Explore the
2026 Craft + Design Canberra Festival Program
Art Making for YOU
11 November 2026 | Pearce Community Centre
Artmaking for YOU offers an inclusive, therapeutic artmaking workshop that explores creativity as an act of dissent.
Atelier as Dissent | Reimagining Learning Spaces in Early Childhood and Primary Education
10 November 2026 | The Learning Nest Co.
Atelier as Dissent invites educators to rethink traditional classrooms through creative, inquiry-rich environments. Explore how atelier practice breaks boundaries, sparks student agency and connects art with interdisciplinary learning. Learn practical strategies for setting up an atelier that transforms teaching, thinking and curriculum design.
Dissent through Decal | Ceramic Decoration Workshop
10 November 2026 | Craft + Design Canberra
Explore Art Deco design with artist Sarit Cohen. Decorate a ceramic bisque-fired cup using geometric decals and clear glaze, experimenting with colour, pattern and composition to reflect your personal perspective on place.
Hacking Histories: Sonified Textiles
11 November 2026 | Craft + Design Canberra
Create an embroidered soft circuit inspired by a memory of early digital technology. Combine stitching, copper tape and sound interaction to explore how personal stories can spark small, creative acts of dissent.
International Pathways Workshop | hosted by Craft Australia
13 November 2026 | Craft + Design Canberra
The International Pathways workshop offers craft practitioners a practical and comprehensive guide to showcasing their work on the world stage. Coordinated by Dr Kevin Murray, editor of Garland magazine, the session maps the full range of international opportunities available to makers, from festivals and craft fairs to funding, prizes and platforms.
Pattern Play
14 November 2026 | Ainslie Arts Centre
Discover the infinite possibilities of simple printmaking in this playful workshop. Using recycled materials and reclaimed textiles, you will create your own patterned cloth to take home, a small and wearable act of dissent.
Protest Puppets
14 November 2026 | Q Gallery
Create a hand-felted protest finger puppet with artist Lynn Petersen in this workshop inspired by her exhibition Radical Joy.
Reflective Clay
14 November 2026 | Ainslie Arts Centre
Slow down with clay. Use a mindful approach to make an unfired 'thought bubble' vessel. Watch it decay in nature over time when you are ready.
Slow Stitched Talismans | Acts of Gentle Dissent
12 November 2026 | Craft + Design Canberra
In quiet dissent against a world that values speed over stillness, this workshop invites you to explore hand stitching techniques to slowly shape and adorn a talisman made from natural fibres and filled with flowers. Slow stitched talismans honour care, imperfection and the power of handmade objects as vessels of memory and protection.
Textile Transformations | Radical Rugs
9 November 2026 | Craft + Design Canberra
Transform an old t-shirt into a new patch or artwork with a message of protest, resistance or rebellion using traditional rug making techniques.
Very Cross Stitch
11 November 2026 | Canberra Contemporary
Join feminist artist and craftivist Dr Tal Fitzpatrick for a ‘Very Cross Stitching’ workshop as part of her solo exhibition Quietly Seething: Fate, Fury and Transmutation at Canberra Contemporary. Participants will be invited to stitch directly into Tal’s exhibition artwork, while sharing and connecting over what makes them cross.
Weaving Waters | Mangi the Murray Cod
5 July – 13 December 2026 | Tuggeranong Arts Centre
In dissent against the decline of the Murray Cod, Tuggeranong Arts Centre invites you to join collaborative community weaving sessions, using natural fibre and recycled materials to complete a large scale textile sculpture. Hear First Nations stories and learn about the environmental conservation efforts surrounding this threatened and culturally significant species.
Wing It! A Children’s Atelier for Hatchlings of Change
12 November 2026 | The Learning Nest Co.
Wing It! Is a bold, hands-on children’s atelier where young ‘hatchlings’ explore a range of unexpected materials such as UV paint, odd car parts and splatter tools in a creative mess. This boundary-breaking workshop invites children to experiment freely and challenge expectations through invention, imaginative problem-solving and creative risk taking.