Add to Calendar: Creative events to inspire in 2023
After a tough two years with event cancellations due to the pandemic, the Australian sustainable fashion and cultural scene is back with a new energy and the new year looks to be shaping up to be one of the biggest yet.
With events all over the country, we have sifted through the noise and named our key dates to mark in your calendar for 2023.
WIth markets held bi-annually in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Finders Keepers has quickly become a staple of the Australian sustainable fashion scene with over 1200 vendors participating. Their first event for the new year will be their Creative Business Summit in Melbourne, followed by the winter Sydney markets in June.
Established almost thirty years ago, Melbourne Fashion Week encaptures the best and brightest of the Australian industry. With thousands of visitors to descend on the Victorian capital from 3-11 March, this one is a must for any fashion enthusiasts. Not only will the upcoming season’s style be on the display, but also the presentation of the National Design Award, the National Graduate Showcase and the Fashion Writing Tour.
Following the Victorian extravaganza is the AfterPay Australian Fashion Week, to be held at the famous Carriageworks complex in Sydney. You can expect a multitude of events and shows starting on Monday 9 May.
Established in 1921, the Archibald Prize is our nation’s most prestigious art award, with the tour being the perfect opportunity to check out some of Australia’s most talented artists. Run by the Art Gallery of NSW, this one is for our friends in the bush, with the tour kicking off on the Mornington Peninsula in September and finishing in Port Macquarie in August 2024.
Held across Sydney and Melbourne, Life Instyle is more than just a marketplace, priding themselves on bringing together Australia’s most innovative creators and designers. Kicking off in the Harbour City on 18 February, followed by Melbourne on 3 August, this is a retail trade show like no other. A must for your calendar.
Horizon Festival is Sunshine Coast’s leading contemporary multi-arts festival, presenting 10 days and nights of visual art, music, theatre, dance, words and ideas, film and creative workshops; inspired by the stories and beauty of the Sunshine Coast. From August 25th onwards, Horizon has lots of inspirational activations across the Sunshine Coast.
Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award
Presented by Australian Design Centre, Seed Stitch celebrates diverse textile practice. Seed Stitch was developed by the former Seed Stitch Collective (SSC) with the aim to showcase progressive textile art forms and support artists to get work out of their studios and into the public arena. Founded by Soraya Abidin in 2016, this exhibition was born out of her desire to create opportunities to exhibit alongside like-minded artists. Digital Fabrics was a proud sponsor of the award this year.
The International Sourcing Expo Australia connects Australian and New Zealand trade buyers with a broad range of manufacturers and suppliers from across the globe from November 21 – 23.
With a focus on apparel, accessories and textiles, the event provides an efficient way for international sourcing, learning and networking for industry professionals. If you’re looking to improve or diversify your supply chain and product offer, compare production capability and costs, produce your own label or start a new sourcing business, this is the event for you.
So much to see and do in 2023, we are excited to see Australia’s art and fashion industries come alive again.