Near and dear to my heart is the craft community in Australia as I lived there for a few years. This news comes as a shock and with great sadness as I am quite aware of the amazing work that Craft Australia does for their regional, national and international communities. Hopefully there will be a way to work for change to this decision. Please keep posted for more info and ways to help.

Craft Australia Defunded Dear friends and colleagues, On Thursday, 12 October, Craft Australia was officially notified that it has been ‘defunded’: it will receive no more triennial funding from the Australia Council for the Arts beyond the end of 2011. While Craft Australia and the broad constituencies it represents and supports would dispute this decision, the result effectively means the organisation has no funds to operate beyond 31 December 2011. This decision comes at a point when the sector is poised to make some significant developments in relation to craft, design, innovation and the creative industries, and in which Craft Australia has played and would have continued to play a significant role. We will be sending more detailed information to you next week. More information about how you can help Craft Australia will also be sent to you next week. Catrina VignandoGeneral Manager21/10/2011
For more information please contact:
Catrina Vignando, General Manager -catrina.vignando [at] craftaustralia.org.au.au – (02) 6273 0088
Craft Australia
National Press Club, Level 1, Suite 7, 16 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600
Phone: (02) 6273 0088 Fax: (02) 6273 6088