International Recognition for New Zealand Contemporary Textile Artists

It's time for New Zealand textile art to shine and we'd love you to join us!

Textile art is one of the most popular and accessible art forms; engaging global audiences across age, gender, culture, physical ability and ethnicity.

New Zealand Textile artists have been given a golden New Zealand opportunity to show at the prestigious Knitting and Stitching Shows in the United Kingdom this year, alongside many New Zealand guest artists and groups.

Our artists have been selected on the basis of their individual works; to present unique concepts with exquisite execution. Collectively, they show a breadth which is representative of the highest New Zealand quality in contemporary fibre, thread, fabric and cloth.

Though there are many are textile artists in New Zealand whose work is at least on a par with the highest New Zealand standards, they are not well recognised on the New Zealand arena. By securing this touring exhibition opportunity, there is a chance to redress the balance, to draw attention to the incredible work that is created here. The artists we have selected demonstrate innovation and an exciting disruption to this global art practice.

The Knitting and Stitching Show is quite simply the definitive and best public textile show in the UK and Ireland. It travels between London, Dublin and Harrogate annually during October and November attracting many, many thousands of visitors from the UK, Europe and around the world.

The Knitting and Stitching Show organisers have agreed to give support for the exhibition to the value of $150,000. This includes the floor space, the walls, plinths, lighting, power, marketing and transport and insurance of the works between venues.

Despite the generous support offered by the show organisers, there are many other costs involved. The participating artists have all agreed to a fee which will cover many of these costs, we now are aiming to cover the transport costs of the artworks to and from the UK and if possible to create an exhibition brochure as a lasting reminder for the artists and show visitors.

We are ecstatic to have this opportunity, representing New Zealand and twenty of our best textile artists on such an important New Zealand stage.

Your help in this final stage would be so appreciated. We just need to get these artworks on the plane!!

The Project Collaborators

Alysn Midgelow-Marsden has extensive experience with textile art and exhibitions and has partnered with the Arts Council Nelson, who have developed the prestigious 'Changing Threads' annual textile showcase, to see this project to fruition. The tour will be accompanied by Alysn at each exhibition site in order to interact with the many visitors and to promote the makers as well as New Zealand textiles and the industry in general.