As the page turns to a new year, the Canadian Crafts Federation looks forward to an active 2011 and a whole new year of exciting activity.

With our Annual Conference scheduled to take place this July in Iqaluit, Nunavut, the CCF/FCMA will hold our first ever set of meetings in the Canadian Arctic. Partnership with the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association as well as government and corporate sponsors will ensure the meetings and other artistic activities in the region expand mutual understanding between the many provincial and territorial craft councils.

A complete renewal of key governance and planning documents is reformatting the way the CCF/FCMA works, and our future plans. The first quarter of the new year is dedicated to completing updates and the compilation of our bylaws, policies and procedures, a new membership structure, and most importantly – a new three year plan. This interactive process includes feedback from all our member organizations, as we solidify our needs, our strengths, and our intentions for the near future.

Advocacy has been a major focus of the CCF/FCMA over the past year, and 2011 will be no exception. Working with our partners in the Visual Arts Alliance, the Canadian Conference of the Arts, Statistics Canada, Canadian Heritage and others, we will continue our efforts to increase opportunities for Canadian craft artists, the understanding and value of fine craft, as well as the importance of visual arts and Canadian culture in general.

The staff and board of the CCF/FCMA is positioned to make this next year a fantastic one! If you’d like to be involved, or have suggestions on what you’d like the organization to take on – please feel free to contact us.