There’s one thing at the heart of every memorable yacht: exceptional craftsmanship. That’s why BOAT International launched the BOAT Artistry & Craft Awards in association with Parkway England - an event celebrating artisans who spend countless hours creating the finer details on board that take these vessels to another level of luxury, a talented part of the industry that is often overlooked.
Your entry can be anything big or small, standalone or integrated, as long as it is handcrafted and bespoke to the yacht, including vases, paintings, sculptures, a piece of furniture, a wall panel, a staircase, and more.
The winners are announced at the annual Superyacht Design Festival.
Here is everything you need to know about categories and entry criteria...
The categories
The BOAT Artistry & Craft Awards in association with Parkway England comprises the following three categories:
Category one: Excellence in Craftsmanship
This award recognises an object whose construction is, in the judges’ view, second to none. Whether it uses time-honoured skills such as marquetry and leatherwork, or new techniques that push the boundaries of sustainability, technology and materials, the object must be bespoke work created specifically for a new yacht.
Criteria: The object must have appeared on board a yacht (new or post-refit) delivered between 1 January and 31 December 2024. There is no restriction as to what form the object takes – it could be a standalone piece or integrated into the yacht, and it can be any size, big or small.
It must be designed and crafted specifically for the yacht and can be created by one individual or a team.
Examples of entries could include artwork commissioned for the yacht such as a painting or sculpture, a certain decorative feature such as a wall panel or floor, staircase or chandelier, or a piece of furniture. Entrants can submit only one object per entry. Individuals are permitted to submit multiple entries.
Category two: Outstanding Collaborative Creation
This award recognises exceptional collaboration between two or more individuals. The object must still display excellence in craftmanship to the highest degree, however, the judges will also consider the level and success of the collaborative effort.
Criteria: The object must have appeared on board a yacht delivered between 1 January and 31 December 2024. There is no restriction as to what form the object takes – it could be a standalone piece or integrated into the yacht and it can be any size, big or small. It must be designed and crafted specifically for the yacht and should be collaboratively created by two or more individuals. The work may have been made in separate components or locations before assembly. Examples of entries include artwork commissioned for the yacht such as a painting or sculpture, a certain decorative feature such as a wall panel or floor, staircase or chandelier, or a piece of furniture. Entrants can submit only one object per entry.
Category three: Emerging Artisan of the Year
This award brings to light an artisan whose object has recently appeared, or will soon appear, on board a yacht for the first time, and who shows outstanding talent and promise.
Criteria: The entrant must be an artisan whose work has recently, or will feature, on board a yacht. The entrant can be any age, but they must be a new entrant to the industry (within two years of the date of submission), and demonstrate exceptional craft and a positive attitude. They could be part of a studio team working on the object or work autonomously creating a bespoke object themselves. The object must be designed and/or crafted specifically for the yacht.
There is no restriction as to what form the object takes – it could be a standalone piece or integrated into the yacht, and it can be any size, big or small. Examples of entries could include artwork commissioned for the yacht such as a painting or sculpture, a certain decorative feature such as a wall panel or floor, staircase or chandelier or a piece of furniture. If part of a design duo, and both parties are new entrants, nominations for both individuals will be considered and judges may change the category to Emerging Artisans of the Year.
The judges
The select panel of judges brings hundreds of years of collective experience and are knowledgeable and experienced industry names. It is their personal interest that drives the judging process, and we owe the judges an enormous debt for their enthusiasm and generosity.
Nominations for the BOAT Artistry & Craft Awards 2025 are now closed. The finalists will be announced on 20 November.
If you have any questions, please contact the events team.