Championing Craft Across the Capital: London Craft Week 2026 

Slow Ways: Our Common Ground 
art’otel London Hoxton, Shoreditch 
5–30 May

Our Common Ground explores Britain’s heritage crafts and contemporary design in this exhibition at art’otel London Hoxton. Curated by Freddie Armstrong and Joe De Ferranti, the newly formed studio present work from makers they met on their 1,300 mile walk across the length of Britain. From tanning, turning and weaving to printing, engraving and stitching, the show celebrates the spirit of the handmade and the importance of its protection. QEST makers include Rootfull (founded by Zena Holloway), Sarah Loughlin, Geoff Hannis, Chloe Valorso and more. The project is in support of QEST and Heritage Crafts: Donate Here. 

Slow Ways presents The Makers’ Table — an evening of talks discussing the importance of craft. The programme includes:  

• Panel talk hosted by Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip and Sylva, featuring Tim Hellier, Director of Artichoke, Deborah Pocock, CEO of QEST, and Jewellery Maker Chloe Valorso. 
• Short Film and Talk by Mo Fiddian-Green and Joss Stoddart. 
• In Conversation with Andrea Chappell and the Dye, Weave, Pleat Collective
  14 May, 6-10pm, Book Tickets Here. 

Intoart feature in Sotherby’s CRAFTED 
34–35 New Bond Street, Mayfair 
11–17 May 2026 

Sotherby’s presents a program of talks, events and exhibitions designed to shine a light and deepen insight into the realm of craft. One highlight includes Intoart’s Tékhnē: Craft Skill Knowledge, a bold display of new craft commissions by eight artists alongside works from its vast collection. Intoart is a pioneering visual arts organisation championing learning disabled and autistic people as visible, equal & established artists and designers. A selection of the commissions have been created by participants in the Know-how Craft Studio, a partnership programme between QEST and Intoart which launched in 2024. 

DBR Ltd – Talk & Workshop 
Broadwater Farm Estate, Tottenham 
12 May 

Led by QEST supporter DBR Ltd, this event will take place at Broadwater Farm Estate, a post-war housing estate that has become an important example of London’s modern architectural and social history. The project focuses on the conservation of its iconic mosaic mural, offering a unique opportunity to engage with the preservation of recent heritage within a living community. A highlight of the event will be contributions from Enikő Leányvári, a mosaic artist and the latest recipient of the QEST DBR Ltd Scholar. Eniko will lead demonstrations and discussions on mosaic techniques and conservation, offering visitors a deeper understanding of this intricate craft and its role in preserving cultural heritage. 

Future Icons Selects 
83 Rivington Street, Shoreditch 
15–21 May (Closed 18 May) 

Future Icons Selects returns to London Craft Week 2026 for its fourth edition, taking over 83 Rivington Street. Now its largest edition to date, the exhibition brings together over 40 emerging and established makers working across ceramics, textiles, metalwork, fine art and collectible design. With 95% of exhibitors based in the UK, it offers a strong snapshot of craft being made across the country today. Among the exhibiting makers are QEST Alumni embroiderer Hanny Newton and stone carver Zoë Wilson. 

WHISPERer 
SPIRA9 Gallery, Marylebone 
15–17 May 

Featuring Scholar and woodturner Greg Kent, WHISPERer explores the quiet intelligence that resides within acts of making. The exhibition brings together artists working across diverse and interdisciplinary craft practices. From textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and jewellery to installation, digital systems, generative processes, and immersive media, the participating artists expand the definition of craft beyond traditional boundaries. Here, craft is understood not only as skilled handwork, but as a thoughtful engagement between material, process, technology, and idea.

First Of March 
The Royal Society of Arts, Covent Garden 
14–15 May 

Contemporary online gallery and cultural platform First Of March presents ‘In the Company of Makers: a celebration of entrepreneurial craftsmanship’. A celebration of creativity, skill and material mastery, the showcase will champion the work of seventeen exceptional Makers from the First Of March portfolio, presenting contemporary craft that is deeply rooted in place, rich in story and our cultural heritage. Amongst the makers are QEST Alumni surface designer and wallpaper conservator Justyna Medon, weaver Jackie Stephens and silversmith Rauni Higson MBE.  

South of The River 
8 Holland Street, Kennington 
11 May – 13 June 

8 HOLLAND STREET | SOUTH OF THE RIVER launches as a special project for London Craft Week 2026. Spread across two townhouses on Kennington Lane SE11, the ambitious project presents a new design destination, spotlighting six diverse exhibitions spanning sculpture, textile, ceramic, print, furniture and design. The exhibition includes Forest + Found, The House is Full of Ghosts by QEST Scholar Max Bainbridge and Abigail Booth, a showcase of unflinching yet tender exploration of the psychology of the domestic house.  

Creative Cross-Pollination 
Royal Society of Sculptors, South Kensington 
11–17 May 

Crafts on Peel is a charitable foundation in Hong Kong to revive, reinterpret and perpetuate traditional craftsmanship by fostering collaborations between traditional craftsmen, contemporary artisans and creative individuals across disciplines. Through various programmes, the Foundation nurtures the younger generations to incorporate traditional skills into innovative contemporary design. Huimin Zhang, goldsmith and 2025 QEST Goldsmiths’ Foundation Scholar will feature in the exhibition alongside eight other makers. 

Facets in Resonance 
Leighton House, Kensington 
15 May – 31 July 

British Bangladeshi artist and 2025 Scholar Kamilah Ahmed presents Facets in Resonance at Leighton House, a mixed-media embroidered textile arch which will sit over the fountain in the museum’s Arab Hall, framing a new view on this iconic space. Referencing traditional crafts and decorative arts, including Damascene tiles, Iznik patterns, stained glass, gold mosaics, marquetry inlay, and mashrabiya screens, the work honours the legacy of the Arab Hall as a physical reflection of the value of artisanal practices and cross-cultural exchange and is part of their current exhibition, The Arab Hall: Past and Present. 

The Cockpit Effect 
Cockpit, Bloomsbury 
11–12 May 

For 40 years, Cockpit Studios has helped thousands of emerging makers build a sustainable practice and launched the careers of internationally celebrated artists and craftspeople. This year during London Craft Week, the charity presents its first-ever multimedia exhibition, featuring photography, video, and craft objects, in a powerful showcase of the makers behind the craft magic that comes to life at Cockpit. Discover the makers behind your favourite independent jewellery and fashion brands, award-winning ceramics, glass, wood, and textile artists, and contemporary sculptors and artisans keeping heritage techniques alive. 

Guided Workshop Visit: A Dialogue with Materials 

Guided by an expert from Homo Faber, visitors are invited to step inside the workshops of 2025 Scholar and glassblower Theo Brooks, 2018 Scholar and wood sculptor Eleanor Lakelin and ceramicist Sara Dodd at Cockpit Deptford. 

13–14 May, Book Tickets Here.