CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA.- DESIGN Canberra festival has announced five new exhibitions and a collaboration with acclaimed food and entertainment organisation, The Forage, to launch as part of its ninth edition. The event will run from Wednesday 2 - Sunday 20 November, with an ambitious line-up of over 250 events responding to the theme of Transformation. Positioning the city not only as Australia's capital, but also the country's creative epicentre, the extensive program comprises talks, tours, exhibitions, art installations, workshops and symposiums covering topics from architecture and interior design to public art and 'Nurture' workshops, promoting the benefits of art for mental well-being.

Jodie Cunningham, CEO + Artistic Director, Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre said: “We are so excited to expand the festival this year by partnering with The Forage to celebrate Canberra as a creative capital and city of design - in all aspects, arts, culture, food and beverages. Design is in everything, including food and music and good design is so abundant in Canberra. The creative energy and generosity in this town is palpable and we can’t wait to share it with the community. Our line-up of exhibitions is world class, showcasing the best in contemporary Australian and Italian design.’’

FORAGE FESTIVAL will offer a high-quality food and entertainment program, including an array of culinary and musical attractions on Saturday 5 November, showcasing the best of Canberra's food and music scene. Forage is renowned for unique and creative events, and has previously won Out in Canberra’s People’s Choice Award for Canberra’s favourite small event/ festival. Forage Festival will include offerings from over 20 local vendors with street food highlights from Let’s Do Yum Cha, Super Bao and Hungry Brown Cow Burgers, alongside beverages from local wineries and breweries including The Canberra Distillery, and a roving sangria cart, courtesy of Skeehan Brothers Sangria Cart.

From Thursday 27 October to Saturday 10 December, Craft ACT Craft and Design Centre is presenting three exhibitions, each displaying unique design talent: the Robert F!NK National Metal Prize, Home Life and the Seeing Seventies Photography Competition.

Craft ACT will present the inaugural ROBERT FOSTER F!NK NATIONAL METAL PRIZE celebrating outstanding work in the field of contemporary metal working by both established and emerging designers and craftspeople. Supported by Tall Foundation and F!NK + Co Director, Gretel Harrison, the prize recognises exceptional skill and innovative design, with ten finalists’ works displayed at the exhibition. The winners will be announced on 27 October with three main awards presented to an established artist, an emerging artist and an acquisition prize, with a total prize pool of $18,000.




HOME LIFE, presented in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy, will showcase the world’s best in contemporary interior design. Working with the IMF Foundation in Rome, and curated by design curator Elisabetta Pisu, ‘Home Life’, reveals how houses will evolve in the future, and shows how objects can enhance our enjoyment of being home.

SEEING SEVENTIES: PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION will showcase over 90 photographs from 80 Canberra Region Photographers on the theme of “Design in the 70’s”, with both professional and amateur photographers capturing the best of Canberra’s iconic design and architecture from the decade. The winner, announced on 27 October, will receive two night’s luxury accommodation at DESIGN Canberra partner hotel, A by Adina, a gift voucher for Meat and Wine Co. and breakfast at ARC Café in the new Constitution Place precinct.

A selection of exhibitions will be launched at Canberra Centre at 5pm on 4 November as part of Opening Night, running until 20 November, including Shadow Lines and Ctrl. ALT. Design.

SHADOW LINES showcases work from Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre member and OAT Studio’s Sarah Annand, encompassing photography, painting and textile design to capture the essence of Canberra’s defining 1970’s architectural masterpieces. Utilising a palette and brush strokes which bring to mind materials used in these styles of architecture, Sarah’s work will present the viewer with a deconstructed urban landscape, inviting observation and analysis of the raw elements that comprise our world.

CTRL.ALT.DESIGN highlights the agency, agility, and adaptability of the next generation of creative professionals. The exhibition will feature University of Canberra students’ works from the disciplines of Architecture, Digital Media, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Visual Communication. The works on show will explore the capacity of digital tools and how the digitally enabled creative can offer new solutions, opportunities and experiences that improve and enrich our daily lives.

All of the exhibitions listed here offer free entry, further information and the full festival line-up can be found at DESIGN Canberra.