Sotheby's London Hosts Craft Week Takeover with Auctions and Exhibitions

Sotheby's is transforming its New Bond Street galleries in London into a dedicated platform for craft during London Craft Week. The auction house presents 'Crafted,' a week-long immersive program from May 11 to 17, 2026, marking the festival's twelfth edition. This multidisciplinary initiative features auctions, exhibitions, talks, workshops, and live demonstrations, aiming to explore and elevate craft practices. The event reflects growing cultural interest in making as a practice connecting tradition and innovation. Julia Fischel, Sotheby's director, notes craft's universal dimension linking creators, materials, and cultural memory while offering tangible engagement in an increasingly digital world. A key component is a charity auction supporting FiredUp4, co-founded by artist Kate Malone, with proceeds funding ceramics courses for disadvantaged youth in the UK. The auction includes twelve works by British ceramicists such as Lucie Rie, Pippin Drysdale, Hitomi Hosono, and Felicity Aylieff. Additionally, 'Secret Ceramics' offers one hundred anonymously sold works at fixed prices by artists including Ebony Russell, Freya Bramble-Carter, Jacques Monneraud, and Michel François. The exhibition program emphasizes experimentation and inclusivity, with the collective Intoart showcasing new commissions and works from its collection, highlighting artists with cognitive disabilities and autism spectrum conditions like Danielle Green, Lisa Trim, Nick Fenn, and Christian Ovonlen. House & Garden magazine presents finalists for its inaugural £10,000 Craft Prize, with winners announced on May 11. Central events include a symposium on May 13 and the Festival of Craft on May 16, both part of London Craft Week's official schedule, featuring demonstrations and workshops by artisans such as Joe Thornton, Derek Tanous, Silver Lining Furniture, the Royal School of Needlework, and sustainable accessories brand Elvis & Kresse. The initiative positions craft as a living expression of skill rather than a historical relic.