Become a member

Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.

Jake Mann @mj.leatherwork, from Gloucestershire, holds City&Guilds qualifications in bridle, saddle and harness making from Capel Manor College. His bursary will fund advanced saddlery, harness and bridle training modules across the @walsallleatherskillscentre and the Saddlery Training Centre in Salisbury.

Jake’s bursary is supported by the Dulverton Trust.

Jake said: “Securing this funding means a great deal as I am just building my business. This will help fund me to further my training and myself in leatherwork and saddlery.”

This September saw the presentation of the inaugural Lady Mayor’s Livery Apprentice Awards to celebrate twelve outstanding apprentices across the City’s historic Livery Companies, as part of her Heritage Crafts Taskforce.

Hayden Mackenzie @studiohaydenmackenzie, upholsterer, was nominated by the @theupholdersliverycompany.

Hayden Mackenzie is an upholsterer and textile designer who brings a unique blend of traditional craftsmanship and vibrant contemporary design to his practice. As the founder of Studio Hayden Mackenzie, he specialises in bespoke upholstery alongside hand screen-printing and digital pattern design tailored for luxury interior fabrics. His high-end interior collection ‘The Macaroni Club’ draws inspiration from the flamboyance of the Grand Tour to celebrate early icons of queer style. Hayden’s keen eye for detail, worksmanship and respect for historical upholstery, has seen him work sympathetically on the Royal Collection’s upholstered furniture.

Congratulations to all the winners and to former Heritage Crafts Chair Patricia Lovett MBE and Richard Hefford-Hobbs for organising the awards.

Five-day Ceramic Painting Masterclass with Lee Price @ukceramicartist at @duchesschina1888 – supported by @goldsmithsfoundation. 🎨

📍 Where: Duchess China 1888, Uttoxeter Rd, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 1PB

⏰ When: 7 to 11 December 2026, 10am to 4pm each day with a lunch break (lunch provided)

💰 Cost: £300 (three free bursary places available for those from under-represented communities or facing financial hardship – subject to availability)

✍️ Application deadline: Sunday 1 November 2026

Join prestige artist Lee Price for a five-day intensive course on the art and endangered craft of ceramic painting to create a masterpiece.

With close to forty years of experience holding the mantle of decorative ceramic heritage, Lee is one of the unsung heroes of British craft. He works out of Duchess China 1888, one of the few remaining producers of fine bone china in the UK, and home to a wealth of knowledge, experience and skill at the heart of the historic Potteries in Longton.

At the end of the course, participants will have learned the principles of ceramic painting and will take away their own hand-finished piece, an original Duchess China 1888 eight-inch plate with a hand-painted centre, three side panels and raised paste gold sprays on a black border.

This course is not intended as an ‘experience’; it is for working practitioners who intend to incorporate these skills into their ceramics practice.

To ensure equitable access to this vital training opportunity, we are providing three free bursary places for individuals from under-represented communities or facing financial hardship – subject to availability.

Please note, places will be allocated based on suitability. Please fill in the application form and Heritage Crafts will contact you with news of whether you have been accepted onto the course.

📲 For more details and to apply, please visit the linktr.ee in our bio or https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-stories/ceramicpaintingmasterclass/.

#matchMAKER opportunity!

Trainee Stained Glass Conservator

Deadline: 2 November 2026, noon
Where: York

The York Glaziers Trust is seeking to recruit a trainee stained glass conservator to join its team.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong interest in traditional craft skills and the heritage sector, a passion for detail and a commitment to excellence. You will train alongside a team of sector leaders in stained glass craft and conservation, working in and around the magnificent setting of York Minster, with the chance to work at other historic sites throughout the UK, including the University of Oxford and Lincoln’s Inn, London.

As a member of a key partner in the York Minster Centre of Excellence in Heritage Skills and Estate Management you will interact with other heritage trades. You will develop high levels of skill in one of the most competitive and sought-after areas of the historic glass and glazing craft.

Find out more including how to apply at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/matchmaker.

#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.