Heritage Crafts Awards
recognition for master craftspeople and emerging talent
We are open for nominations
Established in 2012, the annual Heritage Crafts Awards are a range of awards each year which shine a spotlight on those individuals who champion heritage crafts skills and trades. We are indebted to our partner organisations who provide funding for our unique suite of awards and bursaries specifically for traditional crafts, and who make this possible.
The Heritage Crafts Awards celebrate and highlight the traditional living crafts made in the UK that contribute to our national heritage, such as silversmithing, dressmaking and tailoring, upholstery, weaving, leatherworking, metalworking, stained glass, green woodworking, embroidery and similar crafts where there is a significant degree of hand skill at the point of manufacture.
- Patron’s Award for Endangered Crafts
- England Maker of the Year
- Northern Ireland Maker of the Year
- Scotland Maker of the Year
- Wales Maker of the Year
- Precious Metalworker of the Year
- Fashion Textile Maker of the Year
- Woodworker of the Year
- Emerging Building Craftsperson of the Year
- Emerging Leatherworker of the Year
- Emerging Upholsterer of the Year
- Emerging Weaver of the Year
- Emerging Green Woodworker of the Year
- Emerging Stained Glass Maker of the Year
- Emerging Embroiderer of the Year
- Emerging Metalworker of the Year
- Trainer of the Year
- Trainee of the Year
- Community Catalyst of the Year
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Before nominating yourself or someone else, we encourage you to take time to read through these important links:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – please read for useful tips
- NOMINATION QUESTIONS – for your reference
- Watch our Live Q&A Session on grants, awards and bursaries recorded on 7 April
Please note that all Awards nominations now use the same nomination form, so you can nominate yourself or someone else for multiple awards all at once from just one form.
To nominate, please click on one of the relevant Awards above
DEADLINE: 5pm, Friday 21 August
Video or audio nominations:
Alternatively, you are welcome to submit a video or audio nomination, addressing all the questions in the form – You can download the questions here. The recording ideally needs to be no more than 15 minutes in length, then emailed to Rae at [email protected].
Nominate yourself or someone else
Patron’s Award for Endangered Crafts
England Maker of the Year Award
Northern Ireland Maker of the Year Award
Scotland Maker of the Year Award
Wales Maker of the Year Award
Precious Metalworker of the Year Award
Fashion Textile Maker of the Year Award
Woodworker of the Year Award
Emerging Leatherworker of the Year Award
Emerging Upholsterer of the Year Award
Emerging Weaver of the Year Award
Emerging Green Woodworker of the Year Award
Emerging Stained Glass Maker of the Year Award
Emerging Embroiderer of the Year Award
Emerging Metalworker of the Year Award
Trainer of the Year Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
Community Catalyst of the Year Award
Trainee of the Year Award
Emerging Building Craftsperson of the Year Award
Message from HM The King
“As Patron 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.”
Previous award winners
Owen Bushell, Millwright
Lorna Singleton – Oak swill basket maker
Nikki Laird, Kilt Maker
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Wonderful to catch up with current Heritage Crafts Emerging Weaver of the Year @leonie.textiles demonstrating all this week at @roseuniacke as part of @londoncraftweek. The collaboration is raising funds for Heritage Crafts through the sale of Leonie’s weaving.
Rose Uniacke have generously supported this award for the past three years, and the 2026 award is now open for nominations via our website. They have also supported our work to safeguard traditional craft skills with profits from their Remnant Weave project.
Thank you so much Rose Uniacke and well done to the hugely talented Leonie!
Heritage crafts at the core of the day!
Words cannot describe how proud we are to have hosted such a wonderful event in collaboration with @heritagecrafts the @theleathersellers and @saddlerscompany.saddlershall for @londoncraftweek this year.
From the beautiful pieces contributed to the auction, to the makers who spoke about their work, to those who gave demonstrations and answered questions. We were thrilled to see so many showing an interest and especially grateful to those who bid on the silent auction.
We ended the day with some inspiring speeches and hope to keep the conversation going.
#londoncraftweek #heritagecrafts #craft
Wonderful evening of speeches in celebration of Living Legacies at @theleathersellers for @londoncraftweek.
What is a heritage craft? @maryeluned_craft talks about the history of the Red List of Endanger Crafts and its role in the future. Great thoughts for @londoncraftweek.
Thank you to our incredible speakers, none of this would be possible without you!
#heritagecrafts #londoncraftweek #redlistofendangeredcrafts
Our wonderful Trustee Jonathan Reid from @ernestwrightltd talking about the critically endangered craft of scissor making at our Living Legacies event at Leathersellers Hall for @londoncraftweek.
We could listen to our makers talk about their passion for their craft all day. ✂️
#scissormaking #heritagecrafts #londoncraftweek
Valeria Leonova @artvaleria talking about the endangered craft of petrykivka.
We’ve had so many of you coming through the doors and it’s been wonderful sharing heritage crafts with you.
#petrykivka #ukrainianfolkart
Devin Valentine @valentine_instruments speaking about Luthiery their time at @westdeancollege and the skill of bow making.
Come along to Leathersellers Hall and meet the makers – we’re here until 16.30.
#heritagecrafts #luthiery #endangeredcraft
James Ducker from @carreducker talking about shoemaking as part of Living Legacies exhibition at Leathersellers Hall as part of @londoncraftweek.
They’ve contributed two items to our @heritagecrafts auction which closes this evening. So get your bids in!
Come along and see some of the other speakers today.
