Awards
The Heritage Crafts awards
Heritage Crafts set up the prestigious Heritage Crafts Awards in 2012. We are indebted to our partner organisations for providing funding to allow us to present a unique suite of awards and bursaries specifically for traditional crafts. We are so grateful for this generous support.
The Heritage Crafts Awards celebrate and highlight the traditional living crafts made in the UK that contribute to our national heritage, such as silversmithing, woodworking, dressmaking and tailoring, leatherworking, pottery, building crafts, upholstery, weaving, embroidery and similar other crafts where there is a significant degree of hand skill at the point of manufacture.
Nominate yourself or someone else
Precious Metalworker of the Year Award
Woodworker of the Year Award
Fashion and Textile Maker of the Year Award
Leatherworker of the Year Award
Potter of the Year Award
Young Woodworker of the Year Award
Young Metalworker of the Year Award
Young Leatherworker of the Year Award
Young Building Craftsperson of the Year Award
Young Upholsterer of the Year Award
Young Weaver of the Year Award
Young Embroiderer of the Year Award
Previous award winners
Lucy Barlow – hat maker
Sally Morrison – watch dial enameller
Tom Ball – woodcarver
Message from the Former Prince of Wales
“As President of the Heritage Crafts Association, I am delighted to endorse this new awards scheme which supports and rewards excellence in the heritage craft sector.
Crafts are such a vital part of our British heritage and I have always been passionately concerned to promote the best aspects of our country’s traditions ― and, equally importantly, to enable these highly specialised skills to be transferred from one generation to the next.
These new awards for heritage craft celebrate excellence across the sector in a variety of ways. They reward those who give so much by volunteering to support the many different crafts, those who pass on their skills, those who wish to improve their craft skills and those who continue to produce great British craft.”
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If you are a precious metalworker working in silver, gold or platinum who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for this year’s Precious Metalworker of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and @royalmintuk. Or if you know someone else who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £2,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, we will also award a Young Metalworker of the Year Award, chosen from nominees aged 25 years and under, with an additional prize of £1,000 provided by Heritage Crafts Benefactors Lucy and Laurence Butcher.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 2023 winner Sally Morrison @anordain
If you are a potter or ceramicist who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for the inaugural Potter of the Year Award, supported by the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation. Or if you know someone else who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £2,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 Doug Fitch @fitchandmcandrew by James Hazlewood
Many people are dissuaded from training in endangered heritage crafts because of the cost, and therefore the make-up of the sector is not truly representative of the mix of backgrounds that make up the nation as a whole. This bursary has been set up to help cover or subsidise the cost of training for someone who would otherwise be prevented from pursuing this career path as a result of the cost.
You could be just starting out on your journey in craft or at the point where you want to turn a hobby into a career, or you could already be a maker who is looking to further develop your endangered heritage craft skills.
Applicants will be selected based on the quality of the training provided and the likelihood of continuation and gainful employment. The training will be overseen by relevant tutors or trainers as nominated by the successful candidate and approved by Heritage Crafts assessors. This can include either accredited courses or informal learning identified by the applicant, and the quality of the training will be verified by Heritage Crafts staff before any funding is awarded.
Our training bursary in endangered crafts is supported by @soanebritain and is part of a wider scheme of training bursaries currently available. Find out how to apply via the linktr.ee in our bio. The deadline is 2 August 2024.
📷 @valentine_instruments
FREE GIVEAWAY! (UK residents only)
Did you know that trainers were invented in Bolton, Greater Manchester? We didn’t know until we heard it from @patrickgrantism at our recent event at @ladybridgehighschool in partnership with the North West Comino Consortium. Patrick was wearing a pair of trainers made by @normanwalshuk, who have been manufacturing footwear in the town since 1961.
Patrick explained to the students present how one of the best ways of tackling the human impact on climate change is to be mindful of our purchasing power when buying clothing, to choose things that you know have been sourced responsibly, and, once you have bought them, to make them last. Products that are made by skilled craftspeople will often last a lot longer than those mass-produced using cheap materials… plus, by buying them you are also contributing to the cultural distinctiveness of historic manufacturing centres like Bolton, ensuring that they have a craft future as well as a past.
Walsh have kindly donated a pair of white Tempest Harrier trainers (UK size 8) to one of our lucky followers. The Tempest is a contemporary introduction to the Walsh line-up. Exemplifying the finesse and skill of the Walsh craftsperson, the Tempest exudes sophistication and style, making it a versatile accessory for any wardrobe and occasion (RRP £110).
To enter, simply:
1. Like this post
2. Comment on this post including a friend’s @ tag
3. Follow us (if you don’t already)
A winner will be picked at random from all the qualifying entries on Friday 2 August. Good luck!
If you are a traditional leatherworker who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for the inaugural Leatherworker of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and the British Leather Industry Development Trust @leather_uk. Or if you know someone else who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £2,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. Plus, we will also award a Young Leatherworker of the Year Award, chosen from nominees aged 25 years and under, with an additional prize of £1,000 supported by @theleathersellers.
To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
📷 Michael Tunnicliffe
Many people in Wales are dissuaded from training in heritage crafts because of the cost, and therefore the make-up of the sector is not truly representative of the mix of backgrounds that make up the nation as a whole. These bursaries have been set up to help cover or subsidise the cost of training for someone who would otherwise be prevented from pursuing this career path as a result of the cost.
You could be just starting out on your journey in craft or at the point where you want to turn a hobby into a career, or you could already be a maker who is looking to further develop your heritage craft skills.
Applicants will be selected based on the quality of the training provided and the likelihood of continuation and gainful employment. The training will be overseen by relevant tutors or trainers as nominated by the successful candidate and approved by Heritage Crafts assessors. This can include either accredited courses or informal learning identified by the applicant, and the quality of the training will be verified by Heritage Crafts staff before any funding is awarded.
Our training bursaries for Wales are supported by the Ashley Family Foundation and are part of a wider scheme of training bursaries currently available. Find out how to apply via the linktr.ee in our bio. The deadline is 2 August 2024.
📷 @scarlettrebecca by @dewitannattlloyd
If you are a fashion textile maker of any type (dressmaking, tailoring, pattern cutting, hat making, millinery, glovemaking, fabric pleating, corset making, etc) who has done something to be proud of in the last 12 months, please consider applying for our inaugural Fashion Textile Maker of the Year Award, a partnership between Heritage Crafts and the @costume_society. Or if you know someone else who might deserve the award, why not nominate them?
There is a £2,000 prize for the winning entry to be presented at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November. To apply, complete the nomination form via the linktr.ee in our bio before the deadline of 5pm on Friday 6 September 2024.
Many people in East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove are dissuaded from training in heritage crafts because of the cost, and therefore the make-up of the sector is not truly representative of the mix of backgrounds that make up the counties as a whole. This bursary has been set up to help cover or subsidise the cost of training for someone who would otherwise be prevented from pursuing this career path as a result of the cost.
You could be just starting out on your journey in craft or at the point where you want to turn a hobby into a career, or you could already be a maker who is looking to further develop your heritage craft skills.
Applicants will be selected based on the quality of the training provided and the likelihood of continuation and gainful employment. The training will be overseen by relevant tutors or trainers as nominated by the successful candidate and approved by Heritage Crafts assessors. This can include either accredited courses or informal learning identified by the applicant, and the quality of the training will be verified by Heritage Crafts staff before any funding is awarded.
Our training bursary for Sussex is supported by the @sussexheritagetrust and is part of a wider scheme of training bursaries currently available. Find out how to apply via the linktr.ee in our bio. The deadline is 2 August 2024.
📷 @eddyartist
