6 artisans whose work we love
It's that sense of humanity, one that prizes process, patience and material, that sets craft apart. And, increasingly, it's what people are seeking out: pieces with substance, with story, and with an integrity that resists replication.
From 11–17 May, London Craft Week returns to celebrate exactly that, bringing together hundreds of makers across the city in a programme that spans exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations. These are the events worth bookmarking first.
Crafted: The Fair, Sotheby's, New Bond Street
11–17 May
One of the week's anchor events, Crafted: The Fair brings together contemporary makers within the sublime setting of Sotheby's, a pairing that neatly bridges craft and collectibility. Expect a mix of disciplines, from ceramics and jewellery to sculptural objects and furniture, each piece foregrounding material and process over spectacle. The emphasis here is on emerging and mid-career talent. It's also a useful starting point for the week: a place to get your eye in, and to spot names you'll likely encounter elsewhere across the programme. Plus, who needs an excuse for a poke around Sotheby's? Not us.
Secret Ceramics, Sotheby's, New Bond Street
11–17 May
A hands-down favourite of the week, Secret Ceramics invites visitors to buy a piece without knowing who made it – at least not at first. Hundreds of vessels, cups and small objects are displayed anonymously, each priced the same at £650, shifting the focus firmly onto form, texture and instinct rather than name recognition. Only once purchased is the maker revealed – amongst them Ebony Russell, Freya Bramble Carter, Jacques Monneraud and Michel Francois. It's a simple idea, but a clever one, democratising the field while offering a chance to own work by leading ceramicists at an accessible price point. Treasure hunt or leap of faith? Both we'd say, and all the more fun for it.
Sculpting Leather: From Material to Form, Sotheby's, New Bond Street
16 May
A more intimate moment within the Sotheby's programme, this live demonstration with Silverlining offers a closer look at leather as a sculptural material rather than a purely functional one. Techniques such as hand-hammering, wet-moulding and layered construction are explored in real time, revealing just how far the material can be pushed beyond its traditional uses.
Brief but focused, it's the sort of event that rewards attention — a chance to see process laid bare, and to understand the thinking behind pieces that might otherwise feel deceptively simple. One for those who like to know how things are made, not just admire the finished result.
Woven Shade, Asia House, New Cavendish Street
11–17 May
Part of the International Pavilion, Woven Shade explores the poetry of weaving through the lens of Thai craft traditions. Drawing on techniques from Lamphun in northern Thailand, the installation reimagines bamboo, fibre and textile work in contemporary forms, where structure and shadow play as much of a role as the material itself. A gentle pause within the week's busier programme.
TOAST Presents: New Makers 2026, Old Sessions House, Clerkenwell
14 May
Part of TOAST's ongoing commitment to supporting emerging talent, this evening talk marks the launch of its 2026 New Makers programme – now in its eighth year. Hosted by journalist Jes Salter, the panel brings together a thoughtful mix of voices from across the craft world, from ceramicist Florian Gadsby to representatives from the Crafts Council and TOAST itself.
We're here for pretty much anything Toast does, frankly – and this supportive initiative is golden, even by its own high standards.
Heads Up: A Hat Making Symposium for Endangered Crafts, Founders' Hall, EC1
16–17 May
A more scholarly corner of the programme, Heads Up is a two-day symposium dedicated to Britain's endangered millinery traditions, many of them now officially listed on the Red List of Endangered Crafts. Led by The British Hat Guild, it brings together makers, historians and designers to explore techniques that are increasingly rare, from straw plaiting to felt-making and fabric pleating. There's real depth here: talks range from the making of royal hats to the 350-year legacy of Lock & Co. Hatters, offering rare insights. One for those who believe passionately that these skills are worth preserving.
Emilia Wickstead Home, Emilia Wickstead, Sloane Street
14 May
A more polished addition to the lineup, Emilia Wickstead Home offers a glimpse into the designer's move beyond fashion and into the domestic sphere, with an in-store evening dedicated to homeware at her Sloane Street boutique. Details are deliberately light, but consider this an opportunity to see how Wickstead's signature precision and restraint translate into objects for the home, rather than the wardrobe. We're picturing quiet luxury in exceslsis. And, if nothing else, a chance to step inside one of the most elegant shops on the street.
Spring Make Late: Young Craft Citizens, Crafts Council Gallery, Pentonville Road
14 May
And now for a more hands-on entry… Spring Make Late is part of the Crafts Council's Young Craft Citizens series, an evening workshop designed by and for the next generation of makers. This London Craft Week edition centres on innovation, with a biomaterials session led by maker Mobina Rajabimoghadam. Free to attend (for those aged 16–30), it's a chance to experiment, exchange ideas and see how younger voices are reshaping materials and methods. A reminder, too, that craft isn't all about preservation; it's also about what comes next.
Märta Måås-Fjetterström & Sophia Elliot Studio at Nina Campbell, Nina Campbell, Pimlico Road
11–15 May
A meeting of two distinctly different but complementary crafts, this Pimlico Road showcase brings together Swedish weaving house Märta Måås-Fjetterström and decorative artist Sophia Elliot within Nina Campbell's elegant showroom. Expect handwoven rugs and tapestries alongside archive designs dating back over a century, all presented with live demonstrations from a visiting master weaver. Running alongside, Sophia Elliot paints lampshades and homewares in situ, offering a more immediate, decorative counterpoint. A very good excuse to hang out at this inspiring Pimlico Road pocket.
Catherine Lock & Friends Present: Handmade City, various locations; workshops at St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside
11–17 May
Handmade City invites you to see London through the lens of those who built it, from medieval stonemasons to today's makers. Led by curator Catherine Lock, a series of guided walks trace a path from Clerkenwell to the City, weaving together stories of craft, ingenuity and the often-overlooked hands behind the capital's fabric. Alongside the walks, there are workshops and demonstrations – notably basketry sessions beneath the bells of St Mary-le-Bow – bringing those traditions into the present. Thoughtful, slightly transportive, and a welcome shift outdoors. One to book if you like your craft with history – and a bit of fresh air.
Contemporary Bookbinding, St Bride Foundation, Fleet Street
14 May
A hands-on introduction to one of the lesser-trumpeted crafts, this workshop with Designer Bookbinders explores the techniques behind hand-bound books, from structure to finish. Open to all levels, it's a chance to try your hand at something precise, tactile and utterly absorbing. You may never look at a book spine in quite the same way again.
Indian Woodblock Printing Workshop, The William Morris Society, Hammersmith
12 May
A full-day immersion into the slow, rhythmic craft of Indian woodblock printing, this workshop explores pattern, colour and repetition using traditional hand-carved blocks. Beginning on paper before moving onto fabric, it's as much about experimentation as it is technique – embracing the slight irregularities that give hand-printed textiles their character. One to book if you like your craft tactile, and don't mind getting a little inky in the process.
Terrazzo Workshop: Montcalm Mayfair x Dottie + Olive, Montcalm Mayfair, W1
12 May
A neat introduction to contemporary terrazzo, this hands-on session with Dottie + Olive founder Laura Pack guides you through designing and casting your own piece using Jesmonite. Expect colour, pattern and a little trial and error – all part of the charm. Short, satisfying, and with something to take home at the end – always a bonus.
Diptyque Workshops at Maison Diptyque, New Bond Street, W1
15–16 May
A more polished take on the workshop format, these sessions at Maison Diptyque centre on the brand's distinctive visual world, with artist Claire Coles leading a floral collage inspired by its signature designs. Short, guided and pleasingly tactile, it's a chance to step briefly into Diptyque's universe of scent, pattern and decoration.
Tweed on Screen, Really Wild Boutique, Sloane Square
15 May
A conversation that places one of Britain's most storied fabrics centre stage, Tweed on Screen explores how cloth shapes character and mood in film and television. Hosted by Nadja Swarovski, with costume designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins and Harper's Bazaar editor Lydia Slater, it's a look at tweed not just as heritage, but as storytelling device. One for fashion and film alike.
Araminta Campbell: A 10-Year Celebration, The Walpole Townhouse, Knightsbridge
11–13 May
Marking a decade of her studio, this showcase celebrates Araminta Campbell's distinctive approach to textile design, rooted in Scottish weaving traditions but with a firmly contemporary eye. Expect richly layered pieces that foreground material, heritage and place, alongside a sense of quiet evolution over time. An event that speaks to the enduring appeal of craft that balances tradition with a modern sensibility.
Craft and Nature: In Conversation with Emma Witter, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Pall Mall
15 May, 18:30–20:00
A more atmospheric evening event, this conversation with artist Emma Witter – hosted by Katy Wickremesinghe – explores the relationship between craft, nature and sustainability, set against the backdrop of Berry Bros. & Rudd's historic shop. It promises to draw parallels between making in clay and making in wine, with both shaped by landscape, material and time.
British Glass, Paul Smith, Albemarle Street, W1
11–17 May (talk: 12 May)
An elegant showcase from Paul Smith's Foundation, British Glass brings together five contemporary glassmakers, tracing each piece from initial idea through to finished object. Sketchbooks, process notes and in-studio insights sit alongside the final works, offering a fuller picture of how these deceptively delicate pieces come to life.
Costumes and Wigs: Backstage Workshops, English National Opera Costume Workshop, SW4
11–12, 14 May (plus wigs sessions 13 & 15 May)
A rare chance to step behind the scenes at English National Opera, these small-group workshops open up the world of costume-making, from millinery and silk painting to pleating and wig construction. Guided by the in-house team, each session focuses on a single skill, with time to try it for yourself.
Pleasingly immersive, it's one for those who've ever wondered how the magic happens off stage – and fancied having a go themselves.
Fortnum & Makers: Crafted with Joy, Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly
11–17 May
Crafted with Joy brings together a rotating cast of British makers within its Piccadilly flagship, showcasing small-batch, handmade pieces designed to elevate the everyday. Expect ceramics, jewellery, textiles and more, all united by a focus on process and provenance. Drop in rather than destination, it's an easy one to fold into a West End wander.
Cutting Cheese: Sculpture, Craft and Performance, Paxton & Whitfield, Jermyn Street
12 May
This playful event sees stone carver Zoë Wilson quite literally sculpting cheese in the window of Britain's oldest cheesemonger, followed by an evening tasting and talk exploring the parallels between carving and cheesemaking. An unexpected take on material and process – craft, but not quite as you know it.
Luke Irwin Hosts Speronella Marsh, 54 Pimlico Rd, London, SW1W 8LP
13 May
A meeting of two decorative worlds, this conversation brings together uber rug designer Luke Irwin and textile artist Speronella Marsh, whose hand-block printed linens are rooted in natural forms and traditional techniques.
Hosted by House & Garden's Hatta Byng, it's all about pattern, material and the discipline behind both practices.
The Odd Chair Co: Celebrating Three Generations of British Craftsmanship, The Royal Mint, Tower Hill
12 May
This one-day event brings together makers spanning three generations, exploring how skills are passed down, adapted and kept alive. Set within the historic surroundings of The Royal Mint, it looks at tradition carried forward, rather than preserved in aspic.
Cole & Sons Hand-Painted Heritage and Craft: Live Painting Demonstration, Cole & Son Flagship, Chelsea
12 May
A chance to see wallpaper design in progress as Cole & Son's in-house artists the trace the journey from initial sketch to finished pattern, painted by hand in real time. Sensational.
FAQs: London Craft Week
What is London Craft Week?
London Craft Week is an annual city-wide festival celebrating craftsmanship in all its forms, from heritage techniques to contemporary making. Events take place across London, spanning exhibitions, workshops, talks and live demonstrations.
When is London Craft Week 2026?
London Craft Week runs from 11–17 May 2026, with events taking place throughout the week at venues across the capital.
Do you need tickets for London Craft Week events?
Some events are free and open to all, while others — particularly workshops, talks and smaller demonstrations — require booking in advance. It's worth checking individual listings early, as many sell out.
Where are London Craft Week events held?
Events take place across London, from Mayfair and Clerkenwell to Pimlico Road and Fleet Street, with many hosted in galleries, ateliers, shops and historic institutions.
What are the best events to book at London Craft Week?
Highlights tend to include flagship exhibitions such as Crafted: The Fair, interactive favourites like Secret Ceramics, and smaller, more hands-on workshops – from bookbinding to terrazzo – which offer a chance to engage directly with materials and process.
