DESIGN Canberra has today (October 20) announced the full program for its “Nurture” program (November 5-28), instead of its annual festival, which has been postponed to 2022.

The program is tailored to focus on the well-being aspects of creativity, making and crafting as tools for health and recovery and is seen by Craft ACT, for which this is the primary outreach program, as an antidote to the stresses brought about by the pandemic.

CEO of Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre and artistic director of DESIGN Canberra Jodie Cunningham says: “We are so excited to use the tools we know best, creativity, design thinking; and making as ways to help our community heal and transition out of lockdown.

She added that the underlying purpose of the venture, as with the postponed festival, was to embed contemporary craft, making and design at the centre of everyday life in Australia’s capital, which she describes as “a global city of design”.

Highlights from the “Nurture program include “mindful making” workshops covering activities include sensory impressions with Mariana del Castillo, stitching with Clare Mazitelli, weaving with Spinners & Weavers, reflective clay with Fran Romano, watercolour painting with Naomi Zouwer and spoon carving with Hiroshi Yamaguchi.

A Craft + Design Auction will celebrate experimental, small scale or one-off pieces from leading crafts makers and designers. All artworks have been handmade by Craft ACT members with all the proceeds going directly to the artists, since Craft ACT has removed the usual 30 percent commission on sales.

There’ll also be a professional development online workshops with jeweller Melinda Young and Caitlin Marshall, from Makeshift, a support and education agency connecting creativity and mental health and  with business and marketing expert Michael Oefi.

The “Creative Journaling Month Challenge” will see participants receive a sketchbook in the post, a daily email prompt related to the theme of “Transformation” and have the opportunity to send in their completed journal to be digitised for the online exhibition, with a chance to win a $2000 cash prize for the most innovative response.

And once restrictions are eased, from 4pm-6pm each Friday in November, there’ll be an informal gathering in in the Craft ACT gallery where guests can share a drink, catch up with old friends and enjoy a floor talk at 5pm.

Videos will be available for viewing each week of Nurture here by clicking on the “DESIGN Anytime” tab.

In the “Discover” project, Craft ACT members are invited to submit proposals for a small-scale ephemeral sculpture trail designed to activate City West in Design Canberra 2022. Successful artists will have the opportunity to work with mentors and will receive an artist’s fee of $3000 for concept and a materials fee. Applications will open on November 8 and entries will be due by December 9.

“Nurture” will also present exhibitions featuring more than 70 artists, including  “Transformation Craft ACT: 2021”, the annual members exhibition  and “CO:LAB,” the  culmination of a year-long Craft ACT pilot professional development and exchange program, featuring works by Alison Jackson, Dan Lorrimer and Cathy Franzi.

Book here