Craft at the Forefront: How VOLTA Showcases Artists Celebrated by the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize
The line between craft and contemporary art has never felt more connected. As collectors and curators increasingly embrace the material rigour and narrative depth of ceramics, textiles, and woodwork, craft has firmly re-entered the global art dialogue.
From notable events such as the British Textile Biennial and BIEN Textile Art Biennial, to museum retrospectives such as Textile Manifestos – from Bauhaus to Soft Sculpture, exhibitions such as Meret Oppenheimer at Hauser & Wirth in Basel this summer, to record-breaking textile sales gaining market momentum – craft is no longer the quiet cousin of fine art. It is a headline act.
What is the Loewe Craft Prize?
At the heart of this renaissance sits the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize, one of the world’s leading awards for contemporary craft, now accepting submissions for its 2026 edition through 30 October 2025. With a €50,000 award and an emphasis on innovation and artistic excellence, the prize is a powerful recognition of contemporary makers setting new standards for the future.
The global impact of the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize is also reflected in the diverse platforms where its artists are presented. Among them, VOLTA has recently provided visibility for prize-winning and shortlisted artists within its emerging galleries program.
Craft on the Rise… and on the Walls at VOLTA
Over the past two years, VOLTA has featured artists recognised by the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize, offering them additional exposure to collectors and curators. This presence underscores how the Prize continues to open pathways for artists across different contexts, from museums and biennials to international art fairs.
In 2024, Tamara Kreisler Gallery presented the ceramic work of Andrés Anza, winner of that year’s Loewe Craft Prize as part of the gallery’s presentation within VOLTA FIRSTS – a curatorial focus for gallery’s who hadn’t exhibited in Basel before. His sculptural forms fused folkloric memory and fantastical myth, drawing global attention. Also in 2024, Alison Croney Moses, a shortlisted artist working in carved and bent wood, exhibited with Abigail Ogilvy Gallery, bringing emotionally resonant craftsmanship to the VOLTA audience as her work focussed on organic shapes that were a mimicry to motherhood.
2025 saw the return of Anza’s visionary ceramics to VOLTA, as well as the introduction of Marie Isabelle Poirier Troyano, presented by Isolina Arbulu. Her work, rooted in material storytelling and refined technique, marked yet another signal that craft is not peripheral — it’s central.
Image by Casey Kelbaugh. Marie Isabelle Poirier Troyano talks about her work at VOLTA Basel 2026.
Why This Matters Now
What connects VOLTA and the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize is that both reflect a renewed interest in contemporary craft. While the Prize sets a global benchmark for innovation and excellence, VOLTA provides one of many platforms where these practices can be encountered by new audiences.
For emerging artists working in clay, glass, fibre, or wood, the art world’s renewed openness to craft means new institutional interest, expanded collector bases, and powerful platforms for recognition. The craft resurgence isn’t a timebound trend, it’s a shift in value systems, and one that VOLTA is proud to reflect.
Apply to the Loewe Craft Prize 2026
If you’re a maker redefining what craft can be — or know someone who is — submissions are open now through 30 October 2025. The prize supports artistic visionaries whose materials, methods, and messages push the boundaries of contemporary craft.
Deadline: 30 October 2025
Award: €50,000
Where to See Craft Next
VOLTA continues to be a destination for discovering craft-driven art that resonates globally. Follow us for upcoming fair announcements, exhibitor spotlights, and artist interviews — and to see what’s next in the world of contemporary making.
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