Dartmoor Makers began with a simple belief: that making things together can make life feel better.

Creativity can bring people together, build confidence, ease isolation, improve mental health and create a sense of belonging. We founded Dartmoor Makers in Chagford in 2023 to create a welcoming place where people of all ages could meet, learn, make, connect and belong.

As a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, our purpose is to make creative opportunities accessible to as many people as possible and to use art, craft and pottery to support wellbeing and strengthen our rural community.

From an idea to a community studio

Dartmoor Makers grew from the community that surrounds it.

In 2023–24, 93 people supported our Crowdfunder campaign, raising more than £5,000 to help us turn an idea into a working community studio. Their support helped us equip and transform two small units in Chagford into spaces for pottery, craft, learning and connection.

The Chagford Community Trust also played an important part in making Dartmoor Makers possible, providing our premises at a significantly reduced rent and helping us establish a permanent creative space in the heart of our community.

In April 2024, we opened our doors!

Dartmoor Makers began with a simple idea: that creativity has the power to bring people together to make a healthier, happier community. Founded in 2023, the vision was to create a space where people of all ages could connect, learn and grow through hands-on making.

In 2023–2024, we ran a successful Crowdfunder campaign that had incredible support from the local community and beyond. That support helped us transform two small spaces in Chagford into our first dedicated studios and in April 2024, we proudly opened our doors to our first customers.

The Chagford Community Trust was foundational in enabling us to start our journey. They provided the premises at a significantly discounted rent, helping us to realise our vision in bringing value and opportunity to our community.

Since opening, Dartmoor Makers has grown into a thriving creative hub offering classes, workshops and community programmes. We’ve welcomed people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities into our studios, united by a shared love of art, craft and pottery.

We are a registered Community Interest Company, bringing benefit to our community with a strong social purpose. Together with our growing team of artists, teachers and volunteers, we continue to build a space that is open, inclusive and rooted in our Dartmoor community.