Articles - 11 March 2004

New Traditions: Craft Australia in the 21st Century

New Traditions was written by Catrina Vignando, General Manager of Craft Australia for Museums Australia Magazine and was published in the February 2004, Vol 12 No 3 issue.

When people think of contemporary craft, often they think of finely executed objects that have been produced by hand by skilled craftspeople who have painstakingly evolved their skills over many years of training. Whilst this image is a relevant reflection of contemporary craft practice there is also an equally accurate but very different image that depicts the craftsperson. This is an image of craftspeople working with digital technologies to both design and manufacture their products or working with industry and mechanised manufacturing processes to construct what are equally beautiful and substantial crafted objects. Whilst these approaches seem at odds they simultaneously represent the breadth and diversity of contemporary craft in Australia and reflect a global trend of the changes that are impacting on the sector.

The multiplicity inherent in Australian professional craft practice defies a singular definition. Contemporary craft occupies a vast arena that extends from design for production work to commissions to one off works for exhibition and the collector market. It is this multi-layered nature of Australian contemporary craft that makes it so dynamic and vibrant and sustains the ongoing development of the Australian craft scene. Craft Australia has been celebrating and promoting Australian contemporary craft practice for over thirty years, and in that time the environment for crafts practice has diversified enormously. As the peak industry body for the professional contemporary craft sector Craft Australia has been responsive to the changing face of the industry. After an extensive consultative process with the sector held in 2002 and an in depth analysis of the organisation's operational configuration, a major restructure of Craft Australia took place in 2003.

The outcome is a radical realignment of the organisation that has seen it relocate from Sydney, its home of over thirty years, to new premises in Canberra at the National Press Club in Barton. The restructure supported by the Australia Council and the craft sector, is a positive strategy to position Craft Australia for the future growth of the industry. The move to Canberra places Craft Australia in a central position both geographically and symbolically to effectively meet the national needs of the Australian contemporary craft sector. The National Press Club is also equipped with cutting edge communication tools for national and global link ups thereby making Craft Australia a hub of information exchange on contemporary craft.

The position in Canberra is also ideal for the international promotion of Australian contemporary craft. Such activities will continue the strong work that Craft Australia has forged in this field through export programs, exhibitions and participation at significant international trade fairs. For over ten years Craft Australia has managed a focused export program to the United States of America and Europe by participating annually in programs such as the Sculpture, Object and Fine Art Fair (SOFA) in Chicago, and Talente and Schmuck in Germany. The success of this concerted program is now evident through the financial returns to the participating organisations and practitioners. In addition regular collector tours have now been established between USA and Australia further forging the success of this initiative.

Craft Australia in its new guise will continue to promote Australian contemporary craft internationally to new markets. Such programs will be carried out in partnership with key industry bodies such as Austrade, Ausindustry and the Craft Organisations of Australia. Already such partnerships have lead to the planning of an American Collector tour for the middle of this year and the establishment of a pilot program with Austrade and Craft ACT to train craftspeople for export readiness. This program will culminate with the participants exhibiting at the Birmingham Spring Fair in the United Kingdom in February this year.

From its new central location, in close proximity to the operating quarters of Australian Government, Craft Australia is well placed to undertake its new role as the peak advocacy and lobbying body for the industry. Canberra is also an ideal position for undertaking research, which is another of the key strategic goals of the new organisation. This research will assist Craft Australia to better promote and deliver the needs of the sector by examining and recording the developments, trends and structures inherent to the craft industry.

Strategies to gather and communicate these findings will be managed through the Craft Australia website and the regular presentation of Forums around the country. The current website will be reconfigured as a portal for information on all matters relating to Australian contemporary craft. It will be inclusive of the breadth and diversity of the craft sector by having direct hotlinks to existing organisations and their services making the website a hub for craft information. The Forums will be a means to engage with the various aspects the Australian contemporary craft sector to gauge the areas of focus, growth, need and development. In essence the forums are a process to both undertake research and strengthen communication links with the sector.

Craft Australia acknowledges an enormous legacy of research, innovation and adventure in its history. This legacy allows us to move enthusiastically into the future with a new location, a new corporate structure and a re-defined set of goals. With over thirty years of history as its foundation, the new Craft Australia, with the support of the sector, is poised to write the new traditions for Australian contemporary craft.

Catrina Vignando
General Manager
Craft Australia
January 2004