“Ballarat Craft + Design Week is an event for the curious culture lover -
someone who appreciates the details, understands the labour,
and is seeking a sense of the undiscovered.”
The inaugural Ballarat Craft and Design Week (1-10 May 2026) is centred in the heart of historic Ballarat, focusing on the works of artists, makers and more. With a central exhibition, Bound, hosted in Ballarat’s historic Mining Exchange, Ballarat’s first Craft and Design Week offers meaningful collaboration between craft and design practitioners, communities, and cultural industries.
The emphasis for 2026 is on textile, memory, and restorative practices.
A full program of events and activities is available - from paid experiences to free talks and educational offerings. The program reflects Ballarat’s commitment as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art to foster innovation, sustainability, and cultural connection.
see the full program
BOUND - an exhibition of collaboration
10am till 4pm, 2-3 & 9-10 May 2026, Ballarat Mining Exchange
The inaugural event will showcase meaningful partnerships between makers, designers, manufacturers, and producers, exploring ideas of textile, memory, and restorative practices. Following a competitive application process, a select cohort of collaborations has been chosen to participate in a comprehensive professional development program. These partnerships will culminate in a curated exhibition and public program featuring hands-on workshops, talks, retail opportunities, and immersive experiences during the festival.
Under the Stars is an installation created from paper, fabric and metal; three artists with Northern European backgrounds - Kerith Holmes, Jordy Bos and Jessica Larm - invite audiences to contemplate themes of immigration, everyday history and the fragility of democracy.
Visual artist Tiffany Titshall partners with textile artist Jayne Newgreen. Cucoloris is a large-scale installation which unites woven textiles and drawings using light as a binding force, inviting viewers to move through a moonlit forest where the moon’s constant presence evokes deep reflection.
Step Into Armour, a collaboration between Dearne Mills and Jude Ng, reimagines the three piece suit through layered, repurposed materials. Clothing becomes armour, offering protection and inspiring reflection on culture, resilience, sustainability, and extending the life of what we wear.
Material Ecologies is a collaboration between ceramicist Minna Graham and textile artist/print maker Bernadette Aitken. Waste materials from both artists, combine with new works exploring environmentally sound practices and connection to landscape.
Afterglow is a collaboration between Spencer Harrison and Nick Doran Adams, merging geometric abstraction and glassblowing into vibrant sculptural glass lighting inspired by childhood nostalgia for the 80s and 90s.
