Next year, Birmingham is set to host a month-long festival celebrating more than 250 years of jewellery-making in the city.

The programme will take place across the Jewellery Quarter, spanning exhibitions, installations and workshops featuring the work of world-class creatives and plenty of chances for visitors to make their own jewellery every day.

The announcement marks one year since Birmingham was awarded World Craft City status, recognising its rich heritage, skilled artisans and innovation in jewellery and allied trades.

Co-founded by Jewellery Quarter Development Trust and Birmingham City University, Birmingham Jewellery Biennial is set to become the UK’s leading festival dedicated to the art, innovation, and heritage of jewellery. Designed to showcase artistic excellence and elite craftsmanship from leading national and international names, alongside up-and-coming makers, the curated festival is expected to attract visitors to the Jewellery Quarter and wider city from across the globe.

Set against the backdrop of Birmingham’s centuries-long reputation for producing some of the world’s most well-known pieces, visitors will be able to learn the rich history of jewellery making, discover and buy new pieces and even design their own, in the same place that produced The FA Cup, Wimbledon trophies, The Queen’s Birthday Honours medals and Beyoncé’s diamond-encrusted stilettos.

A key part of the programme will be a flagship exhibition hosted at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Overseen by the newly appointed Exhibition Curator, Sophie Morris, an open call launches in August, offering jewellery artists from across the UK the opportunity to showcase their work in a world-renowned museum alongside leading contemporary jewellers, with thousands of pounds in prize money up for grabs.

An expert Jury has also been selected to oversee the open call and prize selection. Serving as the Biennial open call’s formal decision-making body, the Jury will work closely with the Exhibition Curator throughout the development of the flagship exhibition.

The concept of the Biennial was part of Birmingham’s successful bid to be recognised as a World Craft City, placing it alongside just eight other European cities and cultural hotspots from around the world including Fabriano in Italy, Jaipur in India and Kyoto in Japan.

Birmingham received the accolade in May 2025. Following a rigorous judging process, including an international visit from an esteemed panel, Birmingham was awarded World Craft City status for displaying exceptional craft heritage, a strong maker community, and a clear commitment to developing craft into the future.

Alex Nicholson Evans, Festival Director and City Curator, said: “We are thrilled that, one year on from receiving World Craft City status, we are finally able to announce that Birmingham Jewellery Biennial is becoming a reality. We have some extremely exciting plans in the works for this much-anticipated showcase of design and craftsmanship. I have no doubts that this will be a major new cultural event for the country, putting a spotlight on the incredible creative talent we have here in the UK, and there is no better home for it than the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham.”

David Mba, Vice Chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: “It feels very poignant to be announcing Birmingham Jewellery Biennial today. Being part of the bid to have Birmingham recognised was an incredibly proud moment for us and our world-renowned School of Jewellery. We’re delighted to be co-founding the Biennial, to bring our plans to life. We wanted to put Birmingham’s jewellery-making talents on an international platform and have big ambitions to ensure that the Biennial is a key event on the jewellery industry’s calendar.”

The Birmingham Jewellery Biennial will run throughout May 2027. You can find more information here.