Gemma Potter

Dr. Gemma Potter is a Researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University within the Manchester School of Art’s Department of Design. She holds a role in the Materiality and Making, Community, Culture & Heritage research group and leads the Stockport Creative Campus project under MCR Design Factory. Her work focuses on participatory practice, exploring overlaps between craft, gaming, and textile practices to highlight transformative making experiences. As Co-Editor of the Craft Research Journal, she actively contributes to advancing craft studies. Her research investigates craft’s intersection with technology, sustainability, and cross-cultural collaboration, with projects like MancDesign and exhibitions addressing regional identity and creative networks.

Her doctoral research (funded by AHRC) examined craft-gaming crossovers, producing ‘graft-games’ to bridge industry gaps. She co-authored studies on textile biennials, cultural heritage, and virtual collaboration, emphasizing craft’s role in socio-economic contexts. Projects like Reframing Stockport explore placemaking while critiquing innovation imposition. She frequently publishes in Craft Research and Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture, addressing themes of materiality, place, and sustainability.

Awards: No specific prizes/fellowships mentioned, though her editorial and research contributions reflect recognition in craft academia.

Grants/Advising: Her roles in funded projects (e.g., Arts Council Capital Development) indicate grant success, though exact amounts/names are unspecified. She advises on design innovation and curatorial ventures without listed students.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Design Hub and collaborates with institutions like the China Academy of Art and Estonian Academy of Arts through research networks.