Farewell
After seven years as Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre’s Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director, Avi Amesbury, will retire from her position as CEO at the end of March 2016.

Amesbury’s strong vision for Canberra, its craft and design practitioners and the sector more broadly has seen Craft ACT emerge as a strong national organization with a global reputation. Under her leadership Craft ACT has developed from a much smaller, embryonic emerging organization into a local flagship with a national and international reach. Over the last few years, with initiatives like DESIGN Canberra, its impact has extended more broadly than the arts area into creative industries and issues of public space and urban design. It has become both a highly successful arts organization and an organization of significance related to the future directions of the ACT economy.

Membership development, supporting early career to established artists, building audiences and strengthening sustainability has been at the heart of Amesbury’s focus over the past seven years.

As CEO of Craft ACT for the past seven successful years, Avi has inspired, created, and provided amazing leadership for the unparalleled growth and maturing of the organization. Her support and skill has seen the creation of opportunities for local artists and craftspeople as well as promoting the long term vision for Craft ACT and DESIGN Canberra. Craft ACT is now positioned strongly to move forward, building on the successes to date, to realize its exciting potential in the vibrant, creative and diverse city which Canberra has become over the last five years.

I, together with the Management Committee and all the Craft ACT staff, thank Avi for her dedication, guidance and vision. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Graham Humphries
President, Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre