
The Woodworking and Gender project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Conran Foundation, The Mila Charitable Trust, Benchmark Furniture Ltd, Vastern Timber Ltd. Thanks to their generous support and National Lottery players, together we will ensure future generations of skilled and resilient women and non-binary woodworkers are able to support the woodworking heritage of this country for years to come.