Here you will find our recommendation of 59 (!) UK and international design and craft trade fairs and shows. They are based on our own extensive experience in this field, plus compiled from a business development research study done at the end of 2011 for The Design Trust and our sister organisation Design Nation.
Below you will find the names, website (click on the red names) and main information that you need to identify potential shows for you – either to exhibit or to visit for inspiration!
You might like to read the blog post how to find and select the right trade fair or craft show for you to help you do further research into which fair is the best for you.
For some of the international trade fairs you might be able to get subsidy to either visit or exhibit. You can find out more detailed information per sector and country on the UK Trade & Investment website.
| Name | Discipline | Where? | Show times | deadline | notes |
| 100% Design | Contemporary furniture, lighting, product design, home accessories | Earl’s Court in London | 3rd week September | Not available | Major contemporary home product design trade show |
| Affordable Art Fair | Affordable contemporary art, including prints, ceramic art, fibre art, metalwork, photography. | Various locations in UK and internationally | Various dates | You need to sell and apply through a gallery, and work on sale needs to be below £4K | |
| Ambiente | Contemporary giftware, table ware, contemporary hand made products, interior and home products | Frankfurt (Germany) | Mid February | Major international trade fair | |
| Art in Action | Designer makers | Waterperry, Near Wheatley, Oxfordshire |
End of July | End of Dec | Major consumer fair where 400 people demonstrate their skills to 25,000 visitors, with 100 designer makers |
| Autumn Fair Birmingham | Contemporary giftware, kids, stationery, jewellery, interior and home products | NEC in Birmingham | Early September | One of the main UK trade gift fairs (linked to the Autumn Fair) | |
| British Craft Trade Fair (BCTF) | British hand-made traditional and contemporary giftware | Harrogate | Mid April | Not available | Established crafts trade fair started 35 years ago. No mass produced products or overseas produced products are allowed. Trade only. |
| Ceramic Art London | Hand-made art and functional ceramics | RCA in London | End Feb | Not known | High quality ceramics fair organised by the Craft Potters Association and Ceramic Review. |
| Clerkenwell Design Week | All design sectors, architecture | Clerkenwell in London | End of May | Not available | Lots of events, shops & showrooms, pop up shops |
| Collect | Contemporary applied arts | Saatchi Gallery London | Mid May | Application via craft galleries | Consumer show by Crafts Council representing main UK and international craft galleries |
| Country Living Spring & Christmas Shows | Giftware, stationery, crafts, textiles | Islington London and Glasgow | End of March or Mid November | Not available | Major consumer show organised by Country Living Magazine |
| Craft in Focus | Handmade traditional and contemporary crafts, jewellery and silversmithing shows | Various locations across the UK | Various dates across the year | Major craft fair organiser with some of the shows in RHS gardens. Shows include Jewellery & Silversmithing show Desire | |
| Crafts at Bovey Tracey | Contemporary crafts | Bovey Tracey in Devon | Mid June | End of January | Major contemporary consumer crafts fair since 2003 with up to 8,000 visitors – in conjunction with the Devon Guild of Craftsmen |
| Dazzle Exhibitions | One of the major contemporary designer jewellery shows | London, Glasgow, Edinburg and Manchester | Various dates | Various dates | Long established jewellery show, with great selection of non-precious jewellery. Exhibitions are held over a longer period, and work will be sold on behalf of you so you won’t need to be there all the time. |
| Decorex International | Traditional and contemporary home products and soft furnishings | Royal Hospital Chelsea in London | 3rd week September | Major trade show for soft furnishings and home products, well attended by interior designers | |
| Design Basel | Cutting edge one-off or limited edition design | Basel (Switzerland) | Mid June | 30 April | Major event of design collectors. You can exhibit as a design project, as a designer/manufacturer or with a design gallery.Sister event to Design Miami |
| Designers Block | Contemporary, innovative home products, prototypes | London, LDF, Milan and others | various | Piers & Rory organise a wide range of exciting show casing opportunities in UK and abroad for especially young and new designers. | |
| Design Junction | Best high-end authentic product and home design, some major brands and small companies | Central London | End of Sept (part of LDF) | One of the main destinations for the London Design Festival. Exhibitions & seminars curated by Aidan Walker. | |
| Design Miami | Design, architecture, fashion forum | Miami Beach, USA | You need to be invited by participating galleries. | Major event for galleries to show and sell to collectors. Sister event to Design Basel. | |
| Domotex | Floor covering and carpets | Hannover (Germany) | Mid January | Major trade fair for floor covering | |
| East London Design Show | Contemporary crafts, giftware | Shoreditch Old Town Hall in London | Early December | End of September | One of the best known Christmas shows |
| Eco Build | Sustainable design and build environment | Excel in London | 3rd week of March | Biggest event for sustainable design, construction and built environment: 1,300 exhibitors, 55,000 trade visitors | |
| Exclusively Housewares | Trade fair for houseware brands, incl. giftware, glass, electrics | Islington London | Mid June | Predominantly well known house ware brands | |
| Fibre East | Festival around wool and natural fibres | Bedford | Mid July | Small festival with stalls for knitters, weavers, spinners and fibre art | |
| Formex | Interior design and giftware products, mostly Scandinavian | Stockholm (Sweden) | 3rd week of January and August | Largest interior design trade fair in Scandinavia with 850 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors | |
| Formland | Design trade show for interior and home products | Herning, Denmark | Early August | Fairly small show mostly focussed on Denmark with 350 exhibitors and just over 10,000 visitors | |
| Goldsmiths’ Fair | Traditional and contemporary jewellery and silverware | London | End of Sept – early October | End of February | Top end jewellery and silver show for public and trade |
| Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair | All craft disciplines | Spinningfields in Manchester | Early October | End of April | Crafts fair with 140 stands attracting 6,000 visitors |
| Hampton Court Palace Flower Show | Exterior furniture and garden products (ceramics) | Hampton Court Palace | Early July | One of the main Royal Horticultural Society gardening events with 700,000 visitors. You can sell and exhibit with one of the trade stands. | |
| Handmade in Britain | Contemporary crafts and jewellery | Various locations: Chelsea, OXO tower, Richmond | Various dates: mid November | Major organiser of consumer crafts fairs | |
| Home London | Contemporary design led homeware and interiors trade fair | Earl’s Court London | Mid Jan | End of November | Recently launched trade fair aimed at homeware retailers |
| Home & Gift Harrogate | Design-led giftware, stationery, fashion | Mid July | One of the most established shows in the UK attracting 12,000 visitors | ||
| IMM Cologne | Furniture, home interior products | Cologne (Germany) | 3rd week of January | Major international trade fair for interior products and furniture | |
| Inhorgenta | Jewellery, silverware and watches | Munich (Germany) | 2nd week of February | Major international jewellery trade fair | |
| Interiors UK Show | Products for the home | NEC Birmingham | End of January | Major interior and home accessories design trade show | |
| International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) | Contemporary furniture | New York (USA) | Mid May | Major trade furniture fair | |
| International Jewellery London (IJL) | Design led jewellery | Earls Court, London | Early September | Major jewellery trade show with 9,000 buyers | |
| Liverpool Design Festival | All design sectors | Liverpool | Beginning Oct | Many different exhibitions, pop up shops etc. Organised by Design Initiative | |
| London Art Fair | Contemporary art, including ceramics, textile art, metal work | Islington London | 3rd week January | Need to exhibit with a gallery | More than 100 galleries showcasing contemporary art |
| London Design Festival | All design disciplines | Across London | Mid – end September | Apply direct or take part in one of many show opportunities | Major design festival with many exhibitions, pop up shops, showrooms, talks, seminars etc. |
| Lustre Contemporary Crafts Fair | Contemporary crafts | Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham | 2nd week of November | Mid March | 55 stands with contemporary crafts |
| MACEF | International home show, tableware, fashion accessories, silverware | Milan (Italy) | End of Jan and early September | Trade fair mostly aimed at Italian market | |
| Made Brighton’s Design & Crafts Fair | Contemporary crafts, design and art | Brighton | 3rd week of November | End of March | Showing more than 100 exhibitor stands to 5,500 visitors |
| Made by Hand | Contemporary crafts | Tredegar House in Newport (Wales) | Early December | Mid March | One of the biggest crafts shows in Wales with 140 stands |
| Maison et Objet | Contemporary home and interior products, giftware | Paris (France) | End of January and 2nd week Sept | Major international trade fair | |
| Milan Furniture Fair | Furniture, interior products, lighting | Milan (Italy) | 3rd week of April | Major international trade fair with many small events taking place across the city. Part of the main fair is reserved for young designers and prototypes: SaloneSatellite | |
| Modern Shows | Mid Century design, furniture, interior | Various shows throughout the year | Various locations | Consumer shows with dealers and designers selling mid century products | |
| New York Table Top Show | Traditional and contemporary quality giftware, dinnerware and housewares | New York (USA) | 3rd week of April, 2nd week of Oct | Tradeshow attended by retail buyers as well as restaurant chains and interior designers | |
| One Year On at New Designers | Recent design graduates | Islington London | End of June – early July | End of January | Show as part of the design graduate show New Designers, with additional support |
| Origin | Postponed by the Crafts Council in 2012 | ||||
| Premiere Classe | Fashion accessories, jewellery, millinery, bags | Paris (France) | Early March and end Sept | Tradeshow for designer fashion accessories | |
| Pulse | Contemporary home products, stationery, fashion accessories | Earl’s Court in London | Early June | Contemporary home and gift ware trade show with strong small independent London retailers. Launchpad discount for first time exhibitors | |
| Pure London | Women’s wear fashion, accessories, footwear | Olympia London | mid Feb and mid Aug | One of the leading fashion trade fairs with 13,000 visitors | |
| Sieraad | International jewellery art fair, mostly highly unique pieces | Amsterdam (the Netherlands) | Early November | International jewellery art fair in | |
| SOFA (Sculpture Objects & Functional Art) | Contemporary applied arts, crafts and decorative arts | New York & Chicago (USA) | 3rd week of April & November | Application through UK galleries | Major American show for craft collectors and galleries. |
| Spring Fair Birmingham | Gift fair, incl. home accessories, jewellery, stationery, handmade | NEC Birmingham | Early February | Major UK giftware trade fair (linked to the Autumn Fair) | |
| TENT London | Innovative home products and prototypes, plus some major brands | Old Truman Brewery in East London | End of September | Monthly application deadlines | Alternative but well known East London consumer fair during London Design Festival |
| Top Drawer | Home and giftware products, incl. jewellery, crafts | Olympia and Earl’s Court London | Mid January & mid September | Major home and giftware trade show | |
| Treasure | Jewellery | Somerset House in London | Mid June | End of February | Major jewellery show part of London Jewellery Week |
| Twisted Thread: Knitting & Stitching Show | Textiles: knitting, embroidery | London, Dublin and Harrogate | October – November (different dates) | One of the main textiles consumer shows, attracting over 30,000 visitors |
Did we forget your favourite show? Does a link not work properly? Do let us know via the comments below.
New show: Made London 2012
http://www.madelondon.org/
Thanks for a great list. You might want to add:
Cornwall Design Fair, Newlyn August 17-19th.
Maybe it is there already and I just can’t see it!
Angela
As a designer/maker of bespoke contemporary furniture, could you recommend a good show to exhibit in. I am looking for something in the UK which could put my work in front of trade buyers, ie. interior designers, showrooms etc. Although many of the above show list furniture as a category, upon more research it seems they don’t actually have many furniture exhibitors. ICFF would be perfect if it was in the UK and didn’t cost the heaven and earth to exhibit there. Thanks
Dear Obray
The most successful trade fairs for contemporary furniture are 100% Design, the Interiors Show in Birmingham, and possibly Decorex.
Good luck.
I think Art in Clay Hatfield and Art in Clay Farnham belong in your list. Please check us out and come along to the show at Farnham Maltings 17th 18th Nov. Hope you can make it
This is a fantastic list but it would also be great to get a list of Art Trails and Artists Studio type events, especially those who accept artists from outside their local region. These are often a relatively inexpensive way for 2D artists to sell their work and create a following when they don’t yet have a gallery to represent them at bigger shows. Sadly there isn’t an easy way to find out about them……maybe you can fix that : )
Dear Nicola
Thank you for your comments. In fact, lists like that already exist! Have a look on the Craft & Design Magazine website at the bottom under events, and you will find art trails there! http://www.craftanddesign.net/open-studios/organisers/
I hope this is what you are looking for?
Best wishes
Patricia
This is a topic that is close to my heart… Thank you!
Where are your contact details though?
You can contact us via email, tweet or direct message at the bottom of our home page. We don’t provide a phone line as we don’t have the manpower to answer individual questions.
Hi Patricia,
I import some craft shoulder bags made in Sri Lanka by local women using 100% recycled rice bags. I’m on a tiny budget, can you recommend a good show where I stand a good chance of being seen by people who run gift/craft shops particularly in seaside towns as the bags make great beach bags?
Any advice gratefully received,
Thanks, Alex
Dear Alex
As you have got a very limited budget, and you are very specific about which retailers to approach, I would actually suggest that instead of a trade show you research potential retailers well (see this post for that: http://www.thedesigntrust.co.uk/the-design-doctor-how-can-i-do-market-research/), and then approach them directly with a good intro email (see this post for info on that: http://www.thedesigntrust.co.uk/how-to-write-an-inviting-intro-email-to-potential-clients/).
That will probably be a far more cost effective way for you to promote your products. Good luck!
How about two major annual ICHF Craft and Design Shows at Penshurst Place in Kent. Been going for years. Up to 250 stallholders and thousands of visitors over May Bank Holiday and first full weekend in September or 2 weeks after August Bank Holiday.
Dear Tamsin
Thanks for the suggestion, I don’t know that one.
What a really great article – Thanks.
Perin
Check out Sussex Family Fairs for their Christmas and Spring Fair’s in West Sussex. They limit each category so there isn’t too much competition but it’s best to book early.
Dear Debbie
Thanks for your suggestions, but I don’t know these fairs mentioned.
This is such a great list – I used it last year and have just come across it again this year.
The competition for the last two years I have been applying seems very high and it’s tough to get a place – so I try to apply to as many as I can but I find it very difficult finding the medium to large contemporary craft markets.
The most frustrating is when I find one from last year that I want to apply for and then find out they are not on this year. Any chance there is going to be an updated list this year?
Thanks Polly
Dear Polly
Thanks for your comments. We constantly try to update this list, but we are only human, so if there are fairs on this list that are not showing this year, do let us know!
For specialist ceramic fairs you can’t do better than Earth & Fire in Nottinghamshire end of June and Potfest in Cumbria in July – both going strong for 19 years.
Hi Sue, the Earth & Fire one has got indeed a great reputation, don’t now the other one personally. Thanks for your recommendations.
Hi Patricia,
Made by Hand in Wales has been postponed this year as they are moving the Show to Cardif.
Thanks Polly
Thanks for letting me know.