About

The John Smedley Craft Prize, in partnership with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), seeks to inspire and nurture British craftspeople who have honed exceptional skills across any discipline and who produce beautiful objects using traditional techniques. John Smedley’s aim is to value and understand craftsmanship on a wider scale and support craftspeople as they continue a legacy of traditional workmanship while creating contemporary products that capture attention on an international scale.

In 1784, John Smedley himself made a conscious decision to produce garments using only the finest noble yarns and the most honed of craft skills, creating a product that was artisanal in nature and superior in its quality. This is a legacy that continues to this day and forms the inspiration for The John Smedley Craft Prize.

All entries to The Craft Prize have been asked to showcase how their ethos, inspiration and portfolio of work champion the John Smedley values of British, Design, Quality, Colour, Craftsmanship and Community. Entries are accepted from any discipline and are a showcase of the artist’s existing work and their involvement with QEST either as a current scholar or alumni.

During London Craft Week, John Smedley hosts an event to premiere the work of the 2022 John Smedley Craft Prize winner. An intimate exhibition and Q&A session explores the work in detail and uncovers the links between the winner’s ethos and that of John Smedley.

The winner’s work is available to purchase throughout London Craft Week exclusively at John Smedley’s Jermyn Street store and johnsmedley.com