Journal 27 January 2021
The Prince’s Foundation to participate in Grinling Gibbons tercentenary celebrations
Grinling Gibbons is renowned as one of the greatest carvers in British history and has inspired craftsmen through the centuries. This year marks 300 years since his death.
Also a talented sculptor, Gibbons served as the King’s Carver and was commissioned in the remodelling of Windsor Castle. A society has been formed in his name to plan the celebration of Grinling Gibbons’ tercentenary in 2021 while also developing education projects in stonemasonry and woodcarving, in which The Prince’s Foundation will play a part.
Our charity president The Prince of Wales, a keen supporter of traditional skills and heritage, has become patron of the Grinling Gibbons Tercentenary.
Simon Sadinsky, executive director (education) at The Prince’s Foundation, said: “We are pleased to have agreed a programme of collaboration with the Grinling Gibbons Society throughout the coming year to promote and teach the practice of traditional skills, including offering them bursary-funded places on our summer school."
Stonemasonry and woodcarving are two crafts taught and practised on a range of education programmes devised and delivered by The Prince's Foundation to preserve traditional building skills. They feature on our Building Craft Programme, Building Arts Programme, and summer schools delivered primarily at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, as well as on short courses, and workshops for school pupils there. In addition, the crafts are taught on short courses at Trinity Buoy Wharf in London as well as on summer schools, training programmes, and building restoration projects in Romania supported by The Prince's Foundation.
In understanding that academic programmes can lack elements of skills training, we deliver residential schools for international university students in Ayrshire and in London to enhance their learning through hands-on practice.
"OUR PROGRAMMES IN TRADITIONAL BUILDING SKILLS REFLECT THE PASSION OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS TO PRESERVE HISTORIC CRAFTS. WE HOPE OUR CHARITY PRESIDENT'S PATRONAGE OF GRINLING GIBBONS SOCIETY CAN HELP BUILD FURTHER AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO LEARN AND PRACTISE STONEMASONRY, WOODCARVING AND SIMILAR CRAFTS.” – SIMON SADINSKY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (EDUCATION) AT THE PRINCE’S FOUNDATION.
To find out more about The Prince’s Foundation’s education programmes click here