Australian Design Centre

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Australian Design Centre

We are a leading centre for contemporary craft and design in Australia Entry is free to all exhibitions.

Australian Design Centre is a major contemporary craft and design organisation igniting creative ideas and building cultural vibrancy. We take a lead role developing and supporting Australia’s craftspeople and designers to build audiences for their work globally. We do this through our extensive exhibition, festival, touring, retail, publishing and learning platforms. Located in Sydney’s Darlinghurst, we present up to 20 exhibitions and over 100 events each year including workshops, markets, talks, demonstrations and lectures, along with a city-wide festival Sydney Craft Week. Our retail space, Object Shop sells handmade, collectible design by over 100 Australian makers.

13/09/2026

📣 Australian craft & design practitioners: your experience matters.

We’re building a national picture of craft and design practice in Australia — and we need your voice.

This survey is an ADC Legacy Project, funded by Australian Design Centre in collaboration with the Australian Craft and Design Centres (ACDC Network), NAVA and Craft Australia.

The data collected will help sector organisations advocate for practitioners and make a stronger case for funding, opportunities, education, business support and policy change.

As ADC closes its doors after six decades of supporting Australian craft and design, this research is one part of the legacy we’re leaving behind: useful evidence that can help the sector advocate for its future.

The survey takes 9–12 minutes and is completely anonymous.

If you’re an Australian craft or design practitioner, take the survey and help make sure your experiences are part of the picture.

🔗 Complete the survey via the link below before 2 October 2026.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MBPVCTS

Australian Design Centre Australian Tapestry Workshop Craft + Design Canberra Canberra Glassworks Canberra Potters Guildhouse JamFactory Craft Design Tasmania Gallery + Store + Workshops WoCCA NAVA

30/06/2026

End of an Era

Australian Design Centre is a place where creative minds came together for six decades to celebrate the extraordinary skill and talent of Australia’s craftspeople and designers. We are proud to have nurtured careers and enriched lives through a shared passion for design and making by hand.

Thank you to everyone who has shared the vision along the way. We sincerely wish the community of makers, designers and lovers of craft and design all the very best for a creativity-filled future.

Australian Design Centre was founded in Sydney in 1964. Australian artist Zoe Brand was commissioned by ADC to create this work as a final statement about the nature of skilled making as defined in the words ‘judgement, dexterity and care’ by David Pye in his book The Nature and Art of Workmanship, 1968. ‘Awe, beauty and curiosity’ reflect the people who have enjoyed craft and design practice at ADC over six decades.

Image: Zoe Brand, AWE/BEAUTY/CURIOSITY and JUDGEMENT/DEXTERITY/CARE, Pantograph engraved acrylic, paint and cord, 2026.

04/05/2026

This latest article about the state of the arts in NSW ( sydneymorningherald Linda Morris 30 April) reports on a parliamentary inquiry which recommended the NSW Government restore baseline funding to ADC and advocate for emergency funding from the Federal Government. In an update to the article online the Minister said the government will respond to the report by 29 July. This may be too late for ADC. We have sought a meeting with the Minister.

29/04/2026

NSW Parliamentary Committee recommends reinstatement of baseline funding to ADC.

A report tabled in NSW Parliament today recommends that baseline funding be restored to Australian Design Centre.

Recommendation 12: "That the NSW Government urgently restore baseline funding to the Australian Design Centre from $150,000 to $500,000 per annum for 2026 and 2027 to enable the state's only government-supported institution dedicated to craft and design to continue operations beyond 30 June 2026."

Recommendation 13: That the NSW Government advocate to the Federal Government for emergency Federal funding for the Australian Design Centre.

The report of Portfolio Committee No. 6 - Transport and the Arts, entitled 'Structure and funding of the arts, music, night-time economy, and transport portfolios'. The report was tabled in Parliament today and the government has three months to respond.

"We urge the NSW government to take action on this recommendation to restore $500,000 in base level funding for 2026 and 2027 to ADC immediately to prevent closure of the Centre which is imminent and that the government advocate on our behalf for Federal Funding to also be restored", said Australian Design Centre CEO Lisa Cahill.

Read the full report: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=3150 -reportsandgovernmentresponses

"We thank the committee and the Chair Ms Cate Faehrmann MLC, for their thorough and considered investigations into this matter. We also thank everyone who made submissions to the enquiry in support of ADC", said Lisa Cahill

15/04/2026

15 April 2026 | Linda Morris in the writes about the loss of the Centre now closed as we wind up operations.

“ADC was established as Australia’s first Crafts Association on July 10, 1964 with leading architect Neville Guzman as its chair. The current funding crisis was tripped when last year $200,000 in annual federal funding and four-year state operational funding of $300,000 a year was stripped from the centre. “

“This last year has been a mix of hope and despair … to see all that we have built with government investment so wilfully destroyed and a part of Australia’s culture die. It’s wasteful.”

“UTS Pftofesdor of Architecture Anthony Burke said the loss of Australian Design Centre was catastrophic for the innovation economy. I think it’s a tragedy we are not funding the grassroots stuff that keeps design innovation moving forward.”

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12/04/2026

The MAKE Award: Biennial Prize for Innovation in Australian Craft and Design was a major national award initiated by the Australian Design Centre to champion excellence in contemporary craft and design.

The inaugural award in 2023 was won by Vipoo Srivilasa, with Jessica Murtagh awarded second place and a high commendation for Liz Williamson.

In 2025 the award was presented to Cinnamon Lee for NOCTUA, with second prize to Jake Rollins for SOFA1 and a highly commended award for Roseanne Bartley for A Poetry of Rings: The Mulga Alphabet.

Established through a generous private donation, the award recognised the richness and diversity of creative practice across Australia and celebrated artists who are pushing the boundaries of material, form and process.

Thank you to all participating artists spanning ceramics, glass, furniture, woodwork, metalwork, textiles and contemporary jewellery, thank you to past judges, partners and donors, and to the community for celebrating the artists shaping the future of Australian craft and design.

07/04/2026

Exhibitions at ADC

Established in Sydney in 1964, Australian Design Centre relocated to William Street in 2015.

Since then, this space has hosted over 175 exhibitions featuring 2,388 artists, and 590 workshops, talks and market events attended by more than 100,000 people.

For a decade this building has been a place to encounter contemporary craft and design, meet makers and celebrate creativity.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this story.

Address

101-115 William Street
Sydney, NSW
2010

Website

http://australiandesigncentre.com/

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