THE NATIONAL EMBROIDERY AWARDS 2026

The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery is delighted to present an exhibition of winning works from this year’s National Embroidery Awards (NEA). First unveiled at the Fashion & Embroidery Show at the NEC Birmingham in March, these outstanding pieces now take centre stage once again.

The National Embroidery Awards celebrate excellence, innovation and creativity in contemporary embroidery.This year, entrants were invited to showcase their finest work, whether they were picking up a needle for the first time or working at a professional level. Each submission represents a personal achievement: an artist’s most accomplished, expressive and imaginative piece created within the past year.

From exquisitely detailed hand embroidery to innovative free-machine and digital techniques, the exhibition demonstrates the extraordinary breadth and vitality of stitched textiles today.

The judges sought more than technical accomplishment alone.They looked for originality, confidence, depth, innovation and that unmistakable spark of creative excellence. They were not disappointed. From sixty shortlisted entries across the ‘In Education’ and ‘Not in Education’ categories, an exceptional body of work emerged, encompassing both two-dimensional and three-dimensional pieces that challenge and expand traditional perceptions of embroidery.

This exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the diversity of contemporary textile art and the talent currently flourishing within the embroidery community.