George Town Arts and Artisans

In 2021, the Tasmanian Government provided funding as part of an electoral commitment to establish a new Artisans Guild in George Town, aimed at supporting local craftspeople with a new retail display store. In early 2023, the George Town Council held a series of workshops with local artists, artisans, and craftspeople to consult on the development of the project.

Purpose

The Artisans Guild aimed to:

• Provide retail and gallery space for creatives to showcase and sell their products.
• Establish a governance framework to ensure optimal operations, independence, and sustainability.
• Offer affordable workshops and studios for local creatives to share skills, interests, and engage socially in a central location.

Why

George Town is home to a diverse group of talented creatives working in fine art, woodwork, metalwork, textiles, ceramics, and other crafts. Despite the presence of various art groups, there was no independent entity representing all artists or a dedicated space for collaboration, exhibition, and sales.

The Artisans Guild sought to create an environment where creatives could thrive, share knowledge, and develop their skills, while adding value to the local artistic community.

How

The George Town Council provided a retail space on Macquarie Street for artists to showcase and sell their work. This space operated under a cooperative model where artists and artisans volunteered to staff it. Additionally, the Council have supported the establishment of the Artisans Guild, including governance, marketing, and business support, with the goal of transitioning the Guild to an independent and sustainable entity.

The Guild plans to offer low-cost studio spaces based on an application process. These spaces included power and lighting, and featured facilities such as toilets, gallery space, a commercial kitchen, and workshop areas for both internal and external use, including hosting skill classes. The makers’ space is under development approval, with updates to be provided as available.

The grant is administered by the George Town Council and is set to be acquitted in December 2024. The Artisans Guild is now incorporated and on track to achieve full independence by January 2024.

This project is sponsored by the Tasmanian Government and the George Town Council.