Calling all artists! Ninth annual CRAFTED opens applications 

Artisans and artists from across Manitoba, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut invited to apply! 

Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 1, 2023: The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is thrilled to open the Call for Artists for the ninth annual CRAFTED, Winnipeg’s premier sale of contemporary art.   

CRAFTED 2023 will gather fine craft artists and designers from Manitoba, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut together to host a runway show and marketplace, helping craft artists connect with colleagues across the country, access vital income, and engage with an audience that is passionate about craft and supporting the people who make fine handmade goods.  

This year, applicants can apply for CRAFTED: Show + Sale, which features a Living Lookbook event for fashion designers, as well CRAFTED: A Fashion Show, which features a runway show that winds through five exhibition galleries. All applications go through a juried selection process.  

The CRAFTED application deadline is June 30, 2023. 

Quick Facts: 

• Since 2015, CRAFTED has been Winnipeg’s premier sale of contemporary craft, drawing 3,500-4,000 visitors and approximately $350,000 in sales annually.  
• The ninth annual CRAFTED will take place from November 1-5, 2023. On November 1, CRAFTED: A Fashion Show will showcase up to 200 looks on the runway. Looks will include ready-to-wear fits, sculptural designs, wearable works of art, and traditional Inuit garments from the WAG-Qaumajuq permanent collection. Models will be accessorized with handmade items by CRAFTED vendors. From November 3-5, the CRAFTED: Show + Sale invites visitors to shop from 100 craft artists stationed on all four floors of the gallery, featuring a Living Lookbook and ready-to-wear collections from many of the fashion designers. 
• To support artists, CRAFTED maintains accessible participation fees and artists keep 100% of the profit from their sales. 
• One of the unique features of CRAFTED is a philanthropic component that changes each year. This year, we’re working with Lourdes Still of Masagana Flower Farm & Studio to offer the purchase of a DIY Floral Dye Kit, including supplies and online instruction. Net proceeds will be donated to Sunshine House, a Community Drop-in and Resource Centre focusing on Social Inclusion and Harm Reduction in Winnipeg. 

Quotes: 

“Every year, CRAFTED connects lovers and makers of contemporary craft in a beautiful setting. Seeing applications come in, getting to know new craft artists here in Manitoba and across the North, and welcoming back the artists who’ve inspired us in previous years is incredibly exciting. We’re thrilled to be partnering again with the Manitoba Craft Council, Northwest Territories Arts, and the Nunavut Development Corporation, and for the first time with the Avataq Cultural Institute and the Nunatsiavut Government. These partnerships mean that for the first time, CRAFTED will have artistic representation from all areas of Inuit Nunangat, the homelands of Inuit in Canada.” 

— Sherri Van Went, Retail Operations Manager, WAG-Qaumajuq 

Support 

WAG-Qaumajuq thanks the Manitoba Craft Council (MCC), Northwest Territories Arts (NWT Arts), Nunavut Development Corporation (NDC), Avataq Cultural Institute, and the Nunatsiavut Government for their partnership.  

Associated Links  

CRAFTED Applications and Application Guide 

Stay Connected  

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram #atwag 

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For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:  

Hanna Waswa
Public Relations Officer
Winnipeg Art Gallery
204.789.1295
hwaswa@wag.ca
 

The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is a cultural advocate using art to connect, inspire, and inform. Playing a dynamic role in the community, we are a place for learning, dialogue, and enjoyment through art. Opened in March 2021, Qaumajuq connects to the WAG on all levels, celebrating the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. The new WAG-Qaumajuq cultural campus is now one of the largest art museums in Canada. To learn more visit wag.ca. 

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