The Goldsmiths’ Centre Announces Recipients of the Business Catalyst (Large) Grants 2026

Funded by the Goldsmiths’ Foundation, the grants are designed to support UK-based jewellery, silversmithing, and allied industry practitioners in developing specialist technical or business skills, expanding services and portfolios, and driving market growth. Since relaunching in 2020, the Goldsmiths’ Centre, with support from the Goldsmiths’ Foundation and an independent selection panel, has awarded over £61,000 (including VAT) to craftspeople across the UK. These grants have enabled twelve jewellers and silversmiths, including Katherine Brunacci, Shivani Chorwadia, Ellis Mhairi Cameron, Flora Bhattachary and Hannah Bedford, to step away from their benches to grow their businesses. 


This year, Ebba Goring and Alison Macleod are the latest recipients. Following Ebba’s business relaunch and participation in the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Business Diagnostic and Advice session in 2025, she will use her Business Catalyst (Large) Grant to advance the next stage of her business growth. The grant will enable her to bring nano-ceramic colour plating in-house, undertake specialist online training with Canadian company Clear Mind Casting, and complete advanced stone-setting courses with Edinburgh-based setter Balint Samad. These steps will allow her to create more complex, one-of-a-kind designs while enhancing both her creative and business autonomy. 

Based in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, jeweller Alison Macleod has been running her own practice since 2003 after graduating from Edinburgh College of Art. She will focus on training in rub-over stone setting with Inness Thomson and hand engraving with Scottish engraver Malcolm Appleby MBE, integrating these specialist skills into her practice to improve efficiency, create cohesive collections, and expand her reach in the UK and international markets while mentoring emerging jewellers. 

We are thrilled to support the skills development of this year’s talented applicants, said Julia Skilton, Grants and Engagement Manager at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Ebba and Alison embody the creativity, skill, and entrepreneurial drive that the Business Catalyst (Large) Grants are designed to support. Made possible through the generosity of the Goldsmiths’ Foundation, these awards help our recipients develop specialist techniques, grow their businesses, and strengthen the resilience and long-term success of the UK’s jewellery and silversmithing industry. 

To follow their projects in action and apply for the Business Catalyst (Large) Grants 2027, visit www.goldsmiths-centre.org/apply-for-grants. 


About the Business Catalyst (Large) Grant recipients and their projects

Alison Macleod, a jeweller based in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, has been running her own practice since 2003 after graduating from Edinburgh College of Art. With a small, established business and loyal clientele, she now seeks to strengthen her technical independence to future-proof her practice. 
The Business Catalyst (Large) Grant 2026 will support a focused development programme in rub-over stone setting with Inness Thomson and hand engraving with Malcolm Appleby. By bringing these specialist skills in-house, Alison will improve workflow efficiency, reduce reliance on subcontractors, and integrate pattern, colour, and stone setting into a single, coherent process. The project will include intensive mentorship periods, sustained practice in her workshop, and the creation of six new pieces that exemplify this integrated approach. This development will enable Alison to produce collections more efficiently, create work aligned with her values of thoughtful, slow making, and open new markets in the UK, France, and the United States. It will also strengthen her capacity to mentor emerging jewellers and preserve specialist British craft skills. 



Ebba Goring, recipient of the Business Catalyst (Large) Grant 2026.

Ebba Goring, an independent fine jewellery designer from Burntisland, Fife, draws on Scottish heritage and textiles. Following her 2025 business relaunch, she will use the Business Catalyst (Large) Grant 2026 to develop specialist skills, in-house processes, and marketing assets, enhancing her creative autonomy and business resilience. The grant will support distinctive collections, brand growth, and future training of emerging Scottish jewellers, while enabling participation in high-end exhibitions, international trade fairs, and luxury retail opportunities. 
The grant will fund two main development strands: establishing nano-ceramic colour plating in her workshop, and undertaking specialist online training with Canadian company Clear Mind Casting, alongside advanced stone-setting training with Edinburgh-based setter Balint Samad. Bringing these processes in-house will reduce reliance on outsourcing, allow experimentation, and enable more complex, one-of-a-kind designs inspired by historical textiles and surface textures. The project also includes structured research, testing, and a professional editorial-style photoshoot to showcase her work. 



Matilde Mozzanega​, Recipient of Commendation Grant. Photo by Sarabande Foundation.

Matilde Mozzanega is a London-based jewellery designer who creates “modern wellness talismans” that combine colour, gemstones, and symbolic design to support emotional grounding and self-care. 
She has been nominated for a Commendation Grant of £1,000 (including VAT) to prototype a luxury edition of her patented Chromo-Dope interchangeable ring system, elevating ergonomics, craftsmanship, and finishing. This development will position Chromo-Dope as a hero product, enabling higher price points, improved margins, stronger retail and press opportunities, and long-term growth. It also consolidates Matilde’s technical skills, ensuring greater self-sufficiency, quality control, and a scalable platform for future editions and collaborations.