Australian Fibre Art Award (AFAA)
The Australian Fibre Art Award is a biennial juried non-acquisitive award of $2000, which was run for the first time in 2021.
We are on for 2025!
The AFAA 2025 will be exhibited at Gallery76, Embroiderers’ Guild NSW, from Friday 29th August 2025 until Monday 29th September 2025 (announcement of the winner on Saturday 30th August).
Entry forms will be available very early in December 2024 – just finalising the dates ☺
So that you can get creating, we have some of the terms and conditions for you:
- You must reside in Australia
- Submitted works must be created with fibres of any type as the artist’s starting point (e.g., felting, weaving, crochet, knitting, macramé and so on) and be the artist’s original design and work.
- Artists may submit up to four works for consideration. Each work must have been executed since 1st August 2023 and not have been publicly displayed in full or part by any means, electronic or otherwise.
- All works must be for sale.
- All works must be available for the exhibition.
- Maximum size for entries is 150cm x 150cm (including framing, and full width of any multi-panel works).
…and, there is no theme for the exhibition ☺
Well, 2023’s Award and exhibition was fantastic – scroll down to see the outcomes ♥
What is Fibre Art?
When we started organising the Australian Fibre Art Award alongside its sister award, the Australian Textile Art Award, some asked “why?”, and “aren’t they the same thing?”.
Well, yes… and no.
Whilst there is some overlap between the two, there are some artworks which could never be classified as textile but are most assuredly created with fibres. This meant that many artists creating incredible artworks were left out of many opportunities to showcase their art. We wanted fibre artists within Australia to have an avenue through which they may do so, and you will see some perfect examples in the AFAA 2021 book and AFAA 2023 book.
From Wikipedia, a “fibre is a natural or man-made substance that is significantly longer than it is wide”.
Natural fibres include those from animals, vegetation, and a small number of minerals (in particular asbestos, but we won’t go there). Examples include flax, cotton, bark, wool, alpaca fleece, hair/fur from other animals (including pets), and silk from moths and spiders.
Man-made fibres include a whole swathe of possibilities: glass, fibreglass, carbon, metals, various polymers (e.g. nylon and polyester), plastics and more.
Inspired? Why not consider entering our Australian Fibre Art Award?
To keep up to date with news as it happens, you may like to Like and Follow us on our AFAA Facebook page.
BOOK OF THE AFAA 2023 FINALISTS:
The book showing all finalists’ artworks (including information about each artwork and an artist’s statement), plus information about our judges and some of their artworks may be purchased HERE.
AFAA 2023 Results:
AFAA 2023 Winner: CATHERINE O’LEARY (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
Catherine O’Leary (2023), “Depression”, 80 x 80cm: Merino wool felt, stitched and drawn with pen and ink.
AFAA 2023 Judges’ Highly Commended: ELLEN KING (sponsored by Gentle Roller Co. )
Ellen King (2022), “Unbalanced”, 120 x 108 x 17cm: Wet felted, Merino fibre, hand-dyed polyester fabric, internal wire, Perspex rod.
AFAA 2023 Viewers Choice: ELLEN KING (sponsored by Lynda Anne)
Ellen King (2022), “Unbalanced”, 120 x 108 x 17cm: Wet felted, Merino fibre, hand-dyed polyester fabric, internal wire, Perspex rod.
Scroll down the page to see the 2021 AFAA winners.
Our Sponsors:
Publishers of Australia’s own well respected craft and lifestyle magazines: Embellish, Felt, Yarn, Textile Fibre Forum and Vintage Made.
The Embroiderers’ Guild NSW Inc.
Encouraging the art of embroidery with a high standard of design and technique, the ‘Guild’ is a not-for-profit membership body for anyone and everyone who loves to stitch or would love to learn. People of all ages and walks of life join the Guild for all sorts of reasons: following their creative urge; mastery of a new skill; a love of traditional crafts; memories of learning from family members; the company of like-minded people – just to name a few!
Marlyn Alpaca
The Thread Studio
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BOOK OF THE AFAA 2021 FINALISTS:
The book showing all finalists’ artworks (including information about each artwork and an artist’s statement), plus information about our judges and some of their artworks may be purchased HERE.
Virtual Tour of the AFAA 2021 exhibition:
Check out the virtual tour of the AFAA 2021 exhibition HERE and also on a blog post HERE.
AFAA 2021 Results:
AFAA 2021 Winner: CATHERINE O’LEARY (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
“Hope” by Catherine O’Leary, 2021, 45 x 30 x 30cm; Merino wool, wet Nuno felting, printed silk, burnt, and stitched with wool thread.
AFAA 2021 Judges’ Highly Commended: JOY DENISE SCOTT (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
“Relic Series: What lies beneath my breast” by Joy Denise Scott, 25th June 2021, 65 x 49 x 3cm; Framework of Mulberry bark; cotton organdie, silk organza, embroidery threads.
Excellence in Felt: DENISE LITHGOW (sponsored by Gentle Roller Co.)
“Yellow Cocoon” by Denise Lithgow, 20th June 2021, 80 x 38 x 23cm; Merino, Suffolk and crossbreed wool from the “paddock to process”, handwashed fleece, carded, eco-dyed using native Australian plants and onion skins and silk tops, matt varnish.
Viewers Choice: JESSICA SMITH (sponsored by ArtWear Publications)
“Wilderness Prophet” by Jessica Smith, 28th March 2021, 35 x 50 x 22cm; Merino tops, wire armature, Opalite gemstone, wood, metallic threads, cotton and wool yarns, findings.