Notice to exhibitors: We are pleased to announce that you will be able to use our new online booking system for Makers' Day tables now!!!!

Click here to book your table.

Maker’s Day is a unique event in the British musical calendar. The event showcases the living craft of violin making and promotes it to a wider audience of musicians and general public.

Whether you are actively seeking to purchase an instrument, or interested in broadening your interest in the violin, it provides the opportunity to see, hear and play instruments from a wide selection of contemporary makers from Britain and overseas, as well as meet the people who make them.

Maker’s day is one of the founding traditions of the British Violin Making Association and takes place each year with about 40 stands for makers who are members of the association. Exhibitors typically come from as far away as France, Germany, Cyprus and Poland.

From the beginning, the BVMA has applied one simple rule that exhibitors must be showing instruments that they have made themselves in order to be eligible for the exhibition. The sale of instruments by other makers, whether living or dead is prohibited in order to maintain the unique and very special nature of the event.

An exception is made for a limited number of ‘trade stands’ that sell parts of instruments, such as tonewood, varnish pigments or fittings as the day is a useful time for makers to connect with their suppliers. We also extend an invitation to any violin making school and allow them to exhibit whatever work they feel necessary to promote their educational goals.

Although Maker’s Day is primarily an opportunity for musicians to meet makers, it has also become a very important event for violin makers to compare each other’s work, drawing many other violin makers to the event, and making a significant contribution to the goal of raising of standards in contemporary British making.

Dealers, auction houses and other musical organisations are welcome to show their support for the day by advertising in the accompanying brochure, which is distributed free to visitors and exhibitors.

The BVMA would like to express their enormous gratitude to King’s Place for their collaboration since 2017 and the enormous boost it has given to the event.