Myleah Bailey - image by Still Smith Studios
“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.
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.