For one week each May, London’s most accomplished makers throw open the doors to their ateliers, galleries, and workshops for London Craft Week. Now in its 12th year, the festival returns from May 11–17 2026 with a program spanning fine art, fashion, interiors, jewelry, and collectible design – celebrating the extraordinary skill behind the objects we covet most.
“London Craft Week 2026 is particularly significant now because it reframes craft as a way of thinking about creativity, responsibility, place, and the human hand in an era increasingly shaped by AI,” Aoife Leach, managing director of London Craft Week, tells Elite Traveler. While the festival highlights the skill of the UK’s best creatives and craftsmen, as Leach explains, there are “35 nationalities and over 70 types of craft represented, [meaning] London Craft Week becomes a global meeting point for human creativity, and it also provides an important platform for craftspeople to sustain their practice and reach new audiences.”
We have rounded up the best events and asked the artisans themselves on their reccomendations on what not to miss this London Craft Week. From heritage British marques to contemporary studios, immersive demonstrations and hands-on experiences, consider this your insider guide on the artisans shaping the future of luxury across the capital.
What to see at London Craft Week 2026
Aoife Leach, managing director of London Craft Week, LCW 26 recommendations:
“I’m particularly excited by the Thread at Sarah Myerscough Gallery, which offers a focused exploration of contemporary textile practice, and the City of London events, which bring craft into historic spaces like St Paul’s Cathedral and Barts North Wing through talks, demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes access.
“In terms of makers, I’m especially excited by Emma Witter, who will be in conversation with Katy Wickremesinghe at Berry Bros. & Rudd, focusing on Witter’s nature-led approach to materials and broader ideas of working with, rather than taking from, the land. The discussion also draws parallels with winemaking, where quality and process are shaped by soil, season, and environmental stewardship.”
“Another notable exhibition is The Shape of Scent, a collaboration between glass artist Juli Bolaños-Durman, Scottish perfumer Jorum Studio, and Craft Scotland. It features reworked discarded glass, hand-embellished to create a garden of vessels inspired by wildflowers and the natural environment.”
Paul Smith’s Foundation, British Glass
Paul Smith might be best known for cutting suits, but for London Craft Week, the British designer turns his attention to a different kind of artistry. Hosted at the brand’s Albemarle Street shop, British Glass is the inaugural exhibition from the Paul Smith’s Foundation new British Makers grant, celebrating exceptional craftsmanship from across the British Isles.
“The project invited makers to reimagine the everyday water jug through the lens of Paul Smith and via their own practice,” Matha Mosse, director at Paul Smith’s Foundation, tells Elite Traveler. “In giving a grant, we hoped to facilitate a freedom for experimentation which may not be available in other commercial projects, whilst bringing a sense of joy and openness to the process.”
The work of the five contemporary glassblowers – Jochen Holz, Gather, Emsie Sharp, Stewart Hearn, and Bristol Blue – remains on display for the duration of London Craft Week, “alongside records of their process, inspirations and snaps of the makers working in their studios,” shares Mosse. “Through this showcase, the Foundation not only celebrates the finished object, but also the real people who make them.” And for those still keen to hear more shouldn’t miss the panel discussion with the artists themselves on May 12.
11–17 May 2026. 9 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BL
Book now: https://londoncraftweek.com/events/british–glass/
Martha Mosse, director at Paul Smith’s Foundation, LCW 26 recommendations:
“I would suggest visiting the haunting works of Emma Witter at Berry Brothers, an artist who works with found and rescued animal bones salvaged from London’s restaurants.
“Or Secret Ceramics at Sotheby’s, an exhibition of 100 donated ceramics by leading and emerging artists, which are presented for sale anonymously. You won’t know who made yours until after purchase and the money raised goes to FiredUp4 Clay Clubs. And, while you’re there, you can also check out the entrants for the House & Garden Craft prize.”
Sotheby’s, Crafted
For those keen to understand where contemporary craft is heading next, Sotheby’s is one of London Craft Week’s most compelling stops. The auction house’s Crafted series brings together a dynamic program of exhibitions, installations, and charitable initiatives celebrating contemporary art makers. “London Craft Week brings the ecosystem of London to life, with artists, galleries, museums, curators, and auction houses collaborating to fill the city with craft,” Julia Fischel, director at Sotheby’s, tells Elite Traveler.
Curated by Sotheby’s in-house specialists, the week-long showcase explores the growing crossover between craft, art, and collectibility, exploring why handmade objects are commanding increasing attention from serious collectors.
Highlights include the FiredUp4 charity auction and Secret Ceramics, where a sale of “100 works sold anonymously for a fixed price of £650, with the artist revealed on purchase,” shares Fischel, raising funds for ceramics classes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. “These are presented for the first time alongside Curated Ceramics, an auction of 10 works by living artists, including founder Kate Malone’s pumpkin of plenty and a stunning vase by Dame Lucie Rie from Malone’s personal collection.”
11–17 May 2026. 34-35 New Bond Street, London, W1A 2AA
Book now: londoncraftweek.com/events/crafted
Julia Fischel, director at Sotheby’s, LCW 26 recommendations:
“London Craft Week operates across the entire city, and the breadth of it is genuinely remarkable. But I would start here at Heritage Crafts X The Leathersellers’ Foundation X The Saddlers’ Company’s exhibitions on Living Legacies – endangered crafts in the UK.
See also: Why the Next Great Collectibles May Be Fashion, Fossils, and Fractional Shares
The White Box at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, Flowers’ Shadow by Yuki Aruga
For a quieter, more contemplative moment during the week-long event, seek out the White Box, the exhibition space at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square. Throughout the week, it will showcase a new solo exhibition by Japanese-British artist Yuki Aruga, who draws on the traditions of ikebana and the Japanese tea ceremony through intricate paintings and gilded glass works.
At the center of the exhibition is verre églomisé (the centuries-old technique of gilding on glass), which Aruga combines with influences from European still-life painting and East-Asian philosophy to create works that feel both sumptuous and deeply meditative. “What’s especially wonderful about LCW is that it offers more than finished objects,” says Aruga.
“It offers an insight into process and the makers themselves- how they came to find their material, how their practice has evolved, and how their craft has shaped their lives.” Those wanting a more hands-on experience can also join the artist for a workshop on May 13 to learn the art of water gilding on glass and leave with their own handcrafted gilded coaster.
11–17 May 2026. The White Box at Nobu Hotel, 22 Portman Square, W1H 7BG
Book here: londoncraftweek.com/events/flowers–shadow–solo–exhibition–by–yuki–aruga/
Yuki Aruga’s LCW 26 recommendations:
“The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers, at Painters Hall in Mansion House. Restoration & Revival: Elevation of the Handcrafted Surface, Thurs-Sun.”
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Celebrating Bespoke Craftsmanship
At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, craftsmanship has always extended far beyond the engine, but for London Craft Week, the marque has unveiled a series of new bespoke techniques inspired by five centuries of decorative arts. Developed by the company’s Bespoke Collective at Goodwood, the showcase explores how historic artisanal techniques can be reimagined for contemporary luxury.
Among the highlights on display at Rolls–Royce Motor Cars’ flagship in Mayfair are the first–ever use of hand–sculpted 3D metal, layered veneers inlaid with brass elements, and intricate beadwork and leather sculpting designed to create remarkably tactile surfaces. Two Phantom Gallery concept pieces draw inspiration from 17th-century still lifes, haute couture, and architectural detailing. As Phil Fabre de la Grange, head of Bespoke, puts it, the exhibition demonstrates how “hand and machine can work in concert”, with Rolls-Royce acting as both “custodian and accelerator of rare craft skills.”
11–15 May 2026. Rolls–Royce Motor Cars London, Berkeley St, London, W1J 8HD
Book now: londoncraftweek.com/events/celebrating–bespoke–craftsmanship
JW Anderson, Pilmco Road
As creative director, Jonathan Anderson keeps himself busy in Paris with launching 10 collections for Dior this year, his eponymous label is quietly cementing its pivot into the world of collectible design by sponsoring this year’s London Craft Week. At JW Anderson’s newly opened Pimlico Road boutique, fashion now sits alongside artisanal homeware, artworks, and beautifully made objects sourced from specialist makers around the world.
Described as a modern-day cabinet of curiosities, the space reflects Anderson’s increasingly personal approach to curation, where craftsmanship and collectibility take precedence over trends. Expect traceable materials, hand–finished pieces, and collaborations with artists and artisans, plus works by names including Gwen John and Robert Kulicke. During London Craft Week, visitors can also meet the makers behind the collection and gain insight into the stories and skills shaping the brand’s evolving world.
13 May 2026, 105–107, Pimlico Rd, London, SW1W 8PH
Book now: londoncraftweek.com/events/jw–anderson–pimlico–road
Fortnum & Mason, Fortnum & Makers: Crafted with Joy
Taking over its Piccadilly flagship for London Craft Week, Fortnum & Makers is a joyful celebration of artisan–made objects, spotlighting the heritage techniques and creativity of independent makers from across the UK.
Alongside an exclusive edit of handmade homewares, ceramics, and small-batch pieces designed to elevate everyday rituals, the week also features a lively program of Meet the Maker events. Visitors can hear directly from designers and craftspeople, including Ellis Mhairi Cameron, Emma Lacey, and Jon Williams, while London Stationery Week pop–ups add calligraphy and paper artistry into the mix.
11–17 May 2026. Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE
Book now: londoncraftweek.com/events/fortnum–makers–crafted–with–joy/
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