2007 HASS on the Hill

On 19 and 20 June Craft Australia attended the annual program of HASS on the Hill. Made up of individuals from the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences sector (HASS), approximately 120 participants attended the function in order to meet with politicians at Parliament House in Canberra. Organised by Council for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS), the two day event began with a day of presentations and talks at the National Museum of Australia that continued at the National Library of Australia, the National Press Club and Australian Parliament House. On the second day delegates met with federal Members of Parliament and spoke about issues relevant to their field of activity.

The central theme of the 2007 HASS on the Hill was a request for the Prime Minister to review the role and functions of two of the Government's prime advisory bodies, the Chief Scientist and the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC). The aim being to increase the representation of HASS advisors on these bodies in order to create a more integrated approach to current issues affecting Australia such as global warming.

The General Manager, Catrina Vignando, represented Craft Australia at this event, and met with Senator Kay Patterson, the Liberal Senator for Victoria and with Liberal Arts Minister, Senator George Brandis. The outcomes of both meetings were very positive with opportunities for ongoing dialogue to progress outcomes. Issues covered in the discussions included the recognition of the arts as a valid area of research, craft·design's role in the creative industries agenda and the social, cultural and economic impact of craft practice.

Senator Brandis also addressed the delegation as part of the program welcoming the HASS delegation to Parliament House. Senator Brandis welcoming speech

Studio Furniture 2008

Craft awards come up again this month as an area of focus for my column. This month I am drawing your attention to the inaugural award exhibition for studio furniture designers and makers. Studio Furniture 2008 is organized by the Australian Wood Review in conjunction with and sponsored by Bungendore Wood Works Gallery.

It was the brain child of artistic director and exhibition coordinator of Bungendore Wood Works Gallery David Mac Laren and Stan d'Argeavel, respectively. Their desire for the award exhibition is to draw greater attention to the achievements of Australian fine wood furniture design and manufacture. They have a vision of touring the show around Australia and encouraging audiences to support Australian studio furniture.

The inaugural exhibition Studio Furniture 2008, will be shown at Bungendore Wood Works Gallery in January 2008. Applications are now open for artists to submit entries. Visit Australian Wood Review website for entry form.

Youth@craft·design

As the peak advocacy organisation for the sector, Craft Australia presents biennial online forums on issues that are topical to the craft·design sector. These forums engage the sector in dialogue about relevant issues and provide Craft Australia with vital information from the industry.

In August 2006 Craft Australia launched its second online forum Youth@craft·design. It was specifically designed to address the hurdles faced by emerging makers as they establish professional careers in this field of work. The July issue of 716 presents a group of articles that summarise the outcomes of this forum. These include 2 articles about the artists who won the Craft Australia online gallery prize. They are featured with a story about their work, inspirations and current art activities as well as a selection of their work. The third story serves as a reminder of the aims of the forum and what came of the discussion.

The Youth@craft·design forum remains an active link on the Craft Australia website. In addition Craft Australia will develop a guide for teachers and organisations to use the site as an ongoing reference to help future makers. Through the Youth@craft·design site emerging makers gain a practical understanding of the options they have in this career. They also gain tips on how to negotiate the obstacles in a professional art career. Youth@craft·design website

Venice Biennale 2007

The Venice Biennale has hit the canals again and Australia is represented in this event by Susan Norrie, Daniel Von Sturmer and Callum Morton. See Australian Artists at Venice. Whilst the event draws as much praise as it does criticism, the best judgments are made from individual perception. Visit Domus to see footage of a selection of presentations from this year's Venice Biennale.

Catrina Vignando,
General Manager, Craft Australia
June 2007