Australian Fibre Art Award (AFAA)
The Australian Fibre Art Award is a biennial juried non-acquisitive award of $2000, which was run for the first time in 2021.
Well, 2023’s Award and exhibition was fantastic – scroll down to see the outcomes ♥ – we’re looking to be back in 2025, so we hope you can join us!
Contemporary fibre artists from across Australia were invited to enter. Full terms and conditions, and the entry form are below, however, entries are now closed.
The artworks chosen as finalists are exhibited in an exhibition at Gallery76 (76 Queen St, Concord West, NSW, 2138) until 3rd September 2023 as well as being part of a limited-edition accompanying book, the AFAA 2023 book.
In addition to the $2000 AFAA, sponsored by ArtWear Publications, there are two other non-acquisitive prizes –
- Judges’ Highly Commended $500 – Sponsored by Gentle Roller Company.
- Viewers’ Choice $100 – Sponsored by Lynda Anne.
What is Fibre Art?
When we started organising the Australian Fibre Art Award alongside its sister award, the Australian Textile Art Award, some asked “why?”, and “aren’t they the same thing?”.
Well, yes… and no.
Whilst there is some overlap between the two, there are some artworks which could never be classified as textile but are most assuredly created with fibres. This meant that many artists creating incredible artworks were left out of many opportunities to showcase their art. We wanted fibre artists within Australia to have an avenue through which they may do so, and you will see some perfect examples in the AFAA 2021 book and AFAA 2023 book.
From Wikipedia, a “fibre is a natural or man-made substance that is significantly longer than it is wide”.
Natural fibres include those from animals, vegetation, and a small number of minerals (in particular asbestos, but we won’t go there). Examples include flax, cotton, bark, wool, alpaca fleece, hair/fur from other animals (including pets), and silk from moths and spiders.
Man-made fibres include a whole swathe of possibilities: glass, fibreglass, carbon, metals, various polymers (e.g. nylon and polyester), plastics and more.
Inspired? Why not consider entering our Australian Fibre Art Award?
Important Dates :
Monday 5th June 2023: Closing date for submission of entries.
Monday 19th June 2023: Notification of finalists.
31st July to 4th August 2023: Delivery of selected artworks to Gallery76.
5th August to 3rd September 2023 Exhibition dates, Gallery76.
5th August 2023 at 4:00pm: Official AFAA Exhibition opening and announcement of AFAA winner
6th to 13th September 2023: Pick up / return of artworks
Important points to keep in mind:
- We are looking for artworks with fibres of any type as the artist’s starting point, e.g. felting, weaving, crochet, knitting, macramé, and so on. A quilt constructed of purchased fabrics will not fulfill this criteria. Nuno felting, however, will.
- Initial judging will be completed using photographs of your artwork, so please make sure they are in focus, nothing extraneous in the background, and are of high resolution (these photos are the ones, should you be successful, which will be appearing in the AFAA 2023 book).
- Your submitted artwork must not have been publicly displayed in full or part by any means, electronic or otherwise.
- All works must be available for the exhibition and be for sale.
- Each work must have been executed since 1st August 2021.
Full terms and conditions: Australian Fibre Art Award 2023 T’s & C’s
Entry form: Australian Fibre Art Award 2023 entry form Entries are now closed.
Our judges for AFAA 2023:
Pam de Groot – Fibre and Textile Artist and Teacher – Pam works predominately with wool, silk and other natural fibres, combining methods of felting, embroidery and dyeing to create art works, garments and accessories.
Pam Hicks – Currently a Vice President of the Embroiderers’ Guild NSW, Pam has a long and distinguished career in education, including writing the NSW syllabus for Textiles & Design, plus working as an HSC marker for many years. She is an accomplished embroiderer and textile artist.
Dr Tricia Flanagan – An artist, designer and academic whose work is represented in private and public collections in Australia, Ireland, Germany, Italy and China. Tricia established the Wearables Lab at the Academy of Visual Art at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2009. She currently works as a Lecturer for the University of New South Wales in the School of Art and Design, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture where she is the co-director of the Interactive Media Lab and Lead Researcher Wearables at the Creative Robotics Lab.
Gallery76 is a public exhibition space located on street level of the Embroiderers’ Guild NSW Inc. headquarters. The building has been recently redeveloped into a three story ‘Centre of Excellence for Embroidery and Textile Arts‘, containing multiple gallery spaces and several workshop areas. The mission is to connect community, whilst promoting the creation and education of Fibre Art.
To keep up to date with news as it happens, you may like to Like and Follow us on our AFAA Facebook page.
BOOK OF THE AFAA 2023 FINALISTS:
The book showing all finalists’ artworks (including information about each artwork and an artist’s statement), plus information about our judges and some of their artworks may be purchased HERE.
AFAA 2023 Results:
AFAA 2023 Winner: CATHERINE O’LEARY (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
Catherine O’Leary (2023), “Depression”, 80 x 80cm: Merino wool felt, stitched and drawn with pen and ink.
AFAA 2023 Judges’ Highly Commended: ELLEN KING (sponsored by Gentle Roller Co. )
Ellen King (2022), “Unbalanced”, 120 x 108 x 17cm: Wet felted, Merino fibre, hand-dyed polyester fabric, internal wire, Perspex rod.
AFAA 2023 Viewers Choice: ELLEN KING (sponsored by Lynda Anne)
Ellen King (2022), “Unbalanced”, 120 x 108 x 17cm: Wet felted, Merino fibre, hand-dyed polyester fabric, internal wire, Perspex rod.
Scroll down the page to see the 2021 AFAA winners.
Our Sponsors:
Publishers of Australia’s own well respected craft and lifestyle magazines: Embellish, Felt, Yarn, Textile Fibre Forum and Vintage Made.
The Embroiderers’ Guild NSW Inc.
Encouraging the art of embroidery with a high standard of design and technique, the ‘Guild’ is a not-for-profit membership body for anyone and everyone who loves to stitch or would love to learn. People of all ages and walks of life join the Guild for all sorts of reasons: following their creative urge; mastery of a new skill; a love of traditional crafts; memories of learning from family members; the company of like-minded people – just to name a few!
Marlyn Alpaca
The Thread Studio
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BOOK OF THE AFAA 2021 FINALISTS:
The book showing all finalists’ artworks (including information about each artwork and an artist’s statement), plus information about our judges and some of their artworks may be purchased HERE.
Virtual Tour of the AFAA 2021 exhibition:
Check out the virtual tour of the AFAA 2021 exhibition HERE and also on a blog post HERE.
AFAA 2021 Results:
AFAA 2021 Winner: CATHERINE O’LEARY (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
“Hope” by Catherine O’Leary, 2021, 45 x 30 x 30cm; Merino wool, wet Nuno felting, printed silk, burnt, and stitched with wool thread.
AFAA 2021 Judges’ Highly Commended: JOY DENISE SCOTT (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
“Relic Series: What lies beneath my breast” by Joy Denise Scott, 25th June 2021, 65 x 49 x 3cm; Framework of Mulberry bark; cotton organdie, silk organza, embroidery threads.
Excellence in Felt: DENISE LITHGOW (sponsored by Gentle Roller Co.)
“Yellow Cocoon” by Denise Lithgow, 20th June 2021, 80 x 38 x 23cm; Merino, Suffolk and crossbreed wool from the “paddock to process”, handwashed fleece, carded, eco-dyed using native Australian plants and onion skins and silk tops, matt varnish.
Viewers Choice: JESSICA SMITH (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
“Wilderness Prophet” by Jessica Smith, 28th March 2021, 35 x 50 x 22cm; Merino tops, wire armature, Opalite gemstone, wood, metallic threads, cotton and wool yarns, findings.