About Us

Image Tim Bean Photography

We Love Craft and Design.

Craft + Design Canberra is a not-for-profit membership based organisation which supports artists, craft practitioners, designers and makers at every stage of their careers. We promote and celebrate excellence and innovation in contemporary craft in everything we do in our retail space, exhibition gallery, public membership program, events and throughout our biennial Craft + Design Canberra Festival. Read about the history of  Craft + Design Canberra. 

Meet the team


Jodie Cunningham | CEO + Artistic Director
Jodie Cunningham is CEO and Artistic Director of Craft + Design Canberra, one of Australia’s leading creative centres for the development of visual art, craft and design. Jodie manages the overall operations and resources, acting as the main point of communication between the board of directors, staff, members, sponsors and government bodies. She is the public face of the organisation, curating a vibrant program of exhibitions, residencies and cross-disciplinary collaborations including the Craft + Design Canberra Festival.

Jodie is a highly creative arts leader, visual artist and educator with extensive experience in developing and delivering innovative exhibitions, public programs in museums, galleries and art contexts. She also has an extensive background in visual art and design education and a commitment to mentoring developing artists and fostering collaboration. Jodie advocates for the power of creativity, the arts and cultural activity to provide hope to our communities, strengthen our local and national cultural identities, and facilitate social change.

Five fun facts about Jodie
  1. Wore a hole in her carpet when she was little from drawing all the time on the floor of her room
  2. Is a chromaphile - loving, living and wearing saturated colour
  3. Is a bowerbird for colourful vintage objects, filling up her studio with rainbow aluminium picnic cups and makes assemblage sculptures from them
  4. Loves to fly fish but rarely catches a fish
  5. Can put her red lipstick on without looking in the mirror and while talking

 

Victoria Bennett | Deputy Director

Victoria Bennett brings extensive experience in arts management, digital program development, and stakeholder engagement to Craft + Design Canberra. With a background spanning major cultural institutions and the small not-for-profit sector, she has worked at organisations including the National Gallery of Australia and State Library Victoria. Victoria has a proven track record of developing innovative public programs, managing large-scale festivals and building strategic partnerships. She is passionate about supporting opportunities for cultural participation and believes in creating meaningful experiences that foster active citizenship and engagement in our cities. 

Five fun facts about Victoria

  1. Has a photography degree but mainly uses those skills to make her dog Etta Insta-famous
  2. Can deadlift more than most people think and loves hitting new PBs in the gym
  3. Is on a mission to try every winery in the Canberra region
  4. Takes the scenic route whenever possible, whether that's choosing the longer hiking trail or the more interesting travel route
  5. Has managed over 600 volunteers during her time at Open House Melbourne and somehow still loves working with people 

 

Kelsie White | Marketing Coordinator
Email | kelsie.white@craftanddesigncanberra.org

Kelsie White has worked in marketing for the last ten years across many sectors from Education to the Arts. Kelsie moved to Canberra in 2023, after relocating from Ballarat and is originally from Perth. Kelsie is a qualified Graphic Designer and holds a BA in Political Science and International Relations.

Five fun facts about Kelsie

  1. In 2017, Kelsie went on a round the world trip travelling from Australia to Asia, Europe and the USA.
  2. Kelsie is a painter and can be found painting abstract landscapes inspired by the hills of the ACT and her experiences of motherhood.
  3. In 2020, Kelsie coordinated a main street activation through the City of Ballarat and Ballarat Evolve allowing over 20 local makers to present their work in high street shops that sat empty during COVID lock downs.
  4. Currently, Kelsie is pushing her limits and hitting PB's in power lifting.
  5. While living in Ballarat, Kelsie had her own shop and workshop space where she would stock her own products, run workshops in many mediums and have other artists use her space for their events and classes.

 

Saori Brooks | Membership Officer
Email | saori.brooks@craftanddesigncanberra.org

Saori has been involved in the arts sector since she began as a gallery assistant at M16 Artspace in 2023. She studied a master's degree in Art History and Curatorial Studies at the ANU. Originally from Japan, Saori relocated to Australia in early 2022.

Five fun facts about Saori

  1. Loves vintage op shopping.
  2. Is obsessed with cat motif objects.
  3. Collects woodblock prints, fridge magnets, and CDs.
  4. Has a phobia of worms.
  5. Holds an 8-dan qualification in Japanese calligraphy.

 

Jenny Edwards | Retail Officer
Email | jenny.edwards@craftanddesigncanberra.org 

Jenny Edwards is not shy about her love of craft + design. She was a board member of CDC from 2019 to 2025 when the organisation's constitutional limit of six years required her to step down; a collaborator on various festival programs over the last decade, and possibly the most frequently occurring customer name in ‘sales’ over that period! 

Jenny is the owner of Light House ArchiScience, Canberra’s largest residential architecture practice, until she restructured and down-sized to prioritise her health in 2024, and the only architecture business to makes science and sustainability integral to everything they do.

Five fun facts about Jenny

  1. A scientist, not an architect
  2. Has had three hip replacements and loves to work them by walking
  3. Daughter of a West Aussie Olympian and world record holder known as the Como Comet
  4. A FixItChick with well-known Canberra local Lish Fejer
  5. Has sold her own creations at Salamanca Markets and Fremantle Arts Centre

 

Brittany Dale | Program Coordinator

Email | brittany.dale@craftanddesigncanberra.org

Brittany has a background in community engagement, public program development and arts education and has held roles in arts organisation across Australia and the UK. She holds a Master of Museum Studies and a Bachelor of Arts (Art History)  and is passionate about creating vibrant, inclusive arts experiences through thoughtful program design. 

Five fun facts about Brittany
  1. Has travelled to 40 countries but remembers them mostly by what she ate rather than what she saw. 
  2. Collects tea towels. 
  3. Loves a trivia night and takes it very seriously. 
  4. Is an expert parallel parker. 
  5. Enjoys distance running and is currently training for her second marathon. 

 

Stacy Jewell | Exhibition Coordinator

Email | stacy.jewell@craftanddesigncanberra.org

Stacy brings extensive experience managing exhibitions across festivals, commercial galleries and artist-run initiatives. Most recently was the Managing Gallery Administrator at Trocadero Projects where she led programming and strategic development. Stacy has strong project management skills and experience with installation, stakeholder engagement and all aspects of exhibition delivery. She's worked at Next Wave Festival, Sutton Gallery, The National Gallery of Victoria, KINGS Artist-Run, No Vacancy, and Heide Museum of Modern Art. Stacy holds a Master of Arts (Arts Management) from RMIT and has a passion for supporting artists at all levels. Stacy relocated from Melbourne to join us in Canberra.

Five fun facts about Stacy

  1. Stacy runs a small film club dedicated to screening debut features or independent shorts by female identifying directors whose films explore desire, identity and power from a female gaze. This group was started in Covid and has since branched out to include artist films and discussions around social justice and aesthetic drive.
  2. She is a secret pool shark.
  3. She played netball for Victoria in the reserves under 16 team.
  4. Has never seen the snow, but hopes that will change very soon.
  5. Is a triple Gemini.

 

Images Tim Bean Photography, 5 Foot Photography and Andrew Siorski - Art Atelier PhotographyÂ