“BOUND.
Celebrating textile, thread, memory and collaboration.”
The inaugural Ballarat Craft and Design Week is to be hosted in Ballarat’s historic Mining Exchange (1-10 May 2026).
Ballarat Craft and Design Week theme for 2026 is Bound, celebrating meaningful collaboration between craft and design practitioners, communities, and cultural industries. The emphasis for 2026 is on textile, memory, and restorative practices.
A select cohort of collaborating makers, artists and producers will be stepped through comprehensive professional development program and will be guided towards the production of a curated exhibition hosted in the heritage Mining Exchange 1-10 May 2026.
During this free event visitors will be able to wander through five structured experiences within the heritage venue of the Mining Exchange in Ballarat Central, a short walk from the train station and fully accessible. Visitors will be able to touch, interact and explore five compelling stories which connect us to place, enjoy a wide and diverse array of supporting activities.
Meet the 2026 Craft & Design Week cohort
The inaugural event will showcase meaningful partnerships between makers, designers, manufacturers, and producers, exploring ideas of textile, memory, and restorative practices. The program reflects Ballarat’s commitment as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art to foster innovation, sustainability, and cultural connection. 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.
This three-way collaboration brings together Kerith Holmes’ textile-based explorations of gender and social commentary, Jordy Bos’ experimental paper structures, and Jessica Larm’s Nordic-inspired jewellery practice. Their combined approach will create a dialogue between material reuse, geometric form, and cultural storytelling.
Visual artist Tiffany Titshall, known for her evocative works in charcoal and ink, partners with textile artist Jayne Newgreen, whose weaving practice embraces reclaimed fibres and imperfection. Their collaboration will explore themes of memory, place, and sustainability through layered surfaces and tactile narratives.
Fashion designer Jude Ng, celebrated for his gender-neutral tailoring and zero-waste ethos, collaborates with designer-maker Dearne Mills of MAINICHI, whose work transforms discarded materials into exquisite jewellery. Together, they will explore sustainable design through garments and accessories that celebrate imperfection and craftsmanship.
Spencer Harrison, a multidisciplinary artist known for his vibrant explorations of geometric abstraction, joins forces with glass artist Nick Doran Adams, whose practice spans hot sculpting and kiln forming. Together, they will create works that merge Harrison’s fascination with colour and architectural form with Adams’ innovative approach to glass and reclaimed materials.
Contemporary blacksmith Darren brings three decades of experience in forging large-scale public artworks to a partnership with Naomi, a decorative painter and sculptor whose practice explores the fragility of gypsum. Their collaboration will investigate the interplay of strength and delicacy through metal and mineral forms.
Ceramicist Minna Graham, renowned for her functional teaware and international training, partners with printmaker and textile artist Bernadette Aitken. Their project will weave together clay and cloth, creating tactile works that evoke memory, nature, and cultural heritage.
WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN CRAFT & DESIGN WEEK?
RUN AN EVENT
Are you interested in running an affiliated event during Ballarat Craft & Design Week? Applications are now open. We’re seeking events which align with the City of Ballarat’s UNESCO Creative City status, celebrating fine arts and crafts, trades and traditional skills which merge with contemporary thinking.
This might be a talk, a performance, a retail offering, a workshop or an exhibition. You might be planning on opening your studio, or showing your craft.
Applications are now open for individuals, groups, organisations or retail spaces to register and join the Ballarat Craft and Design Week program. Applications close midnight March 30th, 2026. Please note, there is no funding to support affiliated events.
PARTICIPATE IN A COMMUNITY PROJECT
Why are you here? It’s the question three Ballarat based artists are asking the wider community in response to the theme of connection and belonging. What holds us here in Ballarat? What connects us to and within the community? Artists Robyn Barnett, Sylvia Aguirre and Diana Paez are creating a large-scale installation weaving together your responses though film, sound, photography and textiles. Community participation is at the heart of the work.
The final installation will be exhibited at the Unicorn, 131 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central during Ballarat Craft & Design Week. You are invited to get involved. Take part in a community workshop, or simply drop in a piece of your work at one of several collection points.