An opportunity for designers and craftsmen from all over the world.
This October, Barcelona reaffirmed its role as a global hub of fine craft and design as CONTEMPORÀNIA High Craftsmanship Barcelona returned from 2–4 October 2025 at the elegant Palau de Pedralbes. Organised by Le Département (Barcelona) in collaboration with the Consorci de Comerç, Artesania i Moda (CCAM), the event brought together more than 150 creators, galleries, institutions and design-enthusiasts to celebrate the highest calibre of contemporary craft.
In this piece, we recap the most memorable highlights, spotlight some of the best artists, and extend a warm invitation to creators considering applying for future editions.
Table of Contents
Event Highlights & Wrap-Up
Location, Scale & Scope
- Hosted at the Palau de Pedralbes (Av. Diagonal 686, Barcelona) from 2 to 4 October, with free admission (registration required).
- Over 150 international and national creators exhibited, representing disciplines from ceramics, textiles, glass and wood to metal, jewellery, paper and mixed-media craft.
- In parallel, the OFF C circuit across Barcelona and the 4th Professional Craft Congress (on 3 October) added networking, debate and exposure opportunities.
- By continuing the mission of its inaugural edition (Sept 2023) to position Barcelona as a reference for high craft, CONTEMPORÀNIA established itself further as a major destination for craft-culture globally.
Themes & Curatorial Focus
- Under the curatorial guidance of Le Département and a dedicated Cultural Council, the fair emphasised innovation + tradition: works that reinterpret craft techniques with fresh vision, and materials that speak to contemporary concerns while rooted in making.
- A strong emphasis on “high craftsmanship” meant each piece on show was selected not only for aesthetic merit but for technical virtuosity, conceptual depth and international relevance.
- The OFF C circuit, gallery and city-wide, underscored the idea of craft as living culture across spaces (not just the fair-floor).
Stand-Out Moments
- The capsule exhibition by Emilie Palle Holm (textile weaving + origami-inspired structure) and Lotte Westphael (porcelain innovation) presented within the fair by the European Crafts Alliance was a highlight for its bold material experimentation.
- The reach of craft beyond showrooms: the fair’s public-friendly opening hours (11:00–19:00) and accessible registration invited collectors, creatives and curious visitors alike to engage.
- A renewed momentum: after the first edition’s success (over 4,000 visitors and strong industry attendance) the 2025 version built additional breadth and international participation.
What this Means for the Craft Sector
- The event reaffirmed that craft is not peripheral: high-level craftsmanship is now central in dialogues around design, culture and luxury.
- By providing a curated platform that brings makers into contact with galleries, institutions, collectors and media, CONTEMPORÀNIA helps amplify visibility, commercial potential and creative exchange.
- For Barcelona and the Spanish craft scene, the fair signalled that the city is a rising node in the international network of craft fairs (joining or complementing other major events).
Featured Artists & Works to Watch
Here are some of the most compelling creators and works showcased at this edition:
- Emilie Palle Holm (Denmark) – Her piece Oriori (linen/elastane/wool) uses jacquard weaving combined with origami-like folding to create a structural textile sculpture.
- Lotte Westphael (Belgium) – Working in porcelain, her work transforms a traditional medium into new expressive forms that challenge viewer expectations.
- Henar Iglesias (Spain) – Recognised for her work in jewellery and fine craft, she represented the Spanish cohort and signals the calibre of local talent.
- Collectives, galleries and institutions from across continents participated, making the fair truly global in reach (craft-makers from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas). Check our blog to discover more artists!
These artists represent the spirit of the event: deep craft knowledge, material mastery, and a strong personal vision.
Winners
Why Artists Should Take Note & Submit for Next Edition
If you are a craft-maker, jeweller, sculptor, designer or artisan working at the intersection of craft and concept, next year’s edition of CONTEMPORÀNIA is an opportunity you shouldn’t miss. Here’s why:
- Visibility: Being selected means your work stands alongside an international roster of top-tier makers, seen by industry leaders, media, galleries and collectors.
- Network & Ecosystem: The fair isn’t just a booth, it’s a platform with parallel programming (OFF circuit, congresses, institutional connections), facilitating meaningful professional growth.
- Quality & Prestige: The curatorial criteria ensure that selected participants are operating at an advanced level of craft, which helps position your work in a higher echelon of the market.
- Global Reach from Barcelona: By being held in Barcelona, a major cultural city with strong international links, the event helps amplify your work beyond your local scene.
- Invitation & Encouragement: Whether you are emerging or established, we encourage you to prepare your portfolio, engage with the selection criteria, and consider submitting for the next call (watch for announcements).
In short: this isn’t just a fair, it’s a creative launchpad.
If you’ve been honing your practice, experimenting with materials, challenging tradition and creating works that reflect who you are and where craft can go next, then this invitation is for you.
Let your work join the conversation!
Practical Tips for Potential Applicants
- Keep an updated high-quality portfolio with images, process shots and clear description of your materials and technique.
- Highlight innovation: How does your work reinterpret a craft tradition? What is your vision?
- Engage conceptually: The selection committee values not only making skill, but how you articulate why you make and what you are exploring.
- Scope-out application deadlines: While specific deadlines for the next edition may not yet be public, monitoring the CONTEMPORÀNIA website and the Le Département announcement list is wise.
- Consider the context: Fair participation often means logistics, presentation, shipping, booth design and preparing accordingly.
- Network the moment you decide: Being at the fair isn’t just about exposure, it’s about what you do with it afterwards (follow-ups, contacts, collaborations).
Conclusion
The 2025 edition of CONTEMPORÀNIA High Craftsmanship Barcelona reaffirmed that high craft is alive, vital and evolving. It offered a vibrant snapshot of how makers around the world are bridging time-honoured techniques and contemporary vision. As the final doors closed on 4 October, the message was clear: craft isn’t minor, it’s central.
If you are an artisan, designer, maker or creative working in the field of material excellence, innovation and manual vision, the next edition beckons, and it might just be your moment.
We look forward to seeing your work shine at the next CONTEMPORÀNIA.
