Thomas Lyte Modern Heritage Award

Hepworth Desk Card Holder

The Crafts Council and Thomas Lyte spearhead a new national craft competition.

Thomas Lyte, the new English luxury brand has joined forces with the Crafts Council to launch The Thomas Lyte Modern Heritage Award – a new national craft competition to search for new talent in contemporary craft.

The Thomas Lyte Modern Heritage Award provides a unique opportunity for rising stars of contemporary craft and is aimed specifically at makers who are at the beginning of their career, from graduates up to three years working professionally in the UK. The award will be given to the maker whose original design for a functional object for home or travel best represents the values of innovation, creativity and quality craftsmanship championed by both Thomas Lyte and the Crafts Council. The award is open to makers in the following disciplines:

- Silver and Fine metals – Glass – Wood – Leather

The award will be launched by Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director of the Crafts Council, at Collect Private View, the international art fair for contemporary objects on 24th January, at the V&A.

“The Crafts Council is committed to nurturing and supporting makers and craft professionals throughout their careers, and by working with luxury brand Thomas Lyte on this award, we hope it will become a long-term and important part of this process.“
Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director, Crafts Council

The judges are Emma Crichton-Miller – journalist, Sally Fawkes – award-winning glassmaker, Rosy Greenlees – Executive Director of the Crafts Council and Nick Robinson – Chief Executive of Traditional Arts, along with Paul Brooking – Creative Director of Thomas Lyte. Thomas Lyte will commission the winners’ piece and cash prizes will be awarded to the winner and two runners up.

“Thomas Lyte is committed to supporting British craftsmanship. We want to help find new talent and give them a chance to create innovative work to inspire fresh interest in British craftsmanship as well as providing a platform for new business opportunities”
Paul Brooking, Creative Director, Thomas Lyte.

“I am very pleased to be involved in judging this award, supporting the creativity of makers at the start of their careers” says Emma Crichton-Miller journalist, and long-term champion of excellence in applied arts and craft.

Deadline for entries is Tuesday 15 April 2008. The winners will be announced at Origin: The London Craft Fair, 7-19 October 2008.

Full terms and conditions can be found at Thomas Lyte

Notes to Editors

• Thomas Lyte, a fresh new English luxury brand that combines traditional craftsmanship with design flair. Designed for the discerning, the Thomas Lyte launch collection is a mix of quirky and original gift ideas, as well as luxury lifestyle and travel accessories. Thomas Lyte is committed to marrying exquisite luxury and design with the highest standard of English craftsmanship. Its long term aim is to work as much as possible with English craftsman and has its own silversmith in Essex as well as creating all their leather goods in the UK.

• Crafts Council is the national development agency for contemporary crafts and aims to position the UK as the global centre for the making, seeing and collecting of contemporary craft. Crafts Council is committed to making contemporary craft exciting and relevant to the widest possible audience.
www.craftscouncil.org.uk

For Press Enquiries Contact:
Julia Smee, MLPR Tel: 07951 249 856 or email: jules@mlpr.co.uk
Marie Louise, MLPR Tel: 077689 13377 or ml@mlpr.co.uk