MAKE award finalists announced

Thirty finalists for the inaugural MAKE Award have now been announced. The MAKE Award is a new biennial national award for Australian designer makers and is the richest non-acquisitive prize for craft and design in Australia.

The winner will receive a cash prize of $35,000 and a second prize of $10,000 will be awarded. Australian designer makers were encouraged to submit a work that demonstrated innovation in technique or material use, and is an extension of their usual practice. A total of 187 entries were received from designer makers working across the fields of ceramics, glass, furniture, metal, jewellery, textiles and fibre.

Woodworkers Samuel Burns, Evan Dunstone, Tim Noone X Studio Ventana, Damien Wright and Bonhula Yunupingu were among the 30 finalists selected by the judges. The other finalists include Luke Abbot, Kelly Austin, Andrea Barker, Julie Blyfield,Lisa Cahill, Cobi Cockburn, Csongvay Blackwood, Carly Dodd, Gretal Ferguson, Hannah Gason, Minqi Gu, Rowena Foong (High Tea with Mrs Woo), Eunice (Kumuntjai) Napanangka Jack, Cara Johnson, Sherrie Knipe, Korban + Flaubert, Johannes Kuhnen, Ju-shih (Ruth) Li, Brenda Livermore, Nick Mount, Jessica Murtagh, Kenny (Yong soo) Son, Vipoo Srivilasa, Bic Tieu, Angela Valamanesh, Liz Williamson.

The winner will be announced on Thursday 28 September 2023. The judges are Lisa Cahill, CEO and Artistic Director, Australian Design Centre; Hyeyoung CHO, Chairperson, The Korea Association of Art and Design and Jury Member Loewe Craft Prize; Brian Parkes, CEO, JamFactory; Jason Smith, Director, Geelong Gallery.