The Eastern Region Textile Forum - an update

Article Added: 29/08/2008
Some of you may remember an article in our January newsletter, which featured a new textile forum working in the east of England. The Eastern Region Textile Forum ERTF, are a non-profit making voluntary organisation with a primary aim of promoting textile art throughout the region and beyond.

The group launched as planned in April 2008, with a conference held at the Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford, Essex. The event was attended by 75 delegates and proved to be an enjoyable and dynamic day in which they discussed issues common to everyone involved in the designing and making of textiles. The afternoon’s discussion was led by keynote speaker James hunting, who was very enthusiastic about the future progress of the forum.

Although still in its infancy, ERTF have already been making great progress. In the near future they will be establishing a website and are already in the planning stages for their first exhibition.

By raising the profile of textile art among the general public, ERTF are hoping to create exhibiting opportunities, networking, mentoring and encouragement to students. In time, ERTF are hoping that their resources may be able to benefit textile education, by providing them with the opportunity to draw on the experience of professionals among their members. They also hope to achieve new diplomas and bursaries for students, as well as access to teachers and mentors. There may be opportunities for juried competitions and circulating displays of student’s work for appraisal.

Impressed with how the USA embrace arts such as textiles, ERTF plan to promote needle arts and textiles in our own country by endorsing public displays of applied arts. ERTF have already arranged their next conference for early November, where they will discuss plans on the theme of exhibitions and exhibiting.

HotHive Textiles will bring you more information about the conference in November for those of you who would like to find out more about exhibiting, so keep checking back for further information.