Sydney Craft Week 2026

Sydney Craft Week turns ten this October, and for a while its future was genuinely in doubt. When founder Australian Design Centre began winding up operations, UNSW’s School of Art & Design stepped in to produce the 2026 edition: ten days, over 90 markets, exhibitions, open studios and workshops, and one very fitting theme, “Community.”

Event Overview

Key Highlights

• Makers’ Market at UNSW Art & Design: On Saturday, October 10, the Paddington campus hosts a one-day market of ceramics, jewellery, textiles, fashion, print and sculpture from emerging and established NSW makers.
• Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran in conversation: The ceramicist and UNSW academic, known for exuberant, large-scale ceramic sculpture, talks about his experimental practice in a special In Conversation event.
• Jordan Gower’s first institutional show: “Does the moon know the well?” at UNSW Galleries spotlights the South Australian potter’s refined, material-driven approach to wheel-thrown ceramics.
• Ceramic Business District: The City of Sydney Creative Studios on Bathurst Street fills with clay, including a café installation shaped by its everyday community and the window piece Dream Horse.
• A Career in the Making: On October 13, a panel including Kenny Yong-soo Son of Studio KYSS, which works across objects, interiors and spatial design, unpacks real career paths in craft and design.
• Makers Frontyard Trail: On October 17, front yards, driveways and verandahs across the Inner West turn into pop-up creative spaces where you can meet local makers.

Why Sydney Craft Week 2026 Matters

Sydney Craft Week bills itself as the only festival in Sydney dedicated to making by hand, and since 2017 it has grown to more than 600 makers, 245 events across 37 suburbs and an estimated 86,000 visitors. This tenth edition carries extra weight, because UNSW’s backing keeps that network going after Australian Design Centre’s closure. For interior designers and architects, it’s a chance to meet the ceramicists, weavers and object makers behind pieces that give a space its character, and to talk materials and process face to face.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sydney Craft Week 2026 free to attend?

Many events are free and family-friendly, while ticketed events are handled by their host venues, so check each listing before you head out.

How do I find events near me?

The program on the Visit Info page linked above can be filtered by date, by region (North, South, East, West, Greater Sydney and beyond, or Online) and by category, such as markets, open studios or workshops.

Can I still host an event or exhibit this year?

Not for 2026, since entries closed on June 20. The festival runs a call for entries each year for makers, galleries, shops, guilds, libraries, councils and studios, so keep an eye on the Exhibit Info link above.