Following the overwhelming success of Cardigan’s Craft Festival Wales 2025, organisers have announced that the event will return later this year - but the deadline to take part is at the end of this month.

With Craft Festival Wales 2025 welcoming over 4,000 visitors from across Wales, the UK and overseas, the organisers of the event have decided to bring it back to Ceredigion, and Craft Festival Wales 2026 will take place at Cardigan Castle from 11–13 September.

The festival has quickly become a major cultural highlight for the county of Ceredigion, celebrating world-class craft, creativity and community in one of Wales’ most iconic heritage locations.

Sarah James MBE, founder and director of Craft Festival, is inviting applications from designer makers and artisans from across Wales to join the festival. Applications are welcomed from makers working to the highest standards across ceramics, glass, textiles, jewellery, metal, wood, print, paper, leather, recycled and mixed media.

The deadline for applications is 6pm on Friday, 27 March. Full details can be found on the Craft Festival website at https://www.craftfestival.co.uk/Apply/.

The festival will host 100 exhibitors, alongside The Capital of Craft podcast LIVE, demonstrations, exhibitions, workshops, children’s activities, live music, theatre, storytelling, and town-wide satellite events.

StartUP is brand new for 2026. This is a dedicated area for makers trading for two years or less (since January 2024), with stands offered at a significantly reduced rate. These spaces reflect Craft Festival’s commitment to support and highlight emerging creative talent.

In partnership with the National Eisteddfod, celebrating past Gold Medal winners, Cardigan will host an exhibition titled Aur/Gold. Hosted at Canfas Gallery and timed to coincide with the National Eisteddfod taking place near Cardigan.

Building on 2025’s success, the Craft Town Trail will return, expanding to more venues and featuring work displayed in windows across Cardigan, deepening links between heritage, place, and creativity.

Craft Festival Wales continues to be a catalyst for economic and cultural growth, attracting tourists, supporting small creative businesses, and providing a platform for emerging makers through awards, commissions, training and professional development including Preparing to Sell workshops and partnerships with Futureworks, Novus, and QEST supporting young people and prison learners.

Craft Festival Wales is proudly supported by Event Wales (Welsh Government) and local publicly and privately funded business partners. With its focus on quality, community engagement and Welsh culture, it is now firmly established as an annual flagship event.

Craft Festival partners are Visit Wales, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, Mwldan, Cambrian Wool, Ty Annie, Mission Gallery, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Carmarthen School of Art, QEST, Canfas and Cardigan Castle.

Please visit https://www.craftfestival.co.uk/wales for more information about the upcoming festival.

Craft Festival is a not-for-profit, female-founded organisation with 22 years’ experience delivering award-winning craft events in the UK.

Founded by Sarah James MBE, it hosts Craft Festival Bovey Tracey and Craft Festival Wales and delivers Find a Maker online directory and business school and The Capital of Craft podcast.

Follow the festival on Instagram (@CraftFestival) or Facebook (The Craft Festival).