Naarm Textile Collective Inc

Naarm Textile Collective Inc is an artist-led organisation based in Victoria, Australia, dedicated to expanding and challenging the boundaries of textile arts practice. It promotes and supports artists who use textiles in their artworks, encouraging unique creative pathways and individuality. The collective emphasises the versatility of textiles by combining traditional and contemporary techniques, aiming to elevate textile art within the broader art community.

Flagship Project: Naarm Textile Biennale – Social Fabric

The Naarm Textile Biennale – Social Fabric is a major collaborative exhibition showcasing progressive textile art by Victorian artists. This flagship event explores textiles’ role in preserving memories and telling stories related to cultural and political issues. It highlights the diversity of textile techniques and challenges traditional perceptions of textile art as merely “women’s work,” promoting it as a significant contemporary art form.

Mission and Vision

Naarm Textile Collective’s mission is to promote and support textile artists by fostering creative exploration and challenging the undervaluation of textile arts. Its vision is to establish textile art as a respected and dynamic medium within the contemporary art scene, encouraging innovation and cultural dialogue through textiles.

Main Objectives

• Support and promote artists working with textiles in Victoria.
• Encourage the use of both traditional and contemporary textile techniques.
• Facilitate exhibitions and events that raise awareness of textile arts.
• Create a collaborative community for sharing knowledge and resources.

Benefiting Groups

Naarm Textile Collective primarily benefits textile artists in Victoria, including emerging and established practitioners. It also serves the broader arts community and the public by increasing appreciation for textile arts and providing platforms for artistic expression and cultural engagement.

Types of Services or Activities

• Organising exhibitions such as the Naarm Textile Biennale to showcase textile artworks.
• Providing a supportive network and online platforms for artists to share ideas, challenges, and resources.
• Promoting textile art through social media and public events.
• Encouraging sustainable practices by highlighting the use of repurposed and reclaimed materials.
• Facilitating artist collaborations and community engagement projects.