Heritage Crafts – Emerging Leatherworker of the Year Award
19 March 2026
Deadline: August 21, 2026
Heritage Crafts are thrilled to announce that nominations are now OPEN for the Emerging Leatherworker of the Year Award 2026.
Supported by the Leathersellers’ Foundation
This award celebrates an early-career heritage craftsperson (in the first five years of their professional practice) who has made an outstanding start to their leatherworking career. The award winner will be highly skilled amongst their peers, whilst raising the perceived value of their craft through sharing and awareness raising. They will have given themselves a fantastic chance of achieving long-term success, perhaps overcoming disadvantage or setbacks along the way.
The award is open to practitioners of any craft that uses leather as its primary material. Examples include (but are not limited to) saddlery, shoemaking, harness making, tanning, fashion, accessory making etc.
The winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize and will be celebrated at a high-profile Winners’ Reception in November 2026.
Click here for more information on how to nominate someone (or yourself).