Now heading into its fourth year, London Craft Week (9-12 May) sees studios, showrooms and creative spaces open up across the capital in celebration of modern-day making and heritage artisans. For 2018, there is an expanded international reach within the 70 exhibitions, 41 workshops, 87 talks and 61 live demonstrations taking place. In addition, 275 independent makers are getting a moment in the spotlight; ‘[we are] celebrating the unsung heroes and heroines’ says Jonathan Burton, festival director of London Craft Week. From architectural open studios and innovative paper installation to riveting ceramics and nifty knife making, we bring you the top events not to miss...
Jochen Holz at Flow Gallery
10 May- 30 June; 1-5 Needham Road, W11 2RP; www.flowgallery.co.uk
In a solo exhibition at Flow Gallery, titled ‘Superficies’, Jochen Holz will be capturing the essence of his innovative glass blowing technique of lampworking. The German designer hones in on the structural properties of borosilicate glass, and will host a talk on the sinuous works on 9 May.
Loewe Craft Prize exhibition
4 May – 7 June; 224-238 Kensington High St, Kensington, W8 6AG; www.craftprize.loewe.com
Spanish fashion brand Loewe show its 30 finalists for the second edition of the craft prize at London’s Design Museum. The multidisciplinary award sees artisans from 18 different countries come together in a celebration of contemporary craft. A jury of 10 industry experts will gather to announce the winner on 3 May.
New Craftsmen
9 – 12 May; 34 North Row, W1K 4DG; thenewcraftsmen.com
The Mayfair gallery is turning to the world of illustration for its craft week showing this year. The exhibition will feature works from Laura Carlin, Aude van Ryn and Jo Waterhouse with sculptures, bowls and block-printed fabric peppering the space, alongside a hand-blocked wallpapers, chosen from Peggy Angus’ archive.
The Room Service at Plain English
9 May; Plain English, 28 Blanford Street, W1U 4BZ; www.theroomservice.co
Room Service is a new online platform giving guests an opportunity to buy artisan products from their favourite hotels, restaurant and commercial spaces. Launching at the Plain English kitchen showroom with a collection of ceramics, the event will include an immersive experience with Dan Cox, former head chef at Fera at Claridge’s and L’Enclume.
The Flipside at The Old Selfridges Hotel
Until 20 May; 1 Orchard Street, W1H 6JS; www.selfridges.com
Concepts of ‘radical luxury’ culminate at this new exhibition by Selfridges that features a concrete maze of darkened rooms with installations by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Google Pixel 2 and Thom Browne. Read more here.
Edition by Another Country
9 -12 May; 18 Crawford Street, W1H 1BT; www.anothercountry.com
Inside its Marylebone showroom, contemporary craft furniture brand Another Country will showcase works by the likes of Michael Ruh and Blenheim Forge in a show that presents craft from knife making to glass working.
Reiko Kaneko at SCP House of Ceramics
9 -13 May; 135 Curtain Road, EC2A 3BX; scp.co.uk
Stoke-on-Trent-based Reiko Kaneko’s craft spans from fine bone China to jewellery, and long-time collaborator SCP will be showcasing her work alongside a live demonstration to present a universe of ceramics at its Shoreditch space.
Assemble: Open House at Sugarhouse Studios
11 -12 May; Sugarhouse Studios, 19 Collett Road, London, SE16 4DJ; www.assemblestudio.co.uk
From the many open studios on offer, Turner Prize winning collective Assemble showcases its multidisciplinary space that will allow visitors to delve into craft that spans art to fine furniture making. The space will also host clay workshops by Collective Matter, and a handmade ceramics stand by Assemble collaborator Granby Workshop.
Beyond Surface by G.F Smith and Kody Kato
9 – 12 May; 27-28 Eastcastle Street, W1W 8DH; www.gfsmith.com
Architect Kody Kato tests the boundaries of GF Smith’s advanced Takeo paper with an innovative installation using folding and strengthening. The installation, created in collaboration with Made Thought, highlights the technical aspects of the paper brand’s wares that go beyond the fold.
Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival
8-10 May; Great Windmill Street, Piccadilly, W1D 7DH; www.craftscouncil.org.uk
In a mix of documentaries, animations, music videos and talks, the Real to Reel Film Festival gives visitors a cinematic entry into the world of makers. Over three nights, guests can experience Alan Kitching’s life in letterpress, a story of a London potter and more.
INFORMATION
London Craft Week runs from 9-13 May. For more information on how to book events, visit the website
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Rachel Whiteread creates silver collection for Puiforcat inspired by corrugated cardboardThe Turner Prize-winning artist reinterprets imperfection in a new silverware collection with French maison Puiforcat
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Meet Malak Mattar, the Palestinian artist behind the 'Together for Palestine' concert at London's Wembley ArenaThe London-based artist curates a landmark concert of music and art in support of Gaza, alongside Brian Eno, James Blake, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry and more
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A new coffee table book proves that one designer’s trash is another’s treasureThe Rizzoli tome, launching today (16 September 2025), delves into the philosophy and process of Retrouvius, a design studio reclaiming salvaged materials in weird and wonderful ways
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Norman Foster and nine other architects design birdhouses for charity – you can bid‘Architects for the Birds’ is spearheaded by Norman Foster and the Tessa Jowell Foundation to raise funds to improve treatment for brain cancer. Ten architect-designed birdhouses will go up for auction
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The David Collins Foundation celebrates creativity in all its forms at London Design FestivalThe David Collins Foundation presents ‘Convergence’ at the Lavery during London Design Festival 2025 (on view until 19 September), featuring works from the Arts Foundation’s annual Futures Awards
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Lee Broom’s brutalist-inspired ‘Beacon’ will light up London as Big Ben strikes the hourSet to pulse through London Design Festival 2025 (13-22 September) and beyond, the British industrial designer’s sculptural light installation on the South Bank draws on its surroundings
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Yuri Suzuki turns sound into architecture at Camden Arts ProjectsThe sound designer unveils ‘Utooto’, an interactive installation at London’s Camden Arts Projects (until 5 October 2025), in which visitors collaboratively build a sonic piece of architecture
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Alex Tieghi-Walker unveils his plans for Brompton Design District 2025Ahead of London Design Festival 2025, we catch up with New York gallerist Alex Tieghi-Walker about his appointment as curator of the Brompton Design District programme
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‘The point was giving ordinary people access to bold taste’: how Ikea brought pattern into the home‘Ikea: Magical Patterns’ at Dovecot Gallery in Edinburgh tells the story of a brand that gave us not only furniture, but a new way of seeing our homes – as canvases for self-expression
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Design beyond humans: a new exhibition argues that the world doesn’t revolve around us‘More Than Human’ at London's Design Museum (until 5 October 2025) asks what happens when design focuses on the perspectives and needs of other species, from bees to seaweed
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‘100 Years, 60 Designers, 1 Future’: 1882 Ltd plate auction supports ceramic craftThe ceramics brand’s founder Emily Johnson asked 60 artists, designers, musicians and architects – from John Pawson to Robbie Williams – to design plates, which will be auctioned to fund the next generation of craftspeople
