ACT Government Budget Awards Festival Funding to Craft + Design Canberra
ACT Government Budget Awards Festival Funding to Craft + Design Canberra
Craft + Design Canberra welcomes the ACT Government’s funding announcement to support our Biennial Craft + Design Canberra Festival.
Jodie Cunningham, CEO + Artistic Director said the funding will ensure growth of this significant Festival for the Canberra community and visitors alike.
‘The Craft + Design Canberra Festival has a strong track record in showcasing the best of local creative enterprise through a rich program of festival events, including symposiums, talks, tours, exhibitions, public art installations, open studios and workshops. The 2024 Festival injected an estimated $16million into the Canberra economy and was the result of a city-wide collaboration with over 30 partner organisations and businesses.’ Cunningham said.
‘It offers the best in contemporary craft and design and what our city has to offer while connecting artists, craftspeople and designers with the community.
‘It celebrates Canberra as a global city of design, redefining brand Canberra as a creative capital and encourages tourism to the city.
‘We are so grateful for the ACT Government’s strong commitment to having Canberra listed in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a Creative City of Design, a vision that we have been working towards with our Festival for over 10 years.’
‘Craft + Design Canberra is pleased that the ACT Government is confident in our expertise to continue running such a successful major event, that brings visitors and income to our local economy and creatives.
The next Biennial Craft + Design Canberra Festival will be staged in November 2026 with the theme of Dissent. Work has already begun on preparations and artists, designers, arts organisations and partners will be able to submit applications to participate via our website (craftanddesigncanberra.org) from July 2025.
Further information | 2024 Festival Report https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1347/8135/files/2024_Craft_Design_Canberra_Festival_Report_smallest.pdf?v=1742268407
For images of the Festival, please see this dropbox link:
Background
The Craft + Design Canberra Festival is run by Craft + Design Canberra, a not-for-profit organisation, proud to be one of the longest running visual arts membership organisations in Australia at 53 years old. We pride ourselves on our creative community - our artists, exhibitions, and programs are essential to our lives and in celebrating Canberra's significant design legacies and futures.
Our core role is advocating for contemporary craft and design practice in the Canberra region and connecting artists, craftspeople designers, community, partners and places. We sustains Australia’s high-quality studio practice and support craftspeople, designers and audiences. Our artists make work that reflects and reveals our society, tells our stories, connects us with our community and strengthens our sense of identity. Creative endeavour enhances our wellbeing and replenishes our human spirit.
The Festival is Craft + Design Canberra's major audience engagement activity and provides opportunities for our community to enjoy immersive inclusive experiences of the best in contemporary craft and design.
Canberra has always been a dynamic design laboratory which is embodied in the cultural practice of our First Nations peoples, the Griffins’ visionary design for the city, Canberra's iconic modernist architecture; and it’s thriving contemporary sustainable design, craft and art industries.