ADC Timeline
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This timeline covers events, exhibitions and significant moments in the life of ADC from 1964 to today. Our timeline is a living document. Research is ongoing to fill gaps in the earlier years of the ADC’s history.
2024
- International Art Textile Biennale 2023 celebrated the vibrant and evolving world of contemporary art textiles. In its second edition, this Biennale showcases a diverse array of works that push the boundaries of textile art.
- TILED presented in collaboration with kil.n.it Experimental Ceramics Studio, 18 artists 18 artists used the tile as a canvas for exploration and experimentation.
- Object Space: rufat qiddys: object of a holy person
2023
- Made/Worn: Australian Contemporary Jewellery completes a successful three-year tour. Touring venues include: Glasshouse Regional Gallery, Artisan, Cairns Art Gallery, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Australian Design Centre, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, JamFactory, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Hazelhurst Arts Centre.
- Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award 2022 concluded touring at Tamworth Regional Gallery.
- Unravelling Queerly a whirlwind of emotion from political struggles, relationships with family and self-identity to knitted protest banners and dark glittery glory holes.
- Melbourne Design Fair ADC presented ten designers at the Melbourne Design Fair, curated by Rina Bernabei and Lisa Cahill.
- Weaving matter: materials and context contemporary weavers experimented with materials and weave structures to create innovative and contemporary stories.
- Mutukaku Ngura: Motorcar Country Tjanpi Desert Weavers ingeniously combined cultural weaving practices with recycling found objects salvaged from the remains of burnt-out motorcars.
- GOOD NATURED: design art architecture celebrated creative projects by designers, artists and architects working to design a better future, and was exhibited at Glasshouse Port Macquarie.
- jam: Show + Tell celebrated the individuality of JamFactory as a hub for craft and design, fostering an ecosystem of creativity and tells the story behind the creation of its well loved products.
- With Our Elders inspired by coolamons created by Euphemia Bostock and informed by ADC’s Strategic Framework: First Nations Engagement and the 2023 NAIDOC theme ‘For Our Elders’.
- Deep Material Energy II a collaborative project developed with four artists from Australia and four artists from Aotearoa, contemplating their art practices in relation to their respective countries.
- Remade-Reloved 2023 artists repurpose costume jewellery into new contemporary pieces – converting the discarded and unloved into the precious and unique.
- Sydney Craft Week celebrated its seventh year with 218+ events at 37 venues across Sydney, including 83 workshops, 38 exhibitions, 22 talks, 5 markets including the Sydney Ceramics Market at Carriageworks and 54 open studios and retail events.
- MAKE Award ADC’s major new national award celebrated innovation in contemporary craft and design. Designers around Australia submitted works, with 30 finalists selected for the exhibition.
- The companion publication for Design Isolate exhibition, Design/Isolate: The Pandemic Through a Creative Lens was launched in November 2023.
- Ceramic Stories [digital connections] presented diverse ceramic sculptures, objects and installations fused with digital activations.
- They farmed tapioca, oranges and rice poetically examined the multiple cultural and biological lineages that Camille Laddawan and her partner Roslyn Orlando will share with their child.
- SIXTY: The Journal of Australian Ceramics 60th Anniversary 1962-2022 continues touring, travelling to Cowra Regional Gallery, JamFactory, Gippsland Art Gallery and Ararat gallery TAMA.
- Object Space exhibitions included: Chili Philly: Crochet Social 2023, For Our Elders, Kirsten Haydon: Ice Holds, Lynn Pavey: Febrile Momentum, Studio 63: Ebony Russell and Alexandra Standen, Minka Gillian: Mini Mind Garden.
2022
- The Art of Making: Studio Woodworkers Australia displayed an eclectic selection of furniture, objects and wall pieces, highlighting the unique qualities of Australian timbers and fine craft and design skills.
- SIXTY: The Journal of Australian Ceramics 60th Anniversary 1962-2022 presented in partnership with The Australian Ceramics Association to acknowledge this significant anniversary launched at ADC as the start of its 4-year national tour.
- Transformative Repair x ADC - a ground-breaking design event and an auction of creatively repaired broken objects provided by notable climate change activists and reinterpreted by leading designers.
- Bioplastic Futures: 3D Printing and the Maker Movement showcased objects created through speculative design and experiments with bioplastic, ceramics and repurposed objects by designer Matthew Harkness.
- External Review is an explorative exhibition by Australian designer Tom Fereday which follows and celebrates the entire design process from materials to product and was a a collaboration between award winning designer Tom Fereday, furniture manufacturers Evostyle and upholstery specialists, Swiss Design and the American Hardwood Export Council.
- In partnership with the Jewellery and Metalsmiths Group of Australia – NSW Inc, Profile: Contemporary Jewellery and Object Award featured 73 national and international contemporary jewellers and object designers with work considering concepts from the personal to topical, crafted across a wide material range from precious gold to plastic waste.
- The FUSE Glass Prize is a non-acquisitive biennial prize for Australian and New Zealand glass artists. and is held in partnership with JamFactory.
- Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award 2022 celebrates diverse textile practice with 15 finalists from across NSW and the ACT having woven, stitched and sculpted pieces that are funny, ferocious and poignant.
- Back in full form Sydney Craft Week Festival 2022 saw 235 events across 45 suburbs, including 2 makers markets, 123 workshops, 6 talks, 39 exhibitions and 65 retail events including open studios and live demonstrations.
- Beyond Design as Usual showcased the work of 13 Honour students from the School of Design, University of Technology. Sydney (UTS) across multiple design disciplines.
- Hearts of Absent Women: Ema Shin is a feminine expression of cultural rebellion with each intricate embroidered heart an act of remembering and celebrating women’s untold stories.
- Opening at Hazelhurst Arts Centre, NSW three ADC On Tour exhibitions: Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft\ Prue Venables | Made/ Worn: Australian Contemporary Jewellery and Profile: Contemporary Jewellery and Object Award 2022.
- Object Space exhibitions included: High (safe) -Tea, Subplot, The Miner’s Wife, Indigenous Jewellery Project, Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Sue Jo Wright: Dinner Table Syndrome, HOPE: An ADC & GOST Collaboration, Yurilyimanha Wajarri Barna and Alchemical Worlds: Reflections.
2021
- Sydney Festival Makers Markets saw 3272 visitors
- Exhibition Come To Me Without a Word by Anika Johnson Larkin explores human brokenness through gestures of repair.
- Signatures: the mark as the embodiment of identity and intent presents new textile works from Untethered Fibre Artists Inc.
- DESIGN 101: A series of six lectures on design launched with a sold out season.
- Made/Worn: Australian Contemporary Jewellery returns to ADC for its exhibition season.
- Endangered + Extinct is an exhibition of ceramic sculptures by Natalie Rosin explores the form and design of various buildings in Australia.
- ADC Covid Closure – Friday 25 June. Reopened Tuesday 19 October
- Workshopped21 was hosted as a digital edition of design industry’s much anticipated annual program – the best in new Australian furniture lighting and object design by emerging and established designers.
- In 2021 the Sydney Craft Week Festival was digital content only due to lockdown restrictions.
- Happy Objects explores the value of objects from 21 people of various backgrounds and professions.
- In conjunction with UNSW and Kyushu University Revisiting Shoei Yoh is an exhibition that draws from the archive of Japanese architect and late 20th century pioneer of digital design.
- Object Space exhibitions included: Fashion Futures, Gingham All You’ve Got: Eloise Rapp, Windowsmiths: Murmuration and Apothecary Now! Sassy Park
2020
- Concrete: art design architecture JamFactory touring exhibition explored innovative and outstanding ways concrete is being used by Australian artists, designers and architects in the 21st Century.
- Open House: Tamworth Textile Triennial features the works of contemporary artists in fibre textile arts from across Australia.
- Made/Worn: Australian Contemporary Jewellery featuring the work of 22 artists working in contemporary jewellery in Australia today, was postponed opening at ADC due to COVID-19 closure.
- ADC COVID Closure – from Thursday 26 March – Tuesday 9 June 2020
- Made/Worn: Australian Contemporary Jewellery started its 3-year tour at Glass Gallery Port Macquarie, opening after first COVID-19 closure.
- Workshopped20 marks the 20th anniversary exhibition of the design industry’s annual program featuring the very best new Australian design by emerging and established designers.
- Presented in partnership with the Seed Stitch Collective the Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award 2020 is a biennial exhibition the featured 49 entries from NSW textile artists.
- FUSE Glass Prize 2020 in partnership with JamFactory reflects the importance of glass art and is a non-acquisitive biennial prize for outstanding Australian and New Zealand glass artists.
- Into its fourth year Sydney Craft Week Festival 2020 saw 115+ events at 59 venues across Sydney, including 56 workshops, 41 exhibitions, 9 talks and 10 digital events.
- One Makers Market held at ADC - successfully hosting 24 makers with 1839 people attending.
- Design | Isolate notebook project launched with over 60 designers/creative thinkers capturing thoughts in sketches, diagrams, drawings, text or collage on COVID-19, isolation culminating in an exhibition.
- Isolate Make: Creative Resilience in a Pandemic explores how creative practice has adapted to isolation, associated restrictions and production challenges, or in response to the year’s tragic global events.
- Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award 2020 toured to Tamworth Regional Gallery.
- Object Space 2020: Sweet Spot: Julie Paterson, In the Fire Zone: How to Cook a Knife: Dianne Beevers, The New Neighbours: Meredith Woolnough, WORKSHOPPED20: Superstar Alex Gilmour, Connecting Cultures: Gillawarra Arts and Mami Watta Collections, and Patterns In-between: Bic Tieu.
2019
- Steel: art design architecture is a major JamFactory touring exhibition exploring innovative ways that steel is being used by artists.
- ADC's largest Makers Market was held in March on Palmer street. 27 Makers all under one large canopy.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft | Lola Greeno: Cultural Jewels completes its successful four year tour
- Inspired by the welcome garlands of many traditional island cultures, Island Welcomeis a group exhibition exploring contemporary jewellery as a gesture of welcome.
- A unique collaboration between master gold and silversmith Hendrick Forster and object maker and designer Kenny Son became The Teapot Project.
- Workshopped19 showcased the very best in Australian furniture, object and lighting design featuring emerging and established designers.
- My Job in 2030: Mapping the World of Work asks how shifts in technology, society and the environment are impacting the jobs of the future.
- GIANTS is a feminist exploration of dress and adornment by Melbourne fine-furniture maker and a textile designer Isabel Avendano Hazbun.
- The ninth exhibition in the Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft series featuring acclaimed ceramicist Prue Venables launched and began a 4 year tour.
- Profile 2019 Contemporary Jewellery and Textile Award is a biennial award exhibition in partnership with the Jewellery and Metalsmiths Group of Australia, NSW (JMGA-NSW), featuring established and emerging jewellers.
- Jane Theau - Just shopping, always shopping featured in Object Space. Jane was the Australian Design Centre Award winner of the Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Awards 2018.
- Response – Small Tapestries from the Australian Tapestry Workshop showcases small tapestries from a diverse range of interpretive responses by Australian Tapestry Workshop studio weavers to designs by contemporary Australian artists.
- Sydney Craft Week Festival in its third year still going strong with 37 exhibitions, 6 talks, 57 workshops, 13 markets and retail events, 30 open studios and 13 live demonstrations.
- Presented in partnership with UNSW Art & Design Designing Bright Futures 2019 presented exciting new work by emerging practitioners and a selection of past designers from previous years to see what they have been up to post-university.
- Object Space ADC's William Street Window Gallery featured in 2019: Dennis Golding: Site/ Insight, Gunybi Ganambarr: Ngalkan, Suzanne McRae: Hip Hip Decay, Stephen Goddard: Welcome, Jane Theau: Just Shopping , always shopping, Gadigal Mural Exhibition, Intergradation: Taerim Claire Jeon and UNSW Art & Design First year students exhibition Bright Start.
2018
- Obsessed: Compelled to make presented the work of 14 artists exploring the act of making through the framework of obsession. Opened at ADC before starting its national tour.
- A seven year collaboration between fashion designer Alexi Freeman and contemporary jeweller Tessa Blazey became Future Artefacts.
- Clay Intersections started its tour.
- The works in Porosity Kabari were the result of an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, collaborative project by Australian object designer Trent Jansen, Australian artist/architect Richard Goodwin and Indian design thinker Ishan Khosla.
- Interpretations V: Paper (Cellulose) saw eight artists explore the material limits of paper (cellulose).
- Let’s Tea Party: Taiwan Design Now brought together the work of 17 exhibitors, designers and brands in a showcase of Taiwanese design.
- WORKSHOPPED18: New Australian Furniture, Lighting and Object Design presented the very best in contemporary Australian furniture, lighting and object design by emerging and established designers.
- 3D Printing the Future - publication launched with Object Platform
- Shapeshifters: 3D Printing the Future completed its three year tour.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft | Prue Venables received Visions funding for its four year tour starting in 2019.
- Urban Decay: Joshua Smith was the first major solo exhibition by Adelaide - based miniaturist, artist and Instagram sensation Joshua Smith.
- Object Platform launched. A place that exists in the digital sphere to experiment, prototype new thinking, spark physical provocations and commission new content.
- Painting with Thread exhibited recent tapestries and samples from the collection of the Australian Tapestry Workshop (ATW), Melbourne.
- Sydney Craft Week, in its second year was bigger than ever with 89 venues across 48 suburbs.
- Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival had it inaugural Sydney screenings.
- Two Makers markets held again in Palmer Laneway (March & October)
- Sturt Gallery and Ernabella Arts presented In These HANDS: Mara nyangangka, an exhibition of new paintings, ceramics, tjanpi weavings and punu from the artists of Ernabella, celebrating 70 years of Ernabella Arts.
- The Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Awards 2018, was an open call-out to contemporary artists working with textiles across many genres.
- In its third year Designing Bright Futures was presented in partnership with UNSW Art & Design.
- Object Space featured the following exhibitions: Play Up: Tasman Monroe & Jean Paul Bell, En Vitrine (In The Front Window): Vita Cochran, Fashion Collection 1987: Euphemia Bostock, Esme Timbery: Shellwork, Fish out of Water: Dorothy Filshie, Site/ Insight: Dennis Golding
2017
- Cloth: From Seeds to Bloom featuring the work of Julie Paterson finishes its five venue NSW tour.
- Chili Philly: Crochet Social opens with Instagram star Phil Ferguson. Presented in association with 2017 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
- Edge In: Annie Gobel opens in collaboration with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art.
- Two major outdoor Markets held in Palmer Street.
- Meet the Maker sessions started on Saturdays with Object Shop makers.
- Object Therapy presented in collaboration with Hotel Hotel explored creative transformation and notions of value and repair. Part of ADC on Tour.
- Local Milan exhibition showcased Australian designers making an impact on the international stage fresh from Milan Design Week 2017.
- Fracture: Differences. A visual conversation between architectural photographer Shannon McGrath and digital craftsperson Marcus Piper.
- Charlotte Haywood’s Green Asylum filled the space with a large-scale experimental textile installation that blurred the boundaries between tapestry weaving, architecture, landscape and language.
- Resolved: Journeys in Australian Design finishes its three year national tour.
- ADC Friends program launched. ADC Friends is a community of people who support makers and designers through the work of ADC.
- The inaugural Sydney Craft Week launched with two exhibitions - Biotextilogy: The Cellular Catwalk - a transdisciplinary, interactive exhibition featuring smart materials and multifunctional textiles and Bulay(i): Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Artists with Indigenous Jewellery Project.
- Object Space – a newly created gallery located in the window of the ADC offices on William Street was also launched as part of Sydney Craft Week. Work featured was Hakk by Gunjan Aylawadi and Trinity Collection by Adam Cornish for Alessi.
- Designing Bright Futures was presented for its second year in partnership with UNSW Art & Design.
2016
- CUSP: Designing into the Next Decade finishes national tour with final presentation at ADC.
- Shapeshifters: 3D Printing the Future opens in Dubbo followed by ADC in Sydney and then national tour.
- Diana D’Ambra appointed Chair of ADC Board, January.
- Lisa Cahill appointed CEO and Artistic Director April 2016.
- ADC’s new website launches.
- Lola Greeno: Cultural Jewels exhibition acquired as part of permanent collection of Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston.
- Clay Intersections curated by Cath Fogarty opens at ADC.
- International touring textiles exhibition Migrations opens.
- Marie Hagerty & Robert Foster present an exhibition of their works as part of Art Month.
- First Makers Market held in Palmer Street.
- Indigenous Design showcasing the work of Lucy Simpson and Nicole Monks opens at ADC.
- ADC reopens Object Shop a retail space for local makers and designers.
- Designing Bright Futures a survey of the work of 11 2016 graduates from UNSW Art and Design opens at ADC.
2015
- Open new premises on William St, Darlinghurst.
- Name evolves to Australian Design Centre.
- Australian Design Honours was launched to celebrate the ADC’s 50th anniversary that showcased Australia’s design icons. The inaugural recipients of Australian Design Honours formed the founding membership that extends beyond 2015.
- Future Nature explored possible futures posed by artists, designers and architects tapping the field of bio-mimicry in partnership with the Australian Museum.
- ADC hosted two designers in residence over three months, Eggpicnic and Justin Cawley as part of Future Nature.
- Cloth from Seeds to Bloom: 20 Years in the Making, an exhibition featured textile artist, celebrated 20 years of Julie Paterson’s studio ‘Cloth’.
- Scented Intoxication, exhibited the work of Lyn Balzer and Anthony Perkins who have worked together for over 15 years in the fields of photography, object and accessory design.
- The Gold Club was a three-part series that featured influential women in Australian design. Showcased at VIVID Ideas 2015 and Sydney Design 2015, this series highlighted how these women have contributed to the Australian art, craft and design landscape 2014.
2014:
- New Weave: Contemporary Approaches to the Traditions of Weaving, co-curated by Carrie Mulford and Lisa Cahill, pushed the boundaries of the woven form by focusing on artists and designers who are re-appropriated traditional weaving techniques to create intricate and striking wearables, objects and installations.
- Resolved: Journeys in Australian Design, featuring works by 12 designer from the highly acclaimed Workshopped series of exhibitions held in Sydney.
- Idea Bombing Sydney: The Gallery Edition –featured a program that combined meet-ups, popup bar, talk series and community brainstorm, as Object partnered with Idea Bombing Sydney.
- Audio Design Museum as part of Sydney Design 2014 broadcast daily design led conversations on FBi Radio.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft, Lola Greeno: Cultural Jewels, curated by Object’s Sandra Brown, showcased the eighth Living Treasure in the series. The exhibition launched at its partnering institution Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston before commencing its 17 venue national tour that began in Sydney at Object.
2013:
- CUSP: Designing into the Next Decade, curated by Danielle Robson with Kathryn Hunyor, Head of Creative Programs at Object, opens in Sydney at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.
- Designer Bodies Talk Series as part of CUSP was a three-part program hosted by Fenella Kernebone that looked at designers whose works have a direct impact on the human body – from cognitive function, disability and ageing, to the emotional dimension of physical medical conditions.
- CUSP: Designing into the Next Decade 3-year national tour begins.
- 2nd International Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa opens at 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan featuring the work of over 30 Indigenous Australian artists co-curated by Steven Pozel and Lisa Cahill. This prestigious Triennale included work from Japan, USA, Taiwan and Australia.
- Interpretations IIII – Works in Stone, industrial designer Andrew Simpson engaged Australian designers to work with an unfamiliar material.
- Object and Courtesy of the Artist (COTA) collaborated to present [Ctrl][P] Objects on Demand: a 3D printing lab, an exhibition and a pop-up shop that explored 3D printing.
- Anthony Burke appointed Chair of Object Board.
2012
- Menagerie – Contemporary Indigenous Sculpture acquired as part of permanent collection of the Australian Museum.
- Women with Clever Hands: Gapuwiyak Miyalkurruwurr Gong Djambatjmala was an exhibition curated by Dr Louise Hamby for Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, featuring the fibre work made by women from Gapuwiyak in Arnhem Land.
- GROUNDBREAKER, in collaboration with UTS Sydney’s ULab, was a laboratory of ideas where a collective of design thinkers and innovation champions created a series of events and public programs to stimulate and engage with design thinking methodologies
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft, Nick Mount: Glass.
- Object magazine thrived in the digital landscape with Issues 62 and 63 of the magazine being accessed digitally across 120 countries worldwide. Object magazine 63: Bio-Inspired, which won multiple awards, focused on the blurred distinctions between nature, science and design.
- EVERGREEN presented a new generation of designers who are changing the look and feel of eco-fashion with innovative designs.
- Name evolves to Object: Australian Design Centre.
- Diana D’Ambra appointed Chair of Object Board.
- Object’s Design Emergency program was extended with a major event at the Vivid Festival working with five schools from across Sydney.
2011
- Freestyle, opens in Milan, Italy.
- Now and When: Australian Urbanismwas the Australian entry to the Venice Architecture Biennale 2010 hosted at Object Gallery in a viewing space designed in partnership with Arup.
- Thinking Hyperbolically was the outcome of an inventive course coordinated by Melissa Silk from Sydney International Grammar School in partnership with Object.
- HYPERCLAY: Contemporary Ceramics, curated by Danielle Robson, focused on new attitudes, techniques and technologies being embraced by ceramic artists in the 21st century. The exhibition then toured Australia for several years.
- Object magazine returns digitally as an APP through itunes and online, alongside a revamped Object website, digital exhibition content and the launch of Object on iTunes U.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft Robert Baines: Metal with major national tour.
- Object’s annual craft and design curators meeting held in Melbourne.
- Annual Manual: A Guide to Australian Design Now, curated by The Office for Good Design with Kate Rhodes, Object Adjunct Curator, presented Australia’s emerging design talent from universities across the country as well as TAFE graduates and creators from outside the formal education system.
- Design Emergency led by Annette Mauer, Head of Learning at Object, launches as a program that begins to create a new generation of design thinkers and expert problem solvers. Piloted in primary schools in nearby Surry Hills and as far as Wellington in NSW Central West.
2010
- Audio Design Museum launches as an ongoing project that explores and displays design in its natural habitat – the city –through a series of downloadable audio tours.
- State. Respond. Exploring Sustainable Design, curated by Brian Parkes, invited five design studios to respond to the issue of sustainability in contemporary design practice.
- Yuta Badayala (In a New Light) displayed a range of lights born from a collaboration between furniture designers Koskela and weavers from Elcho Island Arts.
- Spring Series, over 10 weeks, 14 projects and 60 collaborators, Object launched a new experimental program. Projects were conducted inside Object Gallery, in and around Sydney and online.
- Inside Out: Rapid Prototyping, curated by Claire Smith, featured fifty-six miniature sculptures produced in resin using 3D printing technologies by 46 artists and designers from the UK and Australia.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft, Jeff Mincham: Ceramics with major national tour.
2009
- Menagerie – Contemporary Indigenous Sculpture featuring the work of over 30 artists from across Australia, curated by Nicole Foreshew and Brian Parkes, produced in collaboration with the Australian Museum. Menagerie featured the work of 33 established and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Presented across two venues at Object in Surry Hills and at the Australian Museum before beginning 3-year national tour.
- Abundant Australia showcased the exciting potential of Australia’s architects presenting highlights from the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
- Design Now! 2009 - Object toured this exhibition to the Melbourne Museum.
- Object presented MATERIALBYPRODUCT’s performance/fashion parade at Cafe Sydney as part of Sydney Design 09.
- seize/collide united a political activist, visual artist, graphic designer, stencil artist and a collective of textile designers, curated by Nicole Foreshew.
- F!NK: fostering design highlighted the role of Robert Foster as the creative force behind F!NK and the partnerships he has fostered with other emerging Australian designers.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft Jeff Mincham: Ceramics - the fifth in this series followed by a tour to 13 other venues around Australia.
2008
- Freestyle: new Australian design for living, opens in Milan, Italy.
- Design Now! was a renewal of Object’s annual national graduate exhibition. Categories for this year’s exhibition were expanded to include graphics, architecture and new media design.
- Botanicals showcased some of the country’s finest ceramics, textiles, jewellery, glass, and homewares curated by Kylie Johnston.
- How You Make It exploring fashion design practices that draw on traditional tailoring techniques to form contemporary collections curated by ADC’s adjunct curator Kate Rhodes.
- Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award Exhibition recognised locally and internationally as the most prestigious award in the Australian design sector.
- New work by Richard Whiteley, one of Australia’s foremost artists working in glass.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft Liz Williamson: Textiles - the fourth exhibition in the Living Treasures series followed by a major national tour.
2007
- Freestyle: new Australian design for living opens across two spaces at Object and National Art School, Sydney.
- Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award Exhibition 2007.
- Making and Meaning: Craft in the 21st Century explored the expanding boundaries between contemporary visual art and craft with artists from Canada and Australia.
- Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft, Marian Hosking: Jewellery followed with a major national tour.
- Portal, curated by Malcolm Smith, was created entirely in ‘Second Life’ and explored the newly constructed worlds found in virtual space.
- Object magazine issues 52, 53 and 54 guest edited by Merryn Gates.
- Launch first draft of 2015 strategic plan – A Centre for Creativity and Design.
- Business Breakfast at Café Sydney hosted by Margaret Pomeranz, August 2007, explored the integrative way that ‘design thinking’ and problem-solving could be applied to all components of a business.
2006
- Frost*bite a survey exhibition featuring the work of Vince Frost, curated by Steven Pozel, opens at the Sydney Opera House.
- Freestyle: new Australian design for living, curated by Brian Parkes in collaboration with the Melbourne Museum, featuring 40 Australian designers. Followed by major national tour.
- Living Treasures: Masters in Australian Craft, Klaus Moje: Glass with major national tour.
- Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award exhibition with national tour.
- Droog Design: A Human Touch presented at the Sydney Opera House.
- Pattern Recognition, curated by Rhana Devenport, in collaboration with Craft Queensland presented works by Australian and New Zealand artists to illustrate new way of recognising the conscious and less overt possibilities of pattern in object making. Followed by a national tour.
- Object Magazine celebrates 50th Issue with guest editors in 2006 including Grace Cochrane and Merryn Gates.
- Bird Song: Janet Laurence with Ross Gibson, as part of the “Chapel Series”.
2005
- Leon Paroissien appointed Chairman of Board.
- Woven Forms: Contemporary basket making in Australia featuring over 40 artists followed by major national tour to ten venue.
- Launch of exhibition series - Living Treasures: Masters in Australian Craft, Les Blakebrough: Ceramics with major national tour.
- GlobalLocal presented in Sydney followed by tour to Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
- Contemporary Jewellery from Japan exhibition celebrating 40th anniversary of the Japan Jewellery Designers Association.
- Collect: finely crafted Objects for life becomes rebrand of flagship Sydney store in The Rocks.
- Korban/Flaubert: Adventure as part of the “Chapel Series”.
- Object hosts national curators meeting is Canberra with over 20 curators from across Australia.
- Daniel Brown: On Growth and Form British designer created virtual worlds inspired by nature.
- Object Magazine Issues 46, 47 and 48 guest curated by Rhana Devenport.
2004
- Open new premises at St Margarets in Surry Hills, July 2004.
- Sydney Style: objects + design + ideas opens at Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival 2004.
- Design Island opens at Sydney Opera House featuring new Tasmanian design co-curated by Brian Parkes and Pippa Dickson.
- Object Magazine Issue 44 guest edited by Rhana Devenport.
- Geometry Rhythm Light: glass and the everyday guest curated by David Sequeira.
- Object’s National Curators Meeting, in Sydney coinciding with Sydney Design Week.
- Series of solo exhibitions in the new project space and window space included some of the following: Sam Buxton: Life Studies; Margaret Kirkwood: Feathers and Fragments; Patsy Hely: Nature Writing; Michael Keighery: Ornamentation and Crime.
- Object magazine Issue 45 guest edited by Rhana Devenport and Issue 46 edited by Brian Parkes.
2003
- Dinosaur Designs national tour begins at Melbourne Museum then onwards to Perth, Brisbane and Cairns.
- Dinosaur Designs opens in Tokyo as part of Tokyo Design Week at Spiral Gallery.
- Asian tour of Dinosaur Designs commences to Bangkok, Taipei and Singapore Art on a String major national tour commences.
- 10th Anniversary of Object Magazine.
- Object Magazine 41, guest edited by Robert Cook.
- Encounters: Three Australian Designers (Marc Pascal, Ruth McMillan, Julie Paterson) as part of Tokyo Design Week at Spiral Gallery.
2002
- Akira Isogawa solo exhibition curated by Brian Parkes, Associate Director, Programs, as part of Sydney Festival 2002.
- Dinosaur Designs survey exhibition, curated by Brian Parkes, as part of Sydney Festival 2003.
- Art on a String – Aboriginal threaded objects from the Central Desert and Arnhem Land, curated by Louise Hamby and Diana Young, followed by major national tour.
- Finnish Design 125 an exhibition featuring work in celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design.
- Home Sweet Home – contemporary British design for the home, curated by Lesley Jackson.
- Glow exhibition on contemporary lighting, curated by Rhana Devenport.
- Craig Hassall elected Object Board President.
2001
- This Way Up is renamed New Design, an exhibition of young graduates.
- Make Me…an exhibition of contemporary design from Manchester, U.K organised by Object and the North West Arts Board, U.K.
- Interiors: objects and ideas, a major project forming a series of exhibitions, a special issue of Object Magazine and multimedia support material focusing on Australian craft and design.
- Australia+Germany: International Craft Triennale presented ceramics, metalwork, jewellery, textiles, glass, furniture, woodwork and artists’ books from over 100 German and Australian artists and craft practitioners. Australia was the partner nation in the 8th of this series of triennial exhibitions organised by the Museum of Decorative Arts in Frankfurt.
2000
- Designing Minds, showcasing 20 influential Australian designers as part of Olympic Arts Festival.
- Circling the Square – Gray Street Workshop 15 Years on, Olympic Arts festival exhibition of acclaimed Adelaide workshop.
- Inland-Island, exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander works curated by Diane Moon.
- Richard Whitely elected Object Board President.
- Name evolves to Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design.
- Biennale of Sydney at Object featuring Rosalie Gascoigne and Yayoi Kusama.
- Design for Everybody, Technocraft: Susan Cohn 1980 to 2000 and Trace, official Paralympic exhibitions presented at Object.
- Fuzzy Prime Ministers of Australia by Martin Wilson presented as part of the Sydney Festival in 2001, then toured nationally.
1999
- Sit Up! 100 Masterpieces from the Vitra Design Museum as part of Sydney Festival.
- This Way Up a survey exhibition of NSW emerging craftspeople.
- Circles About the Body included jewellery of both Indigenous and non- Indigenous Australian artists focussing on adornment and cultural identity.
- Spin – contemporary ceramics by Julie Bartholomew, works that question notions of ceramic tradition.
- A Generous Vessel, Members of the Potters Society of Australia explore the ways large vessels are being used to express contemporary ideas and emotional states.
- Age of consent an exhibition exploring and interpreting the issues of age of consent and the recognition in law, of same-sex relationships as part of the Mardi Gras festival.
- Steven Pozel appointed Director in October 1999.
1998
- Name evolves to ‘Object’ as an all-embracing name including magazine, gallery and retail venues.
- Open new premises at Customs House with ground floor retail space and gallery and administration on level 3.
- Foundation of Object Studios in Pyrmont with Grainne Brundson as Studio Manager. Consisting of six individual studios, a fully equipped workshop and a small gallery.
- 33 exhibitions held in 1998, 20 were curated in-house.
- Object toured Mapping Identity to seven venues around Australia in NSW, ACT, TAS, VIC, WA. Mapping Identity was part of the Cultural Olympiad Festival Program. The exhibition opened at Customs House in October.
1998
1997:
1996
- Object Magazine appoints Ian Were as editor.
- Maningrida: The language of Weaving.
1995
- Noel Frankham appointed General Manager.
- Name evolves to Centre for Contemporary Craft.
1994
- Dr Sue Rowley elected Board President.
- Designed and Made launched as a new commissioning service where crafts people developed museum exhibition product.
1993
- Helen Zilko appointed editor of Object magazine.
1992
- Object Magazine established as quarterly publication.
- Helen Lewis appointed General Manager.
- Rod Bamford elected Board President.
- Craftspace reopens to the public in July through City of Sydney support.
- Object magazine replaces Crafts NSW as the organisation’s new magazine with the support of the Australia Council.
1990
- Shop and gallery spaces reduced due to a move to 88 George St.
- Emphasis placed in gallery program on ‘designed and made’ products and the commissioning process.
1989
- CCNSW won the state Tourism Award for excellence.
- Executive Director undertakes a study tour overseas for CCA and State Councils to assess international markets.
- Su Hodge appointed General Manager.
- Liz Williamson elected Board President.
1988
- House of Fiction: Domestic Blueprints in Wood exhibition, addressing the design of furniture for production.
- NSW Crafts Council begins a special research project into the use of public art in architecture and begins to act as an agent for commissions.
- Touring exhibitions were brought in as part of the gallery program.
- 20X20: Crafts in Society 1968-1988, survey of 20 craftspeople over 20 years, which then tours down the north coast from Brisbane.
- Past Tense: Future Perfect curated by nine curators combined to feature over 80 artists of furniture, ceramics, jewellery, textiles and glass.
1987
- Collaborative design project Crafts in Architecture: Creating Environments put craftspeople together with architects and planners to devise a hypothetical plan for the new Sydney Park in St Peters.
- Separate gallery space reopened.
- National survey of craftspeople conducted and published as Pleasure, Power and Reward. Documents case histories in order to prepare a profile of professional practice.
- Michael Crayford elected Board President.
1986
- Gillian McCracken elected Board President.
- Amanda Lawson appointed General Manager.
- From 1986 space used as a gallery/shop.
1985
- Earth, Air, Fire and Water organised by Victoria Keighery, a staged event in the Doman that involved a collaboration between a group of artists and 150 children from the Sydney region.
- Patricia Dodson elected Board President.
- John Sommerlad appointed General Manager.
1984
- Michael Baracoat elected Board President.
1983
- City/Country Convention in Sydney.
- Series of workshops: Crafts: Making a Living started in metro and regional areas.
1982
- Peter Emmett, assisted by Anne Flanagan, produced 32 exhibitions four of which were for touring.
- Jennifer Michaelski elected Board President.
- Michael Lockwood appointed General Manager.
1981
- First edition of New South Wales Bumper Book published.
- Crafts funding scheme, Craft Design Workshops, set up.
- Craft Works West, exhibition for regional areas.
- Touring Crafts Roadshow, consisting of an exhibition, lectures and demonstrations, shown in Sydney western metropolitan area.
- Journal Craft NSW begins producing feature issues as Outside Art, Design and Writing on the Crafts.
- Offices 100 George Street, The Rocks.
1980
- Offices 171 Clarence Street then Crafts Council of Australia & Craft Council of NSW move to 100 George St and run the Crafts Council Gallery as a joint venture.
- Established a balance between national and international perspectives, between individual, theme and media exhibitions and with an emphasis on Asian neighbours. Opened with a series of three exhibitions: Australian Experiences – Images, Origins, Elements of Change.
- Craft in the Park with 12 five day workshops in clay, fibre and glass.
- Pilot program and draft course, To Help Tutors Tutor, developed with the Board of Adult Education.
- Michael Keighery elected Board President.
Late 70s/early 80s: Peter Emmett curator
1979
- City/Country Convention in Sydney, after appointment of a project officer in the mid-70s focused on regional areas.
- Crafts Moving into the 80s exhibition for regional areas.
- Crafts to the Factory Floor pilot program, where crafts were demonstrated in 10 factories. Continued until 1981 with the involvement of the Labour Council of NSW.
- Peter Emmett appointed General Manager.
1978
- Ann Pugh appointed General Manager.
- Diane Dowe elected Board President.
1977
- Design for Living travelling exhibition.
- Therese McDonnell appointed General Manager.
- Dinah Beeston appointed General Manager.
1976
- Offices 26 King Street.
- Helge Larsen elected Board President.
- Libby Gordon elected Board President.
1975
- Offices in a room in the Potters Society building in Burton Street.
1974
- Winter lecture series of design held in Sydney. 1975 a design seminar was held with visitor Don Willcox as guest speaker.
- Crafts Market, sponsored by the Sun newspaper at Centrepoint, as a community participation event.
- Offices at 36 Grovenor Street (in a room behind Peter Travis and Phyllis Shillito’s studio).
- Design for the Craftsman 12 lectures covering design, drawing and colour.
1973
- 4th Biennale members’ exhibition, coinciding with the opening of the Sydney Opera House and the Waratah Festival (now Sydney Festival).
- Janet Mansfield elected Board President.
1972
- Heather Dorrough elected Board President.
1971
- Establishment of Crafts Council of Australia, headquartered in Sydney. Most practitioners identify with the national body, despite the fact that the NSW body was established first. Crafts Council of NSW struggles to reestablish identity.
- Mary White elected Board President.
1970
- Helge Larsen elected Board President.
1968
- Ivan McMeekin elected Board President.
1964
- Organisation founded as Australia’s first Crafts Association.
- Neville Gruzman elected Board President.
Image: Kayak, 2015, Andrew Simpson. Photo by Andy Lewis.