Craft Contemporary Returns in 2023!

This October, Craft Contemporary is back with its largest program to date, showcasing the diverse artistry and skill of contemporary craft practice in Naarm/Melbourne and regional Victoria.

With over 150 art experiences, including exhibitions, talks, demonstrations, workshops and open studios, the festival promises to be an expansive and exhilarating month-long celebration of the craft community.

Featuring some of Australia’s most exciting makers, artisans and designers, the 2023 Craft Contemporary is set to be an extravaganza for all creative minds. On-site at Craft Victoria’s gallery, the exhibition Occupying Space will consider contemporary approaches to textile practice by five women artists, in addition to exciting showcases featuring Naarm/Melbourne-based duo DNJ Paper, contemporary spatial object maker Ellie Tessa Godworth and ceramicist Georgia Harvey.

“October is set to be an action-packed month for creative events in Victoria and the biggest ever Craft Contemporary will add a new dimension to showcase skill of the incredible craft community working across the state today,” said Minister for Creative Industries, Steve Dimopoulos.

“We are proud to back this festival and Craft Victoria’s year-round work to celebrate the world’s best in craft, upskill the next generation and help local makers build their careers and businesses.”

This year, Craft warmly welcomes the return of the Hubs, featuring more than 50 creative events in collaboration with local cultural organisations and sites such as the Australian Tapestry Workshop, Collingwood Yards, University of Melbourne, the Nicholas Building, BETA by STH BNK, Fitzroy Precinct, RMIT, and the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Notable arts organisations and retail spaces including Artbank, West Space, ALPHA60, Rose Chong and Modern Times, as well as regional Victoria’s Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), Bendigo Art Gallery and Stockroom Kyneton Gallery, will also host a series of exhibitions and activations exploring contemporary craft practice.

Audiences are spoiled by numerous event choices, to highlight a few:

• Presented in this year’s Poster Walk series, artist Belle Thierry and photographer Tasha Tylee use mould pressings and a traditional analogue film camera to capture the beauty of ‘boom-style’ architecture in regional Victoria including Bendigo, Castlemaine and Clunes.
• Celebrated Kokatha and Nukunu artist Yhonnie Scarce and Edition Office in a critical discussion at RMIT’s Capitol Theatre;
• Renowned glass artist Ruth Allen will perform a glass-blowing demonstration in her Coburg studio;
• Koorie Heritage Trust will lead specialised weaving workshops at Craft Gallery; and
• Melbourne-based artist Tia Ansell, well-known for her “weaving-paintings,” will showcase her artist residency at Lottozero, Prato, Italy, via the virtual Makers in Residence program.

“Craft Contemporary’s growth and success reflect the vast and talented network of craft-based creative practioneers across Victoria. For Craft and all the 2023 program partners, it is a month to share our collaborative commitment and experience some of the most vital contemporary making happening now. If you want to know what the future looks like, you’ll catch glimpses of it at Craft Contemporary,” said Executive Director of Craft Victoria, Nicole Durling.

The 2023 Craft Contemporary will take place from the 1st to the 30th of October. 
 
Subscribe for the official program announcement in September.