The biennial We the Makers - Sustainable Fashion Prize program at the National Wool Museum is poised to win two industry awards, less than a month after being named Australia's best regional museum.
Up-and-coming fashion designers from all over the world are challenged by the We the Makers program to produce a unique ensemble that embodies their own style and demonstrates their dedication to sustainable fashion.
In keeping with Geelong's status as a UNESCO City of Design, it is the only sustainable fashion prize available in Australia for up-and-coming designers with less than ten years of professional experience. Additionally, it supports the city's continued involvement in the wool, fiber, and textile industries.
The Australian Museum and Galleries Association (AMaGA) has now acknowledged the program and accepted nominations for its upcoming national and Victorian awards.The We the Makers program is vying for the 2024 AMaGA National Awards' Art of Expression Award, which honors excellence and noteworthy accomplishments in the visual and spoken arts related to promoting museums, galleries, or other cultural institutions.The program has been shortlisted for the Medium Sized Project of the Year Award in the 2024 AMaGA Victorian State Awards.This award, which is given to organizations that support and grow the state's creative and cultural industries through exceptional work and a dedication to best practices, recognizes and celebrates excellence across the sector.
The nominations, according to Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan, demonstrated the exceptional work of the National Wool Museum staff."These two new nominations further emphasise why the National Wool Museum is the Wotif Uniquely Aussie best regional museum, which was announced recently," the speaker said."It is encouraging to see the curators and exhibitors' work being recognized; they have done an amazing job with the We the Makers program."The program and other museum exhibits, according to Padraic Fisher, director of the National Wool Museum, were obviously making an impression."The number of visits so far in the calendar year has increased by 10% over the previous year, and the increase so far in the financial year is 20%.
In light of this, along with the nominations we received for the Wotif Uniquely Aussie best regional museum award, it appears that the public is responding well to the exhibits we host here.The Victorian awards will take place on October 1st, and the AmaGA national awards on Tuesday, September 17th.