The CCF/FCMA’s 10th annual national conference, Igniting Citizenship, really lit up the town last week! With 64 delegates representing every province and territory as well as special guests from Scotland and France, the event was a truly international success.
Official conference programming included a whopping 28 presentations, 18 breakout sessions, a vibrant welcome reception and presentation of the CCF/FCMA’s new Robert Jekyll Award for Leadership in Craft to the very deserving Ann Roberts, as well as the Naked Craft exhibition opening at Centre Materia, a tour of the studios at the Maison des métiers d’art, and the prime social event of the conference: the Naked Craft en direct Symposium.
The opportunities for networking, professional development, idea generation and inspiration were countless, and heartily taken up by our eager delegates and guests. Presentations on the creative endeavours of the provincial and territorial crafts councils, the changes to come at the Canada Council for the Arts, the purpose and goals of the Économusée Network, Studio Magazine, the Institut national des métiers d’art in France and Creative Scotland, all these and more provided information and enlightenment on exciting activities and opportunities. The brand new and very exciting launch of the Citizens of Craft website (if you have not made a profile already, now is the time), talks on craft as public art, breakout sessions to discuss issues in diversity and representation, international opportunities, craft council functions and abilities, and craft education all contributed to a vibrant discourse that spread across four jam-packed days.
Thankfully, the discussions and the debates do not end here. Every attendee will take the information they learned and the inspiration they gleaned from the many events home, to their own regions, to share the good ideas and to encourage more work on the ground across Canada and beyond. Not only that, but the CCF/FCMA captured a lot of great material during the event, and we’re working away on a series of videos that will bring the conference to life for everyone with an interest in craft. Watch for much more as the ripple effects of Igniting Citizenship build into waves.
The CCF/FCMA is grateful to the many organizations, funding agencies and individuals who made this conference a reality. Thank you to our financial supporters at the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, and SODEC for providing extensive funding. Thank you to the Conseil des métiers d’art, our conference hosts and partners for all the events. Thank you to Centre Materia, the Tryp Pur Hotel, Manoir Montmorency and the Maison des métiers d’art for hosting us in such beautiful surroundings, and thank you most of all, to the many staff and volunteers across the country who contributed their positive energy and time to the many events.
If you missed out this year, fear not: the CCF/FCMA’s 2016 conference is already in the works. We can’t wait to welcome you all to the craft-education based conference in Alberta next October. (Sign up for our bi-weekly enewsletter to receive updates on this event, and much more.)