World Crafts Council Australia renames back to Craft Australia
The World Crafts Council is the umbrella organisation of five regional associations (Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America), within which are various sub-regions. Historically, Australia and New Zealand have been in the South Pacific sub-region of the Asia Pacific region.
At this year's World Crafts Council Australia AGM in Sepember, a resolution was passed to change the Council's name back to Craft Australia, a move warmly welcomed by state organisations. The Council stated: ‘This promises to help us revive and grow our national platform at a time of both crisis and opportunity.’
At the same time the renamed Craft Australia announced that Jane Théau would now take up the role of President. Jane Théau became a professional artist after earlier careers in neurobiology research and then economic development and management consulting. Her art practice encompasses sculpture and installation, curation, and the facilitation of community art projects.
Jane Théau writes: ‘The vibrancy of art, craft and design in Australia is a constant source of soul food for me. The commitment of creatives at every level of the cultural ecosystem – in the studio, in admin roles, in leadership positions, as art educators – is astonishing and inspiring. I say astonishing because of the continual decline of support for the arts we have seen over the last two decades.
‘My decision to accept the role of President was made in response to the removal of funding for the Australian Design Centre, an institution that I, like thousands of others, have joyfully engaged with for many years as a visitor, maker and curator. Many other art institutions have been similarly affected in this ‘death by a thousand cuts’ scenario. It’s time for craftspeople and the cultural sphere as a whole to stand together to reverse the neglect of our sector, and I hope Craft Australia will be at the forefront of this effort.’
Learn more at https://www.wccaustralia.org.au/