Craft Contemporary 2021

1 - 31 October / Craft Victoria's annual festival celebrating new approaches, ideas and experimentation by today’s makers.

Craft Contemporary Exhibitions

Explore Craft Victoria's feature exhibitions presented as part of the festival.

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Makers In Residence

Follow the creative process of six makers over several days.

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Virtual Open Studios

Delve into the creative spaces of eight contemporary craft practitioners.

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Craft Contemporary Read/Watch

Engage in lively panel discussions and workshops, or read interviews with makers from the festival.

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Festival Highlights

Take a peek at some of the 2021 Craft Contemporary program highlights

HERE

2021 Satellite Program

Talks and seminars

Crafted Conversations

October 25 — October 28, 2021

A series of reading sessions, talks, and studio tours with Melbourne Art Library

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Talks and seminars

Ceramics in Conversation

October 30, 2021

A series of talks at Bisque Studios with renowned ceramic artists sharing their individual passions, knowledge and studio secrets

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Online Project

The Fragile Temperament

October 25 — October 31, 2021

A conceptual film documenting the process and development of three 3 sculptural furniture pieces

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Exhibition

collective investigation

October 26 — October 30, 2021

An exhibition featuring a series of creaturely forms presented online via Instagram

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Exhibition

Kate Derum & Irene Davies Awards

October 28 — October 31, 2021

A biennial awards exhibition presented by the Australian Tapestry Workshop celebrating creativity and excellence in contemporary tapestry.

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Exhibition

Ghosts, Ghouls... Boo!

October 22 — December 13, 2021

An eerie, creepy, sometimes funny & definitely ghostly group show.

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Exhibition

Narrative Goods

October 14 — November 2, 2021

An exhibition at Modern Times exploring the possibility of functional design to inspire delight, provoke conversation and embody story

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Exhibition

Microcosm

October 16 — October 31, 2021

A group exhibition rediscovering and reinvestigating overlooked or underused nooks and crannies

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Exhibition

Stitching Change

October 12 — October 31, 2021

An exhibition highlighting the abundance and quality of local textile artists in Victoria

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Exhibition

[Wall]flower exhibition

October 21 — October 31, 2021

A group exhibition presented by Geelong Art Space

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Exhibition

Light, Glass and Shadow

October 1 — October 31, 2021

An exhibition exploring contemporary lighting methods by glass studio, Mark Douglass

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Exhibition

FORCES

October 14 — October 30, 2021

An online contemporary jewellery exhibition presented by e.g.etal.

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Exhibition

Uncast

October 7 — October 31, 2021

Contemporary jeweller, Welfe Bowyer, presents an online exhibition exploring discarded materials and found objects

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Exhibition

Rework 02 - Reflect

October 9 — October 31, 2021

A gallery installation at Mr Kitly

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Exhibition

Studies In Blue

October 1 — October 31, 2021

A series of videos examining Alterfact's process of 3d printing with clay at Alpha60

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Exhibition

Rendering: Jewellery and Objects

October 1 — November 7, 2021

An exhibition exploring the states of jewellery and object transformation online and at Assembly Point

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Exhibition

A Mood Board for Libra Season Equilibrium

October 1 — October 31, 2021

A textile installation by John Brooks in Rose Chong's Gertrude Street window gallery

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Exhibition, Online Project

Swatch The Future

October 1 — October 31, 2021

A textile design exhibition that seeks to improve the future

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Exhibition

Fibres, Books and Bundles

October 1 — October 31, 2021

A collaborative exhibition featuring the work of Debra Billson and Susannah Low in Rose Chong's Gore Street window gallery

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Exhibition

Float

October 1 — October 31, 2021

An online exhibition showcasing new lighting development by ceramicist Sarah Tracton

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Exhibition

APOMAWISH with Rachel Burke

October 1 — December 12, 2021

A pompom inspired community art installation presented by Boroondara Arts

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Exhibition

In Any Way Shape or Form

October 7 — October 24, 2021

A hundred plates exploring form, food waste and creative practice by Melbourne-based ceramic artist and former Attica chef, Claire Ellis

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Workshop, Online Project

Visible Mending: Sock Darning with Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald

October 27, 2021

Sock mending workshop presented by Boroondara Arts

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Talks and seminars

Frances Burke Floor Talk

October 27, 2021

A floor talk on Frances Burke, Australia's most influential and celebrated textile designer of the 20th century.

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Workshop

The Craft of Monoprinting with Nature

October 24, 2021

An interactive, online free printmaking workshop inspired by nature.

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Talks and seminars

Joining people through paper

October 23, 2021

An artist talk and virtual studio tour with Maximillian Malone of That Paper Joint.

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Workshop

Mon Mungun Online Workshop

October 22, 2021

An online weaving workshop with Taungurung and Wurundjeri woman, Cassie Leatham

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Exhibition

Signs of Life

October 2 — October 23, 2021

An exhibition of crafted pieces and works-on-paper by Rosalind Price, with soundscape by viola player Ruby Shirres

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Exhibition

Faux Pas

October 6 — October 22, 2021

An exhibition featuring finely crafted objects by emerging and established designers, artists & makers by New Assemblage at Oigall Projects

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Online Project

Titbits 0.2

October 19 — October 24, 2021

An ongoing installation of work featuring the scrubbing brush as a wearable object, examining (hu)mans obsession with breasts

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Exhibition

Craft Poster Walk

September 16 — October 19, 2021

Throughout September and October the Craft Poster Walk is transforming the cityscape with six bold, contemporary craft works

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Talks and seminars

Panel Talk: Responding to a Design Brief

October 19, 2021

Hear Ella Saddington, Thomas Lentini and Elishia Whitchurch discuss their perspectives on responding creatively to design briefs

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Advice Clinic, Online Project

The Art of Product Styling

October 19, 2021

Sail through effective product styling with all-round creative Annette Wagner and learn some of the tips and tricks behind her photography.

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Workshop

Paper Sewing with Kylie Stillman

October 19, 2021

Design and create your own handmade gift cards with Kylie Stillman and create small artworks using a needle and thread

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Open Studio, Online Project

Virtual Open Studios session #2

October 16, 2021

Visit the studios of four contemporary makers working across ceramics, textiles and traditional furniture making.

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Exhibition

Things That Keep Me Up At Night

October 1 — October 15, 2021

An exhibition of Morgana Celeste's vibrant and tactile three-dimensional works at pépite gallery

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Talks and seminars

Panel Talk: Craft, Expression & Identity

October 16, 2021

A panel discussion with Sai-Wai Foo, Aaron Billings, Tantri Mustika, and Chenai Mupotsa-Russell

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Workshop

How to land the artist residency of your dreams

October 15, 2021

An online masterclass on artist residencies with Amy Kennedy

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Open Studio

Open Studio: Artist Lyn Guy

October 14, 2021

An open studio with textile artist Lyn Guy and presented by Boroondara Arts

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Workshop

Fabric Printing: Clothes Revival

October 13, 2021

A screen printing workshop with Abbey Rich and presented by Boroondara Arts

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Open Studio, Online Project

Virtual Open Studios session #1

October 9, 2021

Inviting us into their studios, these artists will show us what they are working on and educate us on their techniques and artistic process.

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Makers In Residence

Claire Ellis

October 13 — October 15, 2021

Follow Claire Ellis as she pushes the scale of her ceramic practice and creates a side table from clay and recycled plastic

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Makers In Residence

Ara Dolatian

October 13 — October 15, 2021

Join Ara Dolatian as he shares exclusive insight into his creative process exploring cultural landscapes and the natural ecosystem

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Talks and seminars

In Collaboration

October 13, 2021

A panel discussion with talking about collaboration and support networks for emerging artists and contemporary jewellers

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Exhibition

ÆTHER - The Space Between

October 2 — October 13, 2021

An illuminated gallery window exhibition, exploring themes surrounding space by visual artist Saskia Dusselberg

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Open Studio, Online Project

Virtual Open Studios session #1

October 9, 2021

Inviting us into their studios, these artists will show us what they are working on and educate us on their techniques and artistic process.

Watch

Talks and seminars

Online Art Talk: R L Foote Design Studio

October 6, 2021

An online talk and studio visit with ceramicist Ryan Foote and presented by Heide MoMA

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Makers In Residence

Ella Bendrups

October 6 — August 19, 2021

Follow ceramic artist Ella Bendrups as she creates new forms inspired by ancient talismans

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Makers In Residence

Amanda Dziedzic

October 6 — October 8, 2021

Gain insight into glass artist, Amanda Dziedzic 's everyday life in the hot shop

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Workshop

Collage with Minna Gilligan

October 5, 2021

An abstract collage-making workshop presented by Boroondara Arts

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Workshop

Touch: Respond Workshop

October 3, 2021

Ceramicist Jane Sawyer demonstrates some of the techniques she uses in her practice including her unique, free-style wheel throwing

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Open Studio

Online Open Studio with artist Lou Hubbard

October 2, 2021

An online open studio with Lou Hubbard and presented by Boroondara Arts

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Celebrating the handmade across the month of October

Craft Contemporary is a month-long festival exploring how craft is evolving in the 21st century. The festival showcases new approaches, ideas and experimentation by today’s makers through a dynamic program of exhibitions, talks, residencies, demonstrations, open studios and more across Victoria and online. Presented throughout October, the festival celebrates community and the shared human impulse to create.

Craft Contemporary is supported by the City of Melbourne