Short Description
Following the success of Naarm Textile Collective’s past exhibitions, the Collective is building on the increasing interest in contemporary textile art with our 2025 Naarm Textile Biennale with the theme Social Fabric which will be exhibiting at FortyFiveDownstairs for four weeks.
The Naarm Textile Biennale will showcase progressive textile art exploring the relationship of textiles to other art disciplines and exploring the limitlessness of textile art. Social Fabric will be a collaborative group exhibition consisting of textile artists from Victoria. Social Fabric will look at the value of textiles in our lives and the role of textiles in telling stories and presenting contemporary cultural and political issues. The exhibition will highlight and explore the ability of textiles to preserve memories of people, places and times.
Social Fabric will highlight textile artists and the quality of their work raising awareness of contemporary textile arts. With textiles traditionally being held in low esteem and considered as ‘just women’s work’, this exhibition will be an important opportunity to challenge its standing alongside other fine art. Social Fabric will showcase the variety of textile techniques, wide range of materials and interpretations that challenge traditional ideas of textile art.
Flinders Lane was the centre of the fashion and textile trade in Melbourne for many years. Forty-Five Flinders Lane was part of this history as home to many textile businesses over the years. Social Fabric returns textiles to a place built to showcase them.
Eligibility
Entry is open to all Victorian practicing artists working in textile media.
Submission Requirements
- – Two artworks per applicant are allowed
- – Entries must be original work.
- – All work must be primarily textile and executed in a textile technique.
- – Work must be original in concept and design.
- – Entries should not exceed 2 metres in any single dimension.
- – Artists must live and/or work in Victoria, Australia to enter.
How to Apply
Online Application
Entry Fee
A fee – AU$30.00 non-refundable per entry (+ $0.60 transaction cost), with two entries per person allowed. Fee/s must be paid at the time of application
Location
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 29 August 2025
Website Link: https://naarmtextile.com/naarm-textile-biennale-social-fabric/
