Collect 2026 at Somerset House: The Global Destination for Contemporary Craft and Collectible Design
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
There is something quietly radical about walking into a space where every object carries the trace of a human hand. In an era shaped by algorithms and acceleration, contemporary craft feels less like a category and more like a counterpoint - deliberate, storied, resistant.
From 27 February to 1 March 2026, with previews on 25–26 February, Collect 2026 returns to Somerset House in London for its 22nd edition. Widely recognised as the leading international art fair for contemporary craft and collectible design, Collect brings together 40 specialist galleries and arts organisations - including 14 new exhibitors - presenting work by over 300 living artists from across the globe.
For collectors, interior designers, architects, curators and art advisors seeking museum-quality craft, Collect at Somerset House has become a key moment in the cultural calendar - a place where ceramics, lacquer, glass, jewellery, textiles and limited-edition furniture converge under one roof.
But this year feels like a turning point.
Under the direction of newly appointed Fair Director TF Chan, Collect 2026 signals a subtle yet powerful evolution - one that embraces collectible design and unique furniture with the same curatorial seriousness traditionally reserved for ceramic vessels, metalwork and sculpture. The shift reflects a wider movement in the global art and design market, where craft-based practices increasingly shape conversations around sustainability, material innovation and contemporary living.
Craft in Conversation with Collectible Design
What distinguishes Collect London has always been its insistence that contemporary craft belongs within the same critical and commercial frameworks as fine art. In 2026, that dialogue broadens further. Limited-edition chairs, lighting and sculptural furniture sit confidently alongside hand-built ceramics and intricate jewellery, dissolving outdated hierarchies between art, design and function.
This integration feels timely. Collectible design is no longer a niche sector - it is a driving force within the international art market. At Collect 2026, artists and designers transform discarded shopping bags, oak leaves, denim, moss and reclaimed industrial materials into highly collectible works. These objects do not simply decorate spaces - they interrogate how we build, inhabit and sustain them.
With more than 80% of works created within the last five years - many commissioned specifically for the fair - Collect remains forward-facing, presenting the newest developments in contemporary craft practice.
The Rise of Contemporary Lacquer in London
One of the defining highlights of Collect 2026 is the prominence of contemporary lacquer. As global institutions increasingly spotlight urushi and lacquer techniques, Collect positions itself at the forefront of this renewed interest in material heritage and innovation.
International galleries from Tokyo, Kanazawa, Hong Kong and London present lacquer as a living medium - fragile yet enduring, rooted in centuries-old techniques yet reimagined for contemporary audiences. Through meticulous craftsmanship and cross-cultural collaboration, lacquer emerges as both cultural artefact and experimental surface. Galleries such as Mono Art (Tokyo), WAJOY (Kanazawa) and The Gallery by SOIL (Hong Kong) spotlight lacquer not as heritage alone, but as an evolving, experimental medium. From the refined mastery of artists designated as Living National Treasures to cross-cultural collaborations incorporating kintsugi and toutaishikki techniques, lacquer becomes a bridge - between past and present, fragility and permanence.
For London collectors and global visitors alike, this focus reinforces Collect’s reputation as a destination for discovering significant developments in museum-quality craft.
JIG Studio: A Confident Debut at Collect 2026
Among the new exhibitors at Collect 2026, JIG Studio makes a highly anticipated debut. The London-based gallery is known for its carefully curated programme of contemporary craft and collectible design that bridges sculptural form with material experimentation.
Its first presentation at Somerset House reflects the fair’s ongoing commitment to introducing emerging and progressive galleries to an international audience of collectors and design professionals. JIG Studio’s inclusion signals a broader shift within the contemporary craft fair landscape - where conceptual clarity and material intelligence define the next generation of collectible objects.
A debut at Collect London is not simply participation; it marks a gallery’s arrival onto a global stage.
jaggedart and Cavaliero Finn: Curated Material Narratives
London gallery jaggedart returns to Collect with a presentation that underscores its reputation for championing artists who treat craft as conceptual practice. With a programme that bridges sculpture, installation and material investigation, jaggedart strengthens the fair’s dialogue between technical mastery and contemporary storytelling.
Cavaliero Finn brings a different but equally compelling energy. Their 2026 presentation, titled Verdant Pulse, explores themes of renewal, transformation and sensory awakening. Rooted in natural cycles and material tactility, the stand creates a contemplative space within the vibrant environment of Somerset House - inviting visitors to slow down and engage deeply with form, surface and process.
Together, these galleries demonstrate how contemporary craft exhibitions in London can balance intellectual depth with aesthetic impact.
Mia Karlova Galerie and Max Radford Gallery: Sustainable Collectible Design
Amsterdam’s Mia Karlova Galerie reinforces Collect’s growing emphasis on international collectible design. Presenting a considered selection of furniture, lighting and ceramics, the gallery highlights designers working with recycled paper, cardboard and hand-shaped porcelain. Its presentation exemplifies the merging of sustainability, innovation and high design - key themes shaping the future of contemporary craft fairs worldwide.
Max Radford Gallery, based in London, extends this material conversation through a design-led presentation of furniture created from discarded and surplus materials. From deadstock cotton to timber offcuts and industrial by-products, the gallery’s artists elevate overlooked resources into architecturally compelling, limited-edition works. Their inclusion reflects a defining characteristic of Collect 2026: that environmental awareness and refined craftsmanship are no longer separate concerns, but deeply intertwined.
Collect Sponsors and Partners: Supporting the Craft Ecosystem
Collect 2026 is strengthened by a network of influential sponsors and cultural partners who actively shape the contemporary craft ecosystem. Brookfield Properties returns as Award Partner, evolving its Craft Award to support ambitious solo exhibitions and expanded public engagement. The LOEWE FOUNDATION continues its longstanding collaboration as Fair Partner, reinforcing Collect’s connection to one of the most prestigious global craft prizes.
The Collectors’ Lounge, sponsored by Trimble SketchUp and designed by Tola Ojuolape, offers a thoughtfully conceived environment that blends digital innovation with tactile materiality - reflecting the intersection of technology and craftsmanship. Spinocchia Freund returns as partner for Collect Open, while Woven Spaces joins as Supporting Partner, demonstrating how craft expertise and material intelligence can transform architecture and the built environment.
These partnerships do more than provide sponsorship - they embed Collect London within a wider international framework linking craft, property development, fashion, architecture and design technology.
A Global Contemporary Craft Fair with Intimate Impact
The geographic reach of Collect 2026 is expansive - with exhibitors from Canada, China, France, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, South Korea and across the United Kingdom. Yet despite its international scope, the fair retains an intimacy that distinguishes it from larger art market events.
At Somerset House, visitors are encouraged to look closely. The scale of many ceramic vessels, lacquered surfaces, woven textiles and metal works demands proximity. Glass artists celebrate decades of mastery. Jewellery makers reinterpret heritage techniques. Furniture designers reshape discarded materials into collectible art.
For collectors seeking contemporary craft in London, Collect offers not volume, but depth.
Collect Open: The Experimental Edge of Craft
Alongside the main gallery presentations, Collect Open showcases 11 artists and collectives pushing the boundaries of craft-led installation. From basketry and marquetry to silversmithing and contemporary embroidery, these ambitious works challenge material conventions and social narratives.
Collect Open reinforces Collect’s position not only as a commercial art fair, but as a platform for research, experimentation and future-facing craft practice.
Why Collect 2026 Matters in the Global Art and Design Market
As digital culture accelerates, the value of the handmade intensifies. Contemporary craft speaks to permanence in an era of ephemerality. It represents labour, time, sustainability and cultural memory.
Collect 2026 at Somerset House is more than a London art fair - it is a global meeting point for contemporary craft and collectible design. It connects emerging galleries with established collectors, bridges heritage techniques with digital innovation, and positions material practice at the centre of cultural discourse.
In a world defined by mass production, Collect remains a reminder that the handmade object still holds authority - and that craft continues to shape the future of art and design.
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