In 2008 The Balvenie again joined forces with the UK’s favourite country lifestyle magazine to run Country Living Magazine’s The Balvenie Artisan Awards.
The awards were open to anyone in the UK who uses uses a traditional skill to earn their living from crafts such as weaving and textile design, glass blowing and ceramics to working with wood, leather, metal, coopering, thatching, stone masonry and a host of others.
In 2008 there were three categories to enter:
- Best Start-up Business based on Traditional Craft or Skill - for those who have been in business for less than two years.
- Outstanding Support of Future Artisans - for those passing on skills to a new generation.
- Artisan of the Year - open to anyone who uses a traditional craft or skill.
- Artisan Apprentice of the Year – a new category to inspire a whole new generation of craftsmen.
Over 100 entries were received across a spectrum of skills and crafts and the standard of the entries in 2008 was truly exceptional.