Celebrating 10 Years of CRAFTED

The idea for an annual craft market at the Gallery began taking shape in 2012, when ShopWAG manager Sherri Van Went organized a mini market as part of WAG’s centennial celebrations. In 2015, with the support of the inaugural volunteer committee co-chaired by Joyce Berry and Hennie Corrin, the concept evolved into CRAFTED: Show + Sale. The event was officially launched with partners Manitoba Craft Council (MCC) and Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (NACA).

“There are so many great artists in ShopWAG, it felt like an obvious thing to do, to create an opportunity for visitors to meet and shop directly from the artists,” says Sherri Van Went, Retail Operations Manager. “I was also in talks with Tammy Sutherland from MCC about partnering on a large market, so things began to fall into place organically.”

In 2015, the WAG was also moving quickly on plans for the Inuit Art Centre, now Qaumajuq, and was working with NACA to showcase Nunavut artists in the Shop. NACA enthusiastically joined the vision for a market, and that year, 50 artists showcased their work throughout the Gallery. Over the years, additional partners, including Northwest Territories Arts, Nunavut Development Corporation, and Avataq Cultural Institute, joined. Today, over 100 vendors from Manitoba and the North participate in the CRAFTED market. Over the years many volunteers from the community including the WAG Associates have worked to grow the event.

“I think CRAFTED is special because of our audience. Vendors tell me all the time that they meet people who really get craft and really want to support artists,” says Sherri. CRAFTED is a juried market, featuring a rotating panel of craft professionals each year. This approach keeps perspectives fresh and provides opportunities for new artists to participate each year. “We want to keep participation fees low so we remain accessible to all kinds of artists, and we also want to offer coaching opportunities – CRAFTED sees 4,000+ visitors and it can be a lot for a new vendor to take in,” notes Sherri.

Another major highlight is hosting the market within the Gallery itself. “Not many galleries support craft artists in this way, but we’ve had great partnerships that allows us to bring together diverse, talented artists from so many different communities.”

From the beginning, CRAFTED aimed to be more than just a market, it sought to give back to the community. Joyce Berry and Hennie Corrin were strong advocates for incorporating a philanthropic component to the sale. Over the years, the sale has partnered with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, where proceeds from beaded needle cases supported their work in fostering learning and dialogue amongst Residential School Survivors, families, and communities. We have also collaborated with ceramicists and chefs, producing two cookbooks spearheaded by Yoko Chapman and Ayoko Design, with proceeds going to Manitoba Harvest, and worked with Cancer Care Manitoba. In recent years, we have developed DIY kits in collaboration with artists and their chosen charities.

This year, Alakan from Haley’s Handicrafts is creating a DIY caribou tufting kit with proceeds going to Rainbow Resource Centre, an organization close to their heart. “I am a huge advocate for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community; growing up in Nunavut, that community is smaller, and I wanted to help out anyone who may be struggling to find community,” says Alakan.

Caribou tufting is very meditative, it helps me get into a healthier mindset and be more present, there is also the cultural connection to the craft–using every part of the animal, so I’m excited to share that with others through the DIY kits. – Alakan

2024 also marks our third annual Fashion Show as part of the CRAFTED weekend, featuring textile and accessory artists showcasing their creations on the winding runway through the galleries. “The Fashion Show kicks off the weekend in a really nice way, and after the show, you can buy the items at the sale, it’s the perfect set up,” says Sherri.