EXCLUSIVE: The Devastating Demise of Australia’s Most Iconic Craft Hub: The Australian Design Centre’s Final Exhibition Before Closure
- The Australian Design Centre, a 60-year-old institution, faces closure due to government funding cuts, leaving NSW without a dedicated craft and design organisation.
- The centre’s final exhibition, Second Look — Legacy, is a poignant farewell, featuring 21 artists, including the late Liz Williamson, a pioneer in Australian textile art.
- The closure threatens the livelihoods of 150 makers who rely on the centre’s Object Shop to sell their work, with many facing an uncertain future.
- The exhibition is a celebration of sustainable making, with artists reimagining and reusing past works, highlighting the importance of preserving Australia’s craft heritage.
In a devastating blow to Australia’s arts scene, the Australian Design Centre (ADC) is facing closure due to government funding cuts, leaving NSW without a dedicated craft and design organisation. The centre’s final exhibition, Second Look — Legacy, is a poignant farewell, featuring 21 artists, including the late Liz Williamson, a pioneer in Australian textile art.
The ADC has been a hub for local makers since 1964, exhibiting the work of some of Australia’s most talented artisans, including the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Lola Greeno, and ceramicist Prue Venables. However, the organisation’s latest exhibition may well be its last, with the ADC facing closure in June due to the loss of government funding.
Liz Williamson’s family has loaned a selection of works from her Thrum series for the exhibition, which features woollen artworks created from excess and obsolete studio materials. Williamson’s work is a testament to her commitment to sustainable making, and her legacy continues to inspire a new generation of textile artists.
Stephanie Beaupark, a Ngugi artist and scientist, is among the artists featured in the exhibition. Her work, Untitled (Jagun), is made from eucalyptus-dyed wool, hair, and plant matter, and blends Western science with Indigenous knowledge. Beaupark’s work is a powerful example of the importance of preserving Australia’s craft heritage and the need for continued support for the arts.
ADC CEO Lisa Cahill says the closure of the centre will have significant ramifications for the arts in Australia. “Who loses in the end? It’s the artists and the community who appreciate the craft and design practice,” she says. Cahill also notes that the centre’s closure will result in the loss of 18 exhibitions in Sydney each year, as well as the touring program, which takes the work of Australian artists to regional and international audiences.
The ADC needs a minimum of $350,000 per annum to continue operating, but at this stage, no lifeline has been offered to the organisation. The closure threatens the livelihoods of 150 makers who rely on the centre’s Object Shop to sell their work, with many facing an uncertain future.
Second Look — Legacy is at the Australian Design Centre until February 28, 2026. The exhibition is a celebration of sustainable making and a poignant farewell to an institution that has played a vital role in promoting Australian craft and design.