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Heritage Crafts was set up just fourteen years ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, advocating at the highest levels for crafts, publishing the Red List of Endangered Crafts, and distributing 66 grants through the Endangered Crafts Fund. We have awarded 30 training bursaries, established the Heritage Crafts Awards and shone a spotlight on our world-renowned makers through 30 National Honours successes.
Many more people are now aware of traditional crafts and the objects produced by those who carry in their hands, heads, and also hearts the skills and techniques that have been passed down through the generations.
To continue this work we need your support. Please consider making a donation, however big or small, to help ensure that heritage craft skills in the UK are given the opportunity to thrive.
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We are delighted to announce our expert judging panel for this year’s Emerging Embroiderer of the Year Award supported by the Broderers’ Company. This award celebrates the talent, patience, and intricate skill of those at the beginning of their professional journey. 🪡🧵
Here are the 100-word summaries for the three judges of your Emerging Embroiderer of the Year Award:
• Sophie Boylan @soyasophie – textile artist, embroidery designer and 2025 winner of the Emerging Embroiderer of the Year Award, Sophie trained at the London College of Fashion, Royal College of Art, and CHANEL / King’s Foundation Métiers d’Art Fellowship. Her groundbreaking practice blends heritage hand-stitching with plant-based agar, cellulose and recycled organic embellishments to replace toxic plastic sequins.
• Hanny Newton @hannynewton – internationally renowned hand embroiderer Hanny trained at the Royal School of Needlework and Falmouth University. Specialising in contemporary goldwork, Hanny is celebrated for pushing the boundaries of traditional metal thread techniques into abstract, expressive art. Since 2024, she has been pioneering research into using raw straw as a sustainable alternative to gold thread.
• Niamh Wimperis @wimperisembroidery – embroidery artist, author and full-time maker, niamh is known for her distinctive botanical-inspired designs and feminist artwork, and gained widespread recognition as a contestant on BBC2’s The Victorian House of Arts and Crafts. Through her business, Wimperis Embroidery, she produces popular beginner-friendly subscription kits and workshops designed to make the therapeutic art of stitching accessible to all.
There is a £1,000 prize for the winner to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, we are also running similar awards in crafts, such as weaving and upholstery, with additional prizes of £1,000 provided by Rose Uniacke, House of Sonnaz and others.
📅 Deadline: Friday 21 August 2026 (at 5pm)
➡️ Nominate someone (or yourself) today via the linktr.ee in our bio or directly at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-awards/emerging-embroiderer-of-the-year/
📷 2025 finalist Alice Long @alicelong.studio
Over seven posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent Endangered Crafts Fund round.
Stone lapidarist Robin Girling of @selinijewellery in Lancashire has been funded to expand his practice into the critically endangered craft of traditional diamond cutting. While he already possesses exceptional expertise in faceting, shaping and polishing gemstones, transitioning to diamond cutting requires incredibly specialised machinery and tools.
Traditional hand-cutting skills are at serious risk of disappearing in the UK as the wider industry increasingly shifts toward high-tech mechanisation. This grant will contribute towards purchasing specialist diamond cutting machinery and setting up a dedicated workshop environment, allowing Robin to build true technical mastery over diamond-specific optical properties and cutting angles.
Robin’s five-year vision is not just about his own practice; he aims to use this workshop to establish a structured training pathway to pass these skills to the next generation of craftspeople.
This round’s grants are funded by the Julia Rausing Trust and a private donor.
Robin said: “Receiving this support from Heritage Crafts is incredibly meaningful. It not only helps me develop the endangered craft of diamond cutting in the UK, but also recognises the importance of preserving these traditional skills for the future. I’m honoured by their support and excited to see where this project leads.”
We are delighted to announce our expert judging panel for our Scotand Maker of the Year Award.
• Steve Byrne @byrnesteve – ethnologist, musician and Chief Executive of @tracscotland, Steve is a graduate of Edinburgh University’s School of Scottish Studies. He has spent decades researching, digitising and performing Scottish folklore, folksong and intangible cultural heritage, and has spearheaded major national heritage initiatives. He is the author of Mapping Intangible Heritage in Scotland.
• Mark Shiner @sailmaker_shiner – master sailmaker, Curriculum Leader for Maritime Studies at UHI Orkney, Mark won both the Scotland and UK Maker of the Year Awards in 2025. He is one of the nation’s few remaining traditional sailmakers, preserving centuries-old lofting and hand-sewing techniques without reliance on computer automation. Through his internationally renowned courses he teaches maritime hand skills to students worldwide.
• Trejayne @trejayne – Using social media to document her creative journey to master flameworker, Trejayne has built a global community of millions, inspiring a younger generation to engage with heritage crafts. She became a full-time maker through crafting whimsical, pop-culture-inspired glass art, and has recently undertaken a prestigious scholarship at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.
We want to recognise a heritage craftsperson in Scotand who has made an outstanding contribution in the past 12 months. Whether you’ve pushed your craft to new heights or worked tirelessly to promote its survival, we want to champion the simple, humble and essential skills that define our communities.
There is a £1,000 prize for the winner to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, one winner from the four UK nations will have their prize topped up to £2,000, supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust.
📅 Deadline: Friday 21 August 2026 (at 5pm)
➡️ Nominate someone (or yourself) today via the linktr.ee in our bio or directly at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-awards/scotland-maker-of-the-year-award/
📷 2025 winner Mark Shiner’s
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Leather Craft and Creative Workshop Apprentice
Where: London
Deadline: 28 August 2026
@amameliematignon is a small, creative leather and cork accessories business based in London. This is an exciting opportunity to learn traditional leathercraft while gaining valuable experience in running a creative business.
As an apprentice, you will support the production of handmade leather and cork products, prepare materials for workshops, assist in delivering creative workshops for schools, charities, council, community groups and corporate clients, and help with the day to day running of the studio. You will also gain experience in product development, customer service, event preparation and social media.
No previous leather working experience is required, although an interest in craft, design or making is desirable. They are looking for someone who is creative, reliable, enthusiastic, organised and confident communicating with people of all ages. A positive attitude and willingness to learn are more important than experience.
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.
We are delighted to announce our expert judging panel for our Northern Ireland Maker of the Year Award, supported by @mournetextiles.
• Katherine McDonald – having served as the Director of @craft.ni since April 2019, Katherine brings a wealth of leadership experience from across the voluntary and social enterprise sectors. At the helm of Craft NI, she acts as a powerful strategic champion for the contemporary craft sector, ensuring that Northern Irish makers receive the institutional advocacy, visibility and structural support they need to thrive.
• Mario Sierra – Representing the third generation of an iconic textile lineage, Mario leads Mourne Textiles from their historic workshop in County Down. He grew up immersed in the craft, learning from his master-weaver mother and carrying forward the pioneering mid-century legacy of his grandmother. Today, Mario seamlessly bridges traditional heritage and modern design, revitalising archival patterns on vintage power looms.
• Deborah White @deborahwhite7481 – an award-winning master hand-loom linen damask weaver, researcher and academic with nearly three decades of design expertise, Deborah won the Northern Ireland Maker of the Year Award in 2025. Through an Endangered Crafts Fund grant, she painstakingly restored the historic ‘Royal Loom’ – bringing broad-loom damask weaving back to Ulster for the first time in sixty years.
We want to recognise a heritage craftsperson in Northern Ireland who has made an outstanding contribution in the past 12 months. Whether you’ve pushed your craft to new heights or worked tirelessly to promote its survival, we want to champion the simple, humble and essential skills that define our communities.
There is a £1,000 prize for the winner to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, one winner from the four UK nations will have their prize topped up to £2,000, supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust.
📅 Deadline: Friday 21 August 2026 (at 5pm)
➡️ Nominate someone (or yourself) today via the linktr.ee in our bio or directly at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-awards/northern-ireland-maker-of-the-year-award/
📷 2025 winner Deborah White
Over seven posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent Endangered Crafts Fund round.
For nearly twenty years, Philippe L’olive has worked at the highest level of brass instrument manufacture and repair. However, small-scale makers in the UK face a massive challenge – a severe lack of domestic brass and nickel-silver tubing – forcing them to rely on expensive overseas imports with high minimum order quantities and costly shipping fees.
This grant will fund the purchase and custom modification of a draw-bench and its associated tooling. With this machinery in his Kent workshop, Philippe can draw off-the-shelf tubes down to the exact, bespoke dimensions needed for brass instruments. The project will free up critical working capital, drive UK-based innovation and allow Philippe to offer small-batch, custom-sized tubing to other independent instrument makers across the country.
This round’s grants are funded by the Julia Rausing Trust and a private donor.
Philippe said: “I’m looking forward to further progressing the availability of my craft, not just for the players but also the craftspeople.”
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Junior Craftsperson (spectacle making)
Deadline: 31 August 2026
Location: London
@ebmeyrowitz is seeking a Junior Craftsman to join its workshop team in Hampton.
Established in 1875, E B Meyrowitz creates bespoke spectacles and sunglasses by hand for clients around the world. Each frame is individually designed, crafted and finished in its workshop using exceptional materials.
This is an opportunity to learn a highly specialised craft within a small, exacting and creative team. Previous experience in spectacle making is not essential; they are looking primarily for excellent hands-on ability, patience and a genuine desire to become an accomplished craftsperson.
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.
We are delighted to announce our expert judging panel for our Wales Maker of the Year Award, supported by @hiutdenim. 🏴
• Rauni Higson MBE @raunihigson – Based in a converted chapel in Snowdonia, Rauni is one of Britain’s foremost contemporary silversmiths. Her highly sculptural work, hammered by hand from sheet metal, is directly informed by the rugged North Wales coastline and mountain crags. A passionate advocate for heritage skills transmission, Rauni was awarded the MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours.
• Billie Ireland @billieirelandart – Based in Powys, Billie is an acclaimed artist, craftsperson and educator who explores the intersection of environmental science, sacred ecology and heritage craft. The 2025 winner of the Wales Maker of the Year Award, Billie was also the first artist-maker to create sculptures using a specialised Dartmoor Dragon Retort.
• Sarah James MBE @craftfestival – Cardigan-born Sarah James MBE has dedicated over two decades to championing independent makers and celebrating the joy of making. Since founding the highly acclaimed Craft Festival in 2004, she has built it into one of the UK’s premier craft events, expanding to include a dedicated festival at Cardigan Castle to showcase exceptional Welsh craftsmanship.
• Johann von Loeper @hiutdenim – As Chief Executive of the Cardigan-based Hiut Denim Co, Johann is dedicated to safeguarding and celebrating traditional manufacturing skills in a town historically known as Britain’s jeans capital. Under his leadership, the company employs local ‘Grand Masters’ to pass their precise texturing, cutting and sewing skills to the next generation of Welsh makers.
There is a £1,000 prize for the winner to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, one winner from the four UK nations will have their prize topped up to £2,000, supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust.
📅 Deadline: Friday 21 August 2026 (at 5pm)
➡️ Nominate someone (or yourself) today via the linktr.ee in our bio or directly at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/our-awards/wales-maker-of-the-year-award/
📷 @annasticklandweaving by @dewitannattlloyd
