Crafting Change

This panel proposes discussion around the opportunities and challenges of contemporary studio craft practices in Australia/NZ. Our interests lie in how studio craft is perceived, as well as the realities and future of practice when faced with an ongoing slew of issues relating to environmental/social/ economic/political agendas. Although the 2020 impacts from the pandemic possibly provided a time for reflection and a ‘slowing down’ to consider alternatives/possibilities of change, this was concurrently met with - amongst countless other disruptions - the disestablishment of programs across the tertiary sector. Does this suggest that craft does not hold enough value to warrant continuing support? If craft does have value and impact then how is this defined, and further, how are craft practices expanding to be adopted into wider circles of significance? Our intention is to prompt discussion around craft’s capacity to meaningfully respond to a world under rapid transformation through a) expanded, critical or experimental craft practices and the way in which they operate; b) the ethical implications pertaining to concept, process and/or materials and how these can lead to scalable approaches and; c) the future of craft and how it will remain current and relevant within the context of a world that is rapidly changing.