Updates / News

DESIGN Canberra announces public art trail call out

As part of DESIGN Canberra presents Nurture, Craft ACT is working in partnership with the City Renewal Authority to develop Discover: Craft + Design trail.

Craft ACT members are invited to submit proposals for a temporary craft and design trail designed to activate City West in DESIGN Canberra 2022. The trail will engage audiences in a process of discovery and see the city in new ways. Artworks will be installed to be on display for both Contour 556 (1-29 October) and Design Canberra (2-20 November).

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to work with a mentor and will receive a $2000 artist fee to develop their concept and an additional materials fee based on their proposal (Maximum proposed materials fee must not exceed $5000).

Applications open Tuesday 7 December 2021 and close 5pm, Monday 14 February 2022.

Concept brief: 

Create temporary, site specific works of art that respond to the theme of Transformation:

  • Theme: Transformation – Reflection on Canberra’s recent experiences including the bushfires and the pandemic; and possibilities for transformation – what will Canberra’s immediate and long-term future be like?
  • Experiential: Inviting intimacy, close inspection, contemplation, discovery, engagement, interaction and or sensory engagement.
  • Ephemeral or Temporary: Public art in the form of single works or component parts within a specific space.
  • Materials: Any – but they must be able to last outdoors for 8 weeks
  • Site specific: All proposed sites must be in the City West Precinct and artworks must demonstrate a creative response to their site. View a list of suggested locations via our online Google Map.
  • Security: Must be difficult for people to steal or damage.
  • Safety: Must be safe for public interaction

Applications must respond to the concept brief above and will be assessed by a panel including the mentors on:

  • Strength of concept
  • Quality of proposal in relation to the brief and chosen category
  • Artist /designer practice development potential
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Safety and security
  • Realistic budget.

Categories & Mentors: 

Applicants will select a specific category for their submission. Four of the categories will have a mentoring component working with local experts in their field.

  1. Casting (with mentor Nick Stranks)
  2. Digital fabrication (with mentor Sam Tomkins)
  3. Wood (with mentor Thor Dissendorf)
  4. Textiles (with mentor Valerie Kirk)
  5. Open x2

The aim of the mentors is to work with art, craft and design practitioners to translate their practice into a public art context. Each mentor will be on the selection panel and will spend approximately 10 hours with their chosen mentee to assist the artists with the realisation of their concept.

Information sessions

The information session linked below covers the concept brief, mentor arrangements, potential sites in City West, budgets and submission process.

Image James Tylor & Samantha Rich, The Dwelling, Contour 556 & DESIGN Canberra 2020. Photo: 5 Foot Photography

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Acknowledgement of Country

Wherever and whenever we walk, we acknowledge and pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians and Owners of the land.