Bill Bailey: 'Arts and crafts must be on school curriculum as AI threatens jobs'

We live in a world of almost instant gratification, where you can get most things, if you can afford them, with a few taps on your phone. There’s no need to leave your couch. It can make people feel less anchored and a little bit lost.

Making something with your hands fills a spiritual void. It can give you an immense sense of satisfaction. Crafts usually require time, effort and focus. They are the antithesis of the fast-paced nature of our modern world.

And yet, despite this burgeoning interest, with videos of people making ceramics or jewellery notching up millions of views on Instagram or TikTok, so many of our wonderful heritage crafts are now under threat.

Some might argue that it’s just the march of history, why not let some of them go extinct?

That would be a dreadful shame. There’s nothing quite like a handmade object. They are imbued with value; they transcend their function. They are also part of our collective heritage. Take the making of kilts or hand-stitched cricket balls, for example. According to this year’s "red list" compiled by the Heritage Crafts Association, they are, respectively, "endangered" or "extinct" in the UK.

The danger of heritage crafts just blinking out is one reason why I believe that they should be taught in school classrooms. Since the new government has launched a review of the national curriculum, it’s time to address this.

In the not-too-distant future, artificial intelligence (AI) will be a real threat to many jobs. But the trades that involve manual dexterity are potentially going to be in huge demand because they can’t be replaced by robots or AI.

It’s also true that academia doesn’t suit everyone. Some people have different skills. By expelling crafts from the classroom, we’re not finding out what skills people have and allowing them to reach their potential.

As well as learning how to make something, learning a craft teaches self-reliance, concentration, determination and the ability to see something through – all transferable skills in any kind of job. You're also giving people the opportunity to find something that might sustain them over a lifetime and make them happier. The consequences are invaluable.

Our cities are full of ancient buildings requiring restoration. In the new season of Master Crafters: the Next Generation, I visit Salisbury Cathedral, which has embarked on a project to restore its beautiful, elaborately carved cloisters. That requires the skill of stonemasons who use the original medieval carving techniques.

Just look at the churches or any civic building in many of our towns and city centres. You see the chisel marks on the stone architecture right there in front of you. There is work there for those who want to learn.

Which is one of the reasons I’m back presenting Master Crafters, where this time we look at blacksmithing, letterpress printing, mosaics and stone carving. The ultimate accolade for me would be if somebody watches and thinks, "I want to do that. Can I study it? Can I consider it as a career?"

I tried my hand at all of them and I loved them. Letterpress printing is calming, very Zen! And while my attempts at pottery haven’t always been that successful, I now find that drawing wildlife – birds, bees and butterflies – is immensely satisfying. Humans have always created things, and it’s vital that we don't lose that connection with our past.

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Bill Bailey's Master Crafters: The Next Generation returns on Monday 25th November on Sky Arts.

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