Smykkernes By 2026. The City of Jewellery Festival in Copenhagen

The City of Jewellery festival celebrates and disseminates the infinite diversity of jewellery art, the handmade and the unique, the traditional and the experimental.
The general public will be invited to experience a truly historical trade at close hand, with over 30 exhibitions, open workshops, lectures and guided tours, under the theme Transition.

Denmark is known for its design heritage and craft traditions. But, many don’t know that Denmark also has one of the oldest craft guilds in the world – the almost 600-year-old Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild, which keeps the many professional facets of the goldsmith and silversmith trade honed and relevant.

This is the fourth edition of The City of Jewellery, and the guild and its members will present a range of solo and group exhibitions – featuring 235 Danish and international exhibitors.
The theme this year explores transitions in an array of forms – between materials, between tradition and renewal, between the body, identity and society.

Exhibitors can interpret the theme both specifically and symbolically – in the meeting of materials, in the construction details, in the functionality and expression of the jewellery, but also as personal or societal transformation, says Patricia Tind, Master of the Guild, Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild.
She is proud that this centuries-old craft is still in constant development and with such rich variety. Today, many goldsmiths and jewellery artists not only work with well-designed custom jewellery, but also with jewellery as an artistic form of expression.

The City of Jewellery is a wide-ranging manifestation of our trade, where the goldsmith and silversmith crafts unfold for the general public all over Copenhagen. In an era of mass production and fast fashion, the members of the guild represent the opposite – excellent craftsmanship and personal jewellery, says Patricia Tind.

Exhibitions and events will take place in goldsmiths' workshops, jewellery boutiques, galleries, and other exhibition venues throughout Copenhagen, with one exhibition extending across the Øresund to Malmö, Sweden.

The full festival programme, presentations of all exhibitions, and a route planner are available at www.smykkernesby.dk.
Through Politiken Plus, visitors can purchase tickets for six curated guided tours, each including visits to two to four exhibitions. Admission to all exhibitions is free.


About Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild
Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild can trace its roots back to 1429 and is one of the oldest craft guilds in the world – founded at a “guild charter” conferred by King Erik of Pomerania and Queen Filippa. At that time, the guild’s tasks included assessing the quality of the products of the trade, pricing and training new craftsman.
Today, the guild is made up of classically trained goldsmiths and silversmiths, jewellery artists from the now closed Institute of Precious Metals and newly trained accessory designers – all with a high level of professionalism and skill. The guild aims to, among other things, spread knowledge of the craft, and through a wide range of activities, exhibitions and awards provides ongoing insight into the many facets of the trade.

The Skt. Loye Award
In addition to The City of Jewellery, Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild also hosts the Skt. Loye Award, celebrating growth and emerging talents within the goldsmith field.
Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild instituted the prestigious Skt. Loye Award for the first time in 1989. The award is presented to up-and-coming goldsmiths, silversmiths or craftspeople working with precious metal, who with their unique designs and visionary approach display exceptional talent.

The Skt. Loye award provides the guild with the ideal opportunity to highlight the many facets of jewellery art and silverware – from classic craftsmanship to modern design and current art projects.

The award with be presented at an official ceremony at Designmuseum Denmark on Saturday, 26 September. Prior to the award ceremony, the guild will host a symposium from 10 am to 4 pm. It will comprise presentations from inspiring cross-disciplinary contributors, focusing on the forces shaping the jewellery field of tomorrow and provide knowledge, reflection and inspiration to everyone working with jewellery.