• Wooden bowl from Michael Sinclair Woodturner

Arts, Crafts & Design

Orkney’s thriving creative scene is unrivalled, with an enormous variety of island businesses designing everything from jewellery, pottery and woodwork, to textiles, artwork and photography.

Many local artisanal skills have been passed down through the years, but the rich heritage, landscape and wildlife of Orkney are now providing the inspiration for a whole new generation of talented craftspeople.

The result is a wonderfully broad creative sector that mixes the traditional with the contemporary, and the large-scale with the small, all against the backdrop of a universally shared Orcadian commitment to quality and sustainability.

For many artisans working in Orkney, arts, crafts and design are much more than just a business venture - they’re a way of life - with passion, care and commitment evident throughout the sector. Here, it’s always personal, with the opportunity to meet our talented makers and talk about their work adding immeasurable value to locally made goods.

Many of the outlets and studios in Orkney are featured in the Creative Orkney Trail. An accompanying booklet has addresses, maps and details about all the members, with their locations on the Creative Trail signposted on local roads.

Increasing numbers of artisans now sell goods online from their own websites, but you'll also find locally produced items for sale in Orkney's many independent shops and much further afield.

Buy an item handmade in Orkney and you’ll own something that's unique, lasting and forever infused with the spirit of the islands.