Young Metalworker of the Year Award
£1,000 (Lucy and Laurence Butcher)
Heritage Crafts aims to ensure that traditional craft skills are passed to the next generation: to provide fulfilling livelihoods rooted in the human desire to make; as the building blocks of a more sustainable economy; and to better equip young people to tackle the unknown challenges of the future. For this to become a reality it is vital to celebrate the young people who are embracing craft skills today, already demonstrating excellence and becoming the role models of the future.
This Heritage Crafts Award, sponsored by Lucy and Laurence Butcher, is to celebrate a young heritage craftsperson aged 25 or under who has made an outstanding start to their metalworking 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.
This award is open to practitioners of any craft that uses metal as its primary material, including for example blacksmithing, coppersmithing, bronze casting, cutlery, silversnithing, brass instrument making etc. To be eligible, the objects that the nominee makes must be made primarily of metal that has been worked using skilled hand techniques. Makers of composite objects are eligible as long as over half the material used is worked metal.
Anyone, including the maker themselves, can nominate for this award. Winners will be expected to attend the high-profile Winners’ Reception at the Vicar’s Hall, Windsor Castle on 15 November 2023.
If you are not 25 or under, there is also a non-restricted Precious Metalworker of the Year Award currently open.
Opening date for applications: Wednesday 1 March 2023
Closing date for applications: Friday 15 September 2023, 5pm
To apply
Read the application notes and then apply online
Lucy and Laurence Butcher are Benefactors of Heritage Crafts. If you are interested in joining our Benefactors scheme you can find out more about it here.
