A Celebration of Craft & 35 Years of QEST with Johnnie Walker | 12 November 2025

We were delighted to spend a wonderful day and evening in Edinburgh celebrating 35 years of QEST with our partners at Johnnie Walker. The event brought together QEST Alumni from across Scotland, QEST Johnnie Walker Scholars and friends for a celebration of craft at The Label Studio at The Johnnie Walker Experience.

We first hosted a panel ‘Craft Your Future: Where Next?’, an inspiring discussion chaired by QEST Trustee and ceramicist Frances Priest. Scotland-based QEST Scholars Scott Smith, Gillian Stewart and Emma Wilkinson shared their experiences of establishing and sustaining craft careers, offering insights and advice for those starting out in the craft sector. The conversation explored the challenges and opportunities of building a future in making, and highlighted QEST’s Craft Your Future resource page.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, guests explored a curated showcase featuring the work of 26 QEST Alumni from across Scotland and QEST Johnnie Walker Scholars. The exhibition highlighted the breadth of talent within the QEST community, from silversmithing, glass and ceramics to furniture, textiles and jewellery. Demonstrations by Beatrice Searle, Andrea Chappell, Isaac Uden and Paul Kircos of Hamilton & Inches gave visitors the chance to see exceptional skill in action. Hamilton & Inches also presented their Limited Edition Jewellery Collection in aid of QEST, first launched at our 35th Anniversary reception at Goldsmiths’ Hall in October.

In the evening, over 140 guests joined us for a celebratory reception with speeches from Jeremy Lindley of Diageo, QEST Chair Lisa Montague and keynote speaker Hugo Macdonald. Their remarks reflected on the impact of QEST over the past 35 years and the importance of continued investment in craft skills for the future.

We are so grateful to everyone who joined us, to the talented Alumni who showcased and demonstrated their work, and to Johnnie Walker for their generous support.

Photography by Sam Sills – Whitedog Photography