Young Furniture Makers exhibition 2017: three times bigger, three times better

The Young Furniture Makers exhibition returns this October and it is going to be treble the size of last year’s event and with exciting new branding representing the dynamic, creative minds coming up through the industry.

Organised by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishing industry’s charity, the exhibition is taking place across two venues this year, the Dutch Church and Furniture Makers’ Hall in Austin Friars, London.

Around 120 of the UK’s finest young furniture designers and makers will be showcasing their work at the exhibition.

Doors to the exhibition will open at 3.00pm on Tuesday 10 October. Dr Tony Smart MBE, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, will officially welcome guests from across the furnishing and design sector at 7.00pm before a prize giving. The awards include:

• Young Furniture Makers Bespoke Award, sponsored by Festool
• Young Furniture Makers Design Award, sponsored by Crofts & Assinder
• Young Furniture Makers Innovation Award, sponsored by Knightsbridge
• KI School Prize
• The Furniture Makers’ Company and DFS poster design competition
• Prizes and awards from industry partnerships with colleges and universities
• The Blum Best in Show Prize, an all-expenses paid trip to the state-of-the-art Blum factory in Austria for the most outstanding pieces of work from higher and further education.

Sponsored by Axminster Tools & Machinery, Blue Crush Communications and The Furniture Ombudsman, the Young Furniture Makers exhibition was set up for schoolchildren, students and graduates to showcase their work, and meet potential employers and members of the Company, giving them enviable networking opportunities and the chance to receive valuable feedback.

Now in its 11th year, this year’s exhibition showcases pieces from talented GCSE and A Level students through to BA and MA graduates from around the UK.

Alex Crofts, chairman of the Young Furniture Makers, said: “The Young Furniture Makers exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for our guests and members to meet talented young British designers and furniture makers, the future of our industry. We are very grateful for the support of our sponsors Axminster Tools & Machinery, Blue Crush Communications and The Furniture Ombudsman.”

To register to attend the exhibition, please go to bit.ly/yfm17