Craft in Britain stands at a critical moment: it is ambitious, diverse and in urgent need of continued recognition. New Home and garden The Craft Prize celebrates the most exciting and inspiring artists working in the UK today.
For us, contemporary craft is a serious artistic discipline – operating within the same complex and professional framework as fine art. The award honors work conceived with lasting and cultural impact in mind; These will be pieces destined for galleries, significant private collections and museum references.
A watershed moment for contemporary craft in the UK
As Sotheby’s and the Crafts Council strategic partners, the 2026 House and Garden Craft Prize comes at a critical moment for the country’s creative industries.
Across the UK, artists and makers are redefining traditional disciplines through research, sustainable processes and cross-disciplinary exchange. From rural workshops to urban studios, contemporary British craft is characterized by experimentation and an increasingly sophisticated engagement with community and Culture.
‘We decided to launch the Craft Prize this year because, now more than ever, it’s important to support and celebrate the work of artisans,’ says Talib Chowdhury, editor of House & Garden. ‘Across all our platforms, we champion craft in all its forms. Now we want to highlight people who are taking time-honored skills and giving them contemporary relevance.’
Open to established and emerging practitioners living and working in the UK, the prize welcomes submissions in a range of scales and media – from unexpected explorations in clay and textiles to ambitious creations in wood and fine metalwork.
UPDATE: The 2026 House and Garden Craft Prize is no longer accepting submissions. Shortlist will be contacted by 8th April.
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Reframing artistic competence and cultural relevance
The House and Garden Craft Prize clearly asserts that contemporary craft – when driven by discipline and imagination – is in the same cultural, intellectual and commercial realm as painting, sculpture or couture.
Chaired by House & Garden editor Talib Chowdhury, the 2026 judging panel included Fair Director TF Chan, Sotheby’s London director Julia Fishel and Keith Brymer Jones, master potters and judges. The Great Pottery Throw Down.
