Craft in Crisis: Violin Making and the Loss of Training Routes

What the Newark School Suspension Means for the Future of Violin Making in the UK

In a move that has sent ripples through the world of traditional crafts, the Newark School of Violin Making has announced a suspension of new admissions to its musical instrument making courses for the 2025–26 and 2026-27 academic years. For many, this news is deeply troubling, not only for prospective students who dreamed of training there but also for the wider luthiery community and those who value the preservation of cultural heritage.

At Bridge Street Violins this announcement strikes a particularly personal chord. Our luthier Laurentius trained at Newark and knows first-hand the transformative power of its education. For decades, the school has been a cornerstone in the training of violin, viola, cello and bow makers, recognised internationally for its commitment to traditional methods and exacting standards. To see its future thrown into uncertainty is both disheartening and galvanising.

The suspension has sparked a broader discussion about the sustainability of traditional crafts education in the UK. At the heart of this issue lies a difficult question: how do we ensure that vital heritage-rich skills are not lost to time?

Unlike many modern disciplines, violin making is not easily taught in online classrooms or short workshops. It demands years of patient instruction, critical feedback and immersion in both history and technique. The kind of work carried out in workshops like ours - painstaking restorations, careful sound adjustments and finely carved fittings has roots in centuries of tradition. These skills are passed down from hand to hand, bench to bench.

Laurentius often says that violin making is not just about tools and wood, it's about listening, learning and passing something valuable on. Let’s make sure there’s still someone to pass it to.

When institutions like Newark face closure or reorganisation, it's not just students who lose out. We all risk losing access to a deep well of knowledge that can't be easily rebuilt. The wider musical world depends on this expertise from conservatoire players to orchestras and folk musicians alike. Without a steady stream of well-trained makers and restorers, the very tools of music-making, the instruments themselves are placed at risk.

Some have pointed out the irony: while demand for fine handmade instruments remains strong and while repair work is more essential than ever, the formal training routes are drying up. It's a gap that needs addressing urgently. Whether through renewed government support, greater industry involvement or new funding models, the solution must value craft not just as a profession but as a cultural legacy.

At Bridge Street Violins we remain committed to this tradition and we will continue to do our part in keeping the craft alive. But we also join others in calling for a broader conversation about how we support and sustain the future of luthiery in Britain.