Tickets are now on sale for the highly anticipated Festival of Upholstery 2026, taking place on 2–3 October at Birmingham’s National Conference Centre and Motorcycle Museum.
Bringing together upholsterers, makers, designers and enthusiasts from across the UK and beyond, the two-day festival will feature an inspiring programme of courses, talks, demonstrations and workshops celebrating both traditional and contemporary upholstery. Designed to blend learning, community and craftsmanship, the event will culminate in a glittering social evening dedicated to celebrating the craft and the people behind it.
Ahead of the main festival, visitors will also have the opportunity to take part in a series of specialist two- and three-day courses led by respected industry experts. Curated by Heritage Crafts Trainer of the Year 2025 nominee Gareth Rees, the programme includes seat weaving, traditional fluting, hand-stitching a traditional bolster, construction of a classic French rectangular back (“dossier à tableau”), and surface-finishing techniques for upholstered furniture.
Following the success of its inaugural event in 2025, this year’s Festival of Upholstery promises an even bigger and more ambitious programme. The first festival, held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, welcomed nearly 500 visitors and featured a packed schedule of speakers, live demonstrations and more than 20 exhibitors from across the upholstery industry. Attendees travelled from across the UK and as far afield as Australia, underlining the growing appetite for a dedicated upholstery event centred on connection, skills and shared knowledge.
The Festival of Upholstery is organised by a passionate team of volunteers led by Chairperson Kirsty Lockwood, who first conceived the idea in 2024. Recognising the isolation many upholsterers experience while working independently, Kirsty set out to create an event that would bring the upholstery community together in an accessible and inclusive way. Today, the festival provides a platform for upholsterers of all backgrounds and experience levels to share ideas, discover new materials and techniques, and feel part of a thriving and supportive professional community.
Chairperson Kirsty Lockwood, from Shrewsbury, said: “We are delighted to bring the Festival of Upholstery back for 2026 and to offer visitors an exciting new programme of events. We listened carefully to the feedback from last year’s festival and have introduced new ideas, experiences and opportunities that we believe will make this year’s event even more inspiring and enjoyable for everyone who attends.”
Tickets for the Festival of Upholstery 2026 are available here.
