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Only UK degree course in stringed instrument-making to close

Campaigners say knowledge taught at Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts vital to preserve traditional skills, especially luthiery

Newark’s announcement, which came after the association published its 2025 red list, will prompt a review into the status of the making of stringed instruments – known as luthiery – in the violin family in the UK. “There is the distinct possibility that this skill will go from viable to critically endangered, and thus be added to the next edition of the red list,” said Daniel Carpenter, executive director of the the Heritage Crafts Association. “Instrument makers and maintainers are the tiny people,” said Benjamin Hibbert, former chair of the British Violin Making Association, who has lectured for free at the college for the past 15 years.

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