A Designing a Capital: Crafting a City event

Session 1 (1.00pm - 3.30pm):Innovators and creative thinkers will speak on the role of craft and design in Canberra in building creative capital and ways forward for the 21st Century. Invited speakers will give insights into their developing high-level design and creative thinking programs.

Chair:Barbara McConchie, School Manager, ANU School of Art

Speakers: Ann Jakle, Executive Director, Canberra Glassworks; Johnathan Efkapidis, Director, Molonglo Group; Pamille Berg, Pamille Berg Consulting Pty Ltd; Rebecca Eggleston, Urban and Creative Strategy, FORM Western Australia; and George Thompson, 2010 graduate from the University of Canberra

Presentations:

• Pamille Berg - the philosophy and approach to the involvement of artists, craftspeople, and designer makers in the actual making and conceptualising of the buildings and landscape at New Acton;
• Johnathon Efkapidis - New Acton’s sustainability projects and active cultural programming;
• Anne Jakle - the Canberra Glassworks heritage building and its adaptive redesign and reuse;
• Rebecca Eggleston - the Midland Atelier project which embraces a trans-disciplinary framework to drive cultural innovation through creative thinking in other industries; and
• George Thomson - his research project, the ‘Accessible Kitchen’. George Thompson is the recipient of a Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre 2010 Emerging Artist Support Scheme Award. 

Session 2 (3.30pm-5.00pm with afternoon tea): Presented in partnership with Craft Australia, urban planners, architects, artists and cultural entrepreneurs will come together to draw out the conversation on how trans-disciplinary collaborations can benefit the cultural, social and economic wealth of Canberra. Invited panel members will throw open discussions around how urban development and cultural planning can work together to contribute to creative capital and a sustainable future.

Chair: Catrina Vignando, General Manager, Craft Australia

Panel: Vicki Halper, Senior Fellow, Smithsonian American Art Museum; Catherine Neilson, National Project Manager, Australian Institute of Landscape Architects; Susan Conroy, Cultural Planner; and Dr Mitchell Whitelaw, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Design and Creative Practice, University of Canberra

(5.30pm - 7.30pm)

Craft artists and designer makers are embracing innovation in trans-disciplinary research, digital technology and design thinking. Innovation and advances in technologies are changing the way they engage, design and create. Embracing innovation is a Craft ACT: Craft and Design curated exhibition showcasing craft artists and designer makers who are exploring new areas in research, technology and design. The exhibition will look at current trends in practice and how they impact on city design for the 21st Century.

Artists: Stephen Barrass, Marco Chan, Penelope Forlano, Chris Hardy, Dr Carlos Montana-Hoyos, Gilbert Riedelbauch, Andrew Welch, Mitchell Whitelaw, and Tim Brook, Ruth Hingston and Alistair Riddell

Bookings essential. Email amy.kerr[at]craftact.org.au