University News Last updated 27 July
A new exhibition is due to launch in May 2027 featuring some of the UK’s best jewellery artists which will be selected by two Birmingham City University (BCU) academics.
Director of Creative Partnerships at BCU, Lee Lapthorne and Melanie Eddy, Lecturer in Jewellery and Objects, have been appointed to the 12-strong jury as part of the Birmingham Jewellery Biennial flagship exhibition at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in May 2027.
Submissions will open in August, offering jewellery artists the opportunity to showcase their work and a chance at monetary prizes.
“Since Birmingham was recognised as a World Craft City for Jewellery and Allied Trades by the World Crafts Council in 2025, we have been looking for new ways to highlight talented jewellery artists and makers,” Lee said.
“To be able to handpick items for this exhibition is an exciting opportunity, and I hope we see BCU students and alumni put forward their work.
“Birmingham is the city of a 1000 Trades, and we get to celebrate one of the oldest and most valued with this exhibition.”
Drawing on their collective expertise across the jewellery, art, craft, and design sectors, the jury will bring together a diverse range of perspectives and insights to curate and showcase the very best of contemporary jewellery artists and makers from across the UK.
Sophie Morris, Exhibition Curator, said: “This is a dream project for any curator, and Birmingham is the perfect place to tell the story of why jewellery craft matters.
“Working with an outstanding panel of jewellery experts, the exhibition will celebrate the extraordinary skill and creativity that goes into jewellery-making in the UK today.
“It will put that work in dialogue with BMAG’s world-class collections, Birmingham’s thriving communities and globally renowned jewellery artists.
“For visitors, it will be a chance to see breathtaking jewellery up close, and to get to know artists and stories that keep the craft alive today.”
Birmingham was recognised as a World Craft City for Jewellery and Allied Trades by the World Crafts Council in 2025 through a campaign led by the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT), with BCU, Birmingham City Council and the Goldsmiths Company.
“Being a World Craft City is more than just about the title,” said Professor David Mba, Vice-Chancellor of BCU. “We are continuing to work with partners in the city to ensure this status benefits our students, the city and dedicated craftspeople across the country.
“Working with the JQDT has allowed us to cement our standing as one of the UK’s foremost schools for jewellery.
“We are not just teaching the craft, but giving the community the opportunity to shine and have their work appreciated.”
Co-founded by the JQDT and BCU, Birmingham Jewellery Biennial is set to become the UK’s leading festival dedicated to the art, innovation and heritage of jewellery. It takes place across Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and the wider city from 1-31 May 2027.
Pictured: Matthew Bott (Chair of the JQDT), Alex Nicholson-Evans (Festival Director and City Curator), Lee Lapthorne (Director of Creative Partnerships at BCU), and Professor David Mba (Vice-Chancellor of BCU).