Articles - 30 January 2007

Looking 4ward

As I write this overview of activities I am handed the latest catalogue by Australian Contemporary - of the Australian craft exhibition currently on display in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Collect is a major international event showcasing contemporary craft. Australian Contemporary is managed by the JamFactory. This exhibition is part of an annual program that is part of the International Craft Initiative funded by the Visual Art Board of the Australia Council and developed as an outcome of lobbying by Craft Australia and the network of Australian Craft Design Centres, ACDC. Now in its third year, the artists who are presented at Collect 2007 are Vito Bila, (Vic) metal smith, Scott Chaseling (Vic), glass, Kirsten Coehlo (SA) ceramics, Sally Marsland, (Vic), contemporary jeweller. In addition to Australian Contemporary, the Glass Artists' Gallery is also representing Australian craft people at Collect in 2007.

Taking my mind from a wintry London, I come back to the summer heat of Canberra and reflect on the international reach of Craft Australia's activities in the past year. We began 2006 with the publication and launch of the National Craft Mapping Project report. A research project that reports on the current status of the Australian craft.design industry. The report provides an analysis of professional activity and industry support, looks at career pathways and needs for sustainable practice across the full span of an artist's working life - from recent graduate to the most senior artists. This report is available on the Craft Australia website.

The National Craft Mapping Project has been a vital piece of research for the craft and design industry that confirms the growth in the sector. As such it assists organisations and funding agencies by providing information about the breadth of services currently available and the gaps in delivery, enabling informed decision making that ensures Australia's competitive edge in the global arena.

In 2006 Craft Australia received additional funding through the Visual Art Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments. Managed by the Australia Council for the Arts, this increase in funding enabled Craft Australia to increase the number of programs it delivered over the year and to expand its reach internationally. Below are some of the activities undertaken that are all available through the Craft Australia website.

Launched in November 2005, the Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft series is an initiative of Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design supported by Craft Australia and the network of Australian Craft and Design Centres, ACDC. Each year, through the combination of a national touring exhibition and a major monograph publication, the series aims to celebrate the achievements of Australia's most iconic and influential crafts practitioners. In 2005 Tasmanian ceramicist Les Blakebrough was featured, in 2006 glass artist Klaus Moje, and this year, 2007, Victorian jeweller Marian Hosking will be presented. Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft continues for a second series taking the program into 2010. A further three artists will be selected that represent excellence and innovation in Australian craft practice. Nominations are now being sought and details are available on the Craft Australia website. Applications close on 23 February 2007.

The Selling Yarns: Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century conference investigated best practice and sustainability in the Indigenous textile industry. Held over 2 days at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory the conference coincided with the 23rd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. Papers given at this conference will be uploaded to the Craft Australia website for future reference and discourse on contemporary Indigenous craft practice.

The 2nd national online forum youth@ craft·design, went live in August last year. It focused on emerging practice and addressed issues faced by makers entering the sector. Material gathered as a result of feedback from the forum will form the basis of information for lobbying government and relevant agencies on the changing nature of practice and developing structures that strengthen pathways to professionalism for emerging makers.

Communication is one of the three critical performance areas underpinning Craft Australia's activities, the others being advocacy and research. The online news 716 craft·design continued to bring the big stories to the sector about the sector. Producing 11 issues per year and developed by Avi Amesbury, the Craft Australia Communications Manager, the online news is now distributed to over 1700 subscribers around Australia. Each issue of 716 craft·design is archived on the Craft Australia website ensuring that readership of national activities expands to international audiences.

As well as commissioning articles about major events in the sector, in 2006 Craft Australia initiated the Emerging Writers' Program, (EWP), an online publishing program for writers from all over the country. This project grew from Craft Australia's goal to promote and advocate for Australian contemporary craft·design practice. An outcome of this goal is to encourage more writing about craft·design practice and related issues. This program will continue to expand in 2007. If you would like to publish your writing as part of the EWP, please contact avi.amesbury@craftaustralia.com.au

Export is the other major area of focus by Craft Australia. Last year we launched export online, a discussion list for craft artists and designer makers interested in or actively participating in export activities. Export online is a resource to share experiences, find out what is happening and learn some helpful tricks from those who have been down that path. This program continues in 2007 with more news and more information. Join the Craft Australia mailing lists.

This year we will continue to lobby on issues that are critical for the sector. Being a lead up to the election, Craft Australia, along with other peak arts advocacy groups such as NAVA, will bring the big issues for the arts to the attention of the decision makers. More details about these activities will unfold across the year.

2007 has already started with a major program that has been 18 months in the making. ReSkin wearable technologies lab and WearNow Symposium were developed by Craft Australia in collaboration with ANAT. A full overview of this program is in this issue of 716 craft·design online news.

Other programs to watch out for early this year include the Smartworks exhibition and symposium at the Powerhouse Museum, the Freestyle exhibition at Object Gallery, both presented in Sydney in March; the Klaus Moje Living Treasures exhibition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery also in March. A full listing of key craft·design events can be found in the 716 Craft Australia's events calendar.

Already the year is a dynamic bundle of events. We look forward to your continued support in 2007. Keep supplying us your news and we will ensure that others will get to know about it.

 

Catrina Vignando
General Manager
Craft Australia

30 January 2007