2022 Craft ACT Annual Report

to support such a thriving and
creative community.
Accredited Professional
Membership (APM) is the highest
tier of membership at Craft ACT.
APMs are professional craft
practitioners and designers
whose outstanding contributions
demonstrate a high standard of
artistic merit and technical skill
and who have local, national and/
or international experience and
standing. This respected level of
membership is attained through
a peer assessed application
process. Successful artists
demonstrate a practice of artistic
excellence and strong local
and/or regional experience and
engagement.
Associate Membership of Craft
ACT is by application and suitable
for emerging and established
professional craft practitioners
and designers who demonstrate
commitment to their practice and
require the benefit of insurance
that comes with this level of
membership.
General Maker Membership
of Craft ACT is our entry level
membership aimed at practicing
craft and design practitioners who
wish to keep informed and help
grow their profession.
Our Craft and Design Lover
Membership category (established
in 2021) is designed for friends
and supporters who want to
engage with local craft and design
communities, enjoy discounts at
the Craft ACT shop, and special
invitations to events. This category
of membership saw significant
growth in 2022 to 44 Craft and
Design Lover Members ensuring
more sales of our artists work
though our retail space and
attendances at programs.
Our Student Membership category
continues to grow each year. This
membership is for high school,
tertiary, and mature-age students
interested in joining the Craft ACT
community and developing their
interest in craft and design. We
aim to make this membership
as accessible as possible, with
the membership being free to all
eligible concession card holders.
This aim of accessibility flows into
our public program with DESIGN
Canberra 2022 supporting free
tickets to our student members
for many events including the
DISCOVER: Public Art in Canberra
and Medium Density Housing
symposiums. We see this
membership as the first step their
craft and design careers.
Inclusivity Membership—as part of
our inclusivity initiative in 2022—
we supported artists identifying
as First Nations, LGBTQI+, and
disabled with a free yearly General
Maker Membership.
Craft ACT keeps in regular contact
with members via the Craft
ACT website, email newsletters
(including a dedicated membersonly
newsletter), and social media.
The social media platforms we use
to connect with our members are
Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
This includes a public facing
Craft ACT page and the private
Craft ACT Member group where
members can communicate and
collaborate with each other.
Our public programs include
professional development
opportunities for our members and
connect them with new audiences
and new sources of income,
especially through our Nurture
Making by Hand workshops, in
which they are engaged to teach,
and the DESIGN Canberra Festival
which included opportunities for
members to be commissioned
for public art and exhibitions; host
open studios and artists talks, and
participate in our Craft + Design
auction. This year our members
generated $485,153 income
across all of our activities in 2022,
a 44% increase on from 2019.
Left: City Session Artist Talk with Leah Brideson, Julie Monro-Allison, + Lymesmith, DESIGN Canberra Festival, 2022. Photography 5foot
Right: Dairy Road DESIGN Markets, Roz Hall, 2022.. Photography 5foot
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