Craft Cubed: Melbourne's Biggest Craft and Design Festival

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Fri 01 Aug 2014 - Sun 31 Aug 2014

Craft has been busy this winter in Melbourne. Its curated art and craft market held on the first Sunday of each month in Queen Victoria Market is already a success, showcasing some 80 local makers of contemporary handmade works until the end of the year. It is closing the season on a high note. After roaring success with over 200,000 visitors last year, Craft's signature festival is back, promising even more craft and design this year for Melbourne and Victoria.



For the entire month of August, Craft Cubed will be the medium where experimental, skilled and ideas based craft and design meets the public. This year Federation Square will serve as the festival's hub with satellite events across the state including public installations, studio visits, film screenings, markets and workshops. I caught up with Hanneleh Salonen, Marketing Manager of Craft to find out more about the festival. We think we've got 10 reasons for you to make August your month for craft and design with Craft Cubed.

Amazing festival line up with loads of free events



The response to this year's callout has been overwhelming, attracting a line-up of over 120 events, including 21 exhibitions, 44 workshops, 17 open studios, 8 public installations, 3 retail markets, 2 feature films and 5 seminars. You enjoy plenty of opportunities to learn new craft skills, improve on techniques, collaborate on public works and even make new friends especially with loads of FREE events. So come and celebrate the amazing creativity and diversity of craft culture with Craft Cubed.

Special late night launch



Come celebrate the opening of Craft Cubed in the Atrium of Federation Square as the only festival dedicated to all things handmade in Australia enters its 5th year. This FREE event on 2 August will be opened by Cr Rohan Leppert, Arts and Culture portfolio Chair for the City of Melbourne. You can enjoy amazing installations by super cool makers Georgia Perry, Hamish Munro and Yarn Corner and free wines by Tahbilk and pizzas from Beer Deluxe from 8pm to 9pm. To RSVP, email: [email protected] or phone 03 9650 7775.

Bower Exhibition

Organised by Melbourne-based gallery, No Vacancy, that promotes and exhibits emerging local and international artists, this exhibition features works by 7 Melbourne based textile designers. They include Eileen Braybrook, Bree Ellett, Laura Houlden, Karan Jones, Manna Ly, Camilla Rogers and Camilla Stirling. Using collected and found materials, these works reflect on the themes of nature and the environment. Located in Tenancy 32 in the Atrium of Federation Square from 1 to 17 August, this exhibit invites you to join in the process of making textiles by hand and contributing to the installation.

Inside Outside Studio Afternoon Salon Sessions



Inside Outside Studio provides made-to-measure garments to women. For Craft Cubed, the studio will be hosting a FREE afternoon tea session between 2pm to 5pm on 3 August where you can view the collection of garments and discuss ideas with the maker. Studio viewing and fitting sessions are available from Thursday to Sunday by appointment throughout the month of August.

Showcase of top Australian potters and ceramicists



Curated by Jane Scott, CEO and Artistic Director of Craft, the 'Big Ceramics' program at Federation Square's Yarra Gallery will draw the attention of the public, artists, dealers and institutional and private collectors to the ceramic media. It showcases 11 of Australia's leading and most celebrated ceramic artists including Mark Stoner, Jane Sawyer, Robert Baron, Janetta Kerr-Grant, Kris Coad, David Ray, Vipoo Srivilasa, Owen Rye, Jill Symes, Andrei Davidoff and Fiona Hiscock. They will use clay to connect the audience to the material world around them and challenge both the preconceptions and the traditional use of ceramics as a medium.

The Melbourne Cufflink



The craft of fashion thrives at Mark Boldiston's Lord Coconut. This local men's jewellery emporium is well known for supporting emerging artists including Ellen Pittman's wearable art and Beth Croce's ' How to Mend a Broken Heart ' Exhibition. As part of Craft Cubed, Lord Coconut is hosting a FREE exhibition which showcases cufflinks made by students currently enrolled in jewellery making courses at RMIT and NMIT. Lord Coconut invites you to join the opening night on 5 August between 5.30pm and 7.30pm and help celebrate the student who wins the $500 acquisitive prize. The exhibition will run till 23 September.

Cone 11 Ceramics Design Studio Open Studio



Cone 11 Ceramics have established themselves as makers of high quality and original ceramics. You can enjoy FREE entry to their studio between 10am to 4pm to watch new creations on the spinning wheel and purchase works directly from a freshly fired kiln from 16 August to 17 October

Living in the Plastic Age



Australia's original alternative gallery dealing in contemporary international pop, lowbrow, pop surrealism and underground art is working with Craft Cubed to present a FREE exhibition of Pop Art perspex accessories. Held at Outré Gallery from 2 August to 23 August, you can view a collection of wearable art pieces by Australian stylist Stavroula Mountzouris. Entitled 'FRIDA LAS VEGAS' this collection offers an over-the-top and eclectic mix of bold accessories that are sure to catch eyeballs and turn heads.

Craft and Design as a Career



This one-day professional development seminar is ideal for students, artists and designers. Held from 9am to 4pm on 7 August at Federation Square's Deakin Edge, this year's Craft and Design as a Career is conducted by more than 8 artisans, grassroots makers and professional industry specialists. Tickets are selling fast so grab yours from the Craft Cubed website now.

Amateur and Emerging Showcase



Craft Hatch is a market which showcases works from local students and emerging professionals in their first 5 years of craft practice. Operating from the Atrium at Federation Square on 6 August between 10am to 8pm, you can meet with these emerging Victorian including Kate Dansey, Chiara Jewellery, JUDE Artisan Fashion, Min Pin, Kari Lee Ceramics, Origamig and many others. You can also purchase hand-made products such as home wares, jewellery, clothing, accessories, stationery and more directly from the makers.

#victoria
#city
#learn_something
#free
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#city -of-melbourne
#cbd
#art
!date 01/08/2014 -- 31/08/2014
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