UK’s last surviving string instrument-making degree set to close

22 May 2025, 16:28 | Updated: 22 May 2025, 16:30

The centuries-old art form of ‘luthiery’ is under major threat.

The art of string instrument-making will become a ‘critically endangered craft’ as the only UK’s degree course in the subject is set to close.

The Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts, which is overseen by Lincoln College, has announced that it will no longer accept new applicants for its courses, including those currently enrolled on its foundation courses.

The making of string instruments – including violas, cellos, and double basses and guitars – is known as luthiery, and comes from the word ‘luth’, the French word for ‘lute’.

A campaign has been launched to reverse this decision, particularly in light of the publication by the Heritage Crafts Association of a ‘red list’ of more than 90 traditional crafts and art forms that are at risk of being lost forever.

“There is the distinct possibility that this skill will go from viable to critically endangered, and thus be added to the next edition of the red list,” Daniel Carpenter, executive director of the Heritage Crafts Association, told The Guardian. “With just a few institutions providing this training, any loss is likely [to] threaten the future of a culturally significant craft.”

Read more: 10 most weird and wonderful musical instruments created... ever

A Change.org campaign has garnered nearly 14,000 signatures, and signatories have been leaving comments urging Newark to reassess their decision.

“Our musical culture is one of our finest exports and it would be a desperate loss, not to say travesty, to have to import all our musical instruments and technicians because we have chosen not to create our own. Please support the survival of this valuable and incredibly useful training for our practical young people,” Chris from Market Drayton said.

The college justified the end of these courses with low admissions rates, with only 17 accepted applicants on next year’s course. They also said that the course had been running at a loss for the past three years.

Benjamin Hebbert, the former chair of the British Violin Making Association – who lectured for free at the college for 15 years – emphasised the importance of luthiers on music in society, not just in the professional realm.

“We’re not just talking about mending the instruments of the great soloists. Without us, there will be no music in schools or the community – all the school music rooms, gigs and concerts will go silent,” he told The Guardian.

Violin maker made perfect miniature violins over lockdown

Melanie Watson, Newark’s assistant principal, said that Newark was considering replacing the degree programme with a privately funded course. However, this would mean students would not be able to access student finance and overseas students would not be eligible to student visas.

“Moving on from the degree course closure this September, we want to instead work with partners and organisations as well as our own staff and pupils to create a course and programme that encourages and improves what is clearly a very important institution for many,” she told The Guardian.