Selling Yarns 2: Innovation for sustainability

When: Friday 6 March to Sunday 8 March, 2009
Venue: National Museum of Australia, Canberra

Presented by The Australian National University, Craft Australia and the National Museum of Australia.

The conference will be held in association with the exhibition ReCoil, Change & Exchange in Coiled Fibre Art.

Bottles 2006. Pandanus, natural dyes, various dimensions. Robyn Djunginy Ramingining NT.

Selling Yarns 2: Innovation for Sustainability is a conference that addresses contemporary Indigenous craft and design practice. It draws on the outcomes of the first Selling Yarns conference held in Darwin in 2006 that looked specifically at contemporary Indigenous textile practice.

Selling Yarns 2: Innovation for Sustainability builds on the previous conference by presenting success stories that demonstrate innovation and new directions in Indigenous craft and design practice. It will highlight the work of Indigenous makers from the south-east region of Australia and explore the parallel directions in practice of urban Indigenous makers with that of artists in remote communities.

The conference will be held at the National Museum of Australia in March 2009 in association with the exhibition ReCoil, Change & Exchange in Coiled Fibre Art, curated by Margie West.

The aim of the conference is to demonstrate that through cultural practice a dialogue can emerge that draws all interested parties together for the benefit of a rich and sustainable Indigenous culture.

A call for papers is now open. Topics of interest include:

• Design and manufacture, engaging with industry
• Innovation for social and cultural sustainability
• Mentoring between communities
• The impact of government policies on sustainability
• The internet and the global market for Indigenous craft and design
• Tourism and museums as a driver for innovative practice

Papers: We invite Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners, researchers, academics, buyers, collectors, curators, business and arts advisors to respond with a 300 word abstract addressing the conference themes.

Workshops: We invite proposals to run workshops to build skills, increase awareness and appreciation, share information and develop understandings of new developments and sustainable practices.

Email 300 word abstracts to: papers@sellingyarns.com
For enquiries, contact Louise Hamby on (02) 6125 8986 or Andy Greenslade on
0412 774 343.

Email workshop proposals to: workshops@sellingyarns.com
For enquires, contact Valerie Kirk on (02) 6125 5833 or Adam Blackshaw on
(02) 6208 5230.

Deadline for abstracts and workshop proposals: 1 July 2008

Notification of acceptance: 1 August 2008

Deadline for biography (on acceptance): 1 September 2008

Deadline for full papers: 15 January 2009

> Download call for papers information sheet (PDF 149kb)

Craft Australia

Phone +61 2 62730088

Email info@sellingyarns.com

Website www.sellingyarns.com

Members of the Advisory Committee

The Australian National University

• Suzanne Knight, School and Development Manager, Research School of Humanities
• Louise Hamby, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Humanities
• Valerie Kirk, Head of Textiles, School of Art

Craft Australia

• Catrina Vignando, General Manager
• Avi Amesbury, Communications Manager

National Museum of Australia

• Andy Greenslade, Curator Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs
• Adam Blackshaw, Public Programs Coordinator

> The Australian National University Research School of Humanities

> The Australian National University School of Art

> Craft Australia

> Selling Yarns

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The Selling Yarns 2: Innovation for Sustainability conference has been developed by The Australian National University Research School of Humanities and School of Art, Craft Australia and the National Museum of Australia.