HARVEST: Contemporary Craft Fair
Celebrating Scotland’s Contemporary Craft Talent in Edinburgh
This autumn, Edinburgh’s cultural calendar gains an exciting new highlight as HARVEST: Contemporary Craft Fair takes over the fourth floor of the City Art Centre from 11 – 19 October 2025. Curated by independent curator Dr Stacey Hunter and presented by Craft Scotland, this ambitious new event brings together the best of Scotland’s contemporary makers for a showcase that blends exhibition, showroom, and retail experience in one immersive celebration of craft.
Joanna Kitchener
A Living Showroom for Scottish Craft
Unlike the traditional craft fair model, HARVEST reimagines how audiences engage with design and handmade work. Taking the concept of Living With Craft as its inspiration, the fair transforms 250 square metres of the City Art Centre into a curated environment where visitors can imagine furnishing and decorating their own homes with the work of Scotland’s most talented makers.
From furniture to textiles, jewellery to ceramics, glassware to homewares, the show presents a holistic vision of how contemporary craft can enrich everyday life. The event invites audiences not just to admire objects but to see them in context—surrounded by other carefully curated works, revealing the possibilities of living with unique, hand-crafted pieces.
Claire Henry
A Platform for 80 Makers
More than 80 Scotland-based makers have been selected to exhibit at HARVEST, chosen from Craft Scotland’s largest open call to date, which attracted over 200 applications. The final line-up represents a rich cross-section of disciplines and career stages, from emerging designers making their debut to established names recognised internationally.
Every maker has been chosen by an expert curatorial panel, ensuring a balance of materials, approaches, and creative voices. This careful curation guarantees that visitors will experience not only technical excellence but also innovation, storytelling, and originality across the show.
Caroline Deer
Themes of Seasonality, Food Culture, and Innovation
As its name suggests, HARVEST takes inspiration from the cyclical nature of the seasons and the importance of gathering. The exhibiting works respond to five key curatorial themes:
The seasonality of harvest time – celebrating nature’s rhythms and cycles.
Craft and food culture – exploring the role of design in hospitality, dining, and conviviality.
Innovations in biomaterials and nature-positive design – highlighting sustainable practices and forward-looking materials.
Living with craft – showcasing how handmade objects enrich domestic life.
Hospitality and conviviality – the joy of gathering, sharing, and experiencing together.
Through these themes, HARVEST positions craft as more than decorative—it becomes functional, sustainable, and deeply connected to the human experience.
Joanna Kitchener
A Cultural Showcase in the Heart of Edinburgh
The location of HARVEST at the City Art Centre, just steps away from Edinburgh Waverley Station, positions the fair at the centre of Scotland’s cultural landscape. By filling the entire fourth floor of the gallery, the fair becomes an expansive, inspiring environment where showrooms, retail spaces, and exhibition zones merge seamlessly.
For Edinburgh residents, the fair is a chance to see world-class Scottish craft on their doorstep. For visitors travelling from further afield, it is an opportunity to discover Scotland’s thriving design scene during a time of year when the city transitions from the summer festival season into a vibrant autumn of culture.
Nikita Wolfe
Workshops and Events for Deeper Engagement
Alongside the main fair, HARVEST will host a programme of workshops and events designed to deepen the audience’s connection with craft. These sessions will give visitors the chance to learn directly from makers, explore techniques, and gain hands-on experience with materials.
Whether it’s ceramics, textiles, or new biomaterial innovations, the workshops open a window into the processes behind the finished objects on display. This active engagement with craft transforms the fair from a purely visual experience into an immersive, participatory one.
Natalia Manczak
Celebrating Scotland’s Craft Talent
Scotland has a long and respected tradition of craft, from heritage textiles and weaving to contemporary jewellery and ceramics. HARVEST builds on this legacy, presenting it in a fresh, dynamic way for modern audiences.
Irene Kernan, Director of Craft Scotland, highlights the importance of this new initiative:
“We are delighted to introduce HARVEST as a new platform to celebrate the breadth and vibrancy of contemporary craft in Scotland. It’s an exciting opportunity to connect makers with new audiences and to spotlight the cultural and economic importance of craft in a fresh and meaningful way.”
The fair builds on the success of Craft Scotland’s previous events, including its acclaimed Summer Show, exhibitions at Collect, and presentations at London Design Fair and London Craft Week. HARVEST now marks the organisation’s most ambitious showcase to date, designed to capture the imagination of both national and international audiences.
Sian Patterson
Curatorial Vision
At the heart of HARVEST is the vision of curator Dr Stacey Hunter, known for her innovative work connecting design, culture, and place. She explains:
“At the heart of HARVEST is a celebration of contemporary craft and conviviality where the themes of food and hospitality are explored, and where the joy of gathering is brought to life through a curated gallery and retail experience. It’s a privilege to be working with some of Scotland’s most interesting and talented makers and to see our community come together for our biggest showcase of craft to date.”
Her approach ensures that HARVEST is not just an exhibition but an experience—an environment where visitors can feel the vibrancy of Scotland’s contemporary craft movement in an atmosphere of warmth and connection.
Liu Qiwei
Why HARVEST Matters
Craft today is experiencing a renaissance. Increasingly, audiences are turning away from mass-produced products and seeking out handmade, sustainable, and meaningful alternatives. HARVEST responds to this shift by spotlighting makers who combine traditional techniques with contemporary ideas, producing works that are both innovative and enduring.
By connecting makers with collectors, curators, and the wider public, the fair also strengthens Scotland’s cultural economy. It positions craft not as a niche pursuit but as a vital part of modern life—one that speaks to issues of sustainability, heritage, and creativity in equal measure.
Eleanor Whitworth
A Must-See Event This Autumn
For those who value design, creativity, and craftsmanship, HARVEST offers a rare opportunity to explore, collect, and connect with some of Scotland’s most exciting talent. The combination of curated showrooms, an expansive retail environment, and a rich programme of events makes this a standout addition to the cultural calendar.
Whether you are a design professional, a collector, or simply someone curious about the possibilities of living with craft, HARVEST promises an inspiring and enriching experience.
Eleanor Young
Event Details
HARVEST: Contemporary Craft Fair
11 – 19 October 2025 (Press View: 9 October)
City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
