Crafting platforms: student rebellion, gender struggles and collectivism in Danish crafts 1969–77

During the 1960s and 1970s, Denmark experienced a significant shift in arts and crafts, driven in particular by younger women. This paper examines how such upheavals took place across different platforms, such as the 1969 student rebellion at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts, the initiation of a collective crafts shop, and the staging of an international feminist art exhibition. Despite challenges posed by patriarchal hierarchies in art and craft, female practitioners, especially in textiles, leveraged these platforms to foster collaborative practices, reshape their status and secure livelihoods. Drawing on archives, interviews and feminist theory, the paper explores tensions between tradition and innovation, focusing on how craft evolved from decorative to critical practice, gaining institutional recognition. These struggles highlight the dynamic intersections of gender, art/craft hierarchies and societal change, offering insights into how Danish studio craft challenged conventions and inspired new frameworks for education, collaboration and feminist expression.