Selling Yarns
Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century
Conference: 13 - 14 August 2006
- Selling Yarns conference was held in August, 2006
- Hosted by: The Australian National University
- Venue: Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Darwin
Update 13 December 2007
On the horizon for 2009 is the conference Selling Yarns: Innovation for Sustainability. It will be held in March 2009 at the National Museum of Australia. This second Selling Yarns conference builds on the success of the conference held in Darwin in 2006.
Update 22 November 2007
The Selling Yarns conference and workshops were a huge success and an overview of the three days, highlighting key points that emerged from the event have been published on the Craft Australia website.
Read what Catrina Vignando, Louise Hamby and Valerie Kirk, and Daphne Nash have to say.
A selection of the Selling Yarns conference papers have been published online through the Craft Australia Research Centre.
The Selling Yarns: Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century conference investigated best practice and sustainability in the Indigenous textile industry. Held over 2 days at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory the conference coincided with the 23rd Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.
The first day of the conference focused on the making of textile art, from both an international and national perspective. Discussions focused on an overview of current business and marketing practice in the production and promotion of work.
The second day explored business opportunities and examples Australia wide with speakers addressing government support and funding, copyright issues, small business endeavours, partnerships, export opportunities and options for a more sustainable future practice.
Keynote speakers include Dr W. Richard West Jnr, Founding Director, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, USA and Mr Ron Morony, General Manager, Indigenous Business Australia.
The Selling Yarns: Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century conference has been initiated by The Australian National University (ANU), National Institute of the Humanities and Creative Arts in association with the ANU National Centre for Indigenous Studies, Centre for Cross Cultural Research and School of Art, in partnership with Craft Australia and Territory Craft.