Undercurrent 2025: A beloved design market enters an exciting new era

Posted on 11 November, 2025

For 16 years, the Undercurrent Design Market has been a fixture on Canberra’s cultural calendar. This November, the market enters a fresh chapter, moving to the historic Gorman Arts Centre under new stewardship while holding onto everything that made it special.

Craft + Design Canberra has received the gift of Undercurrent from its founders, Richard Baz and Mel O’Hanlon of The Curatoreum, who’ve spent years building it from 30 regional makers at the National Portrait Gallery into a nationally recognised event that now draws over 13,000 visitors annually.

Running from 4 pm to 8 pm on Friday 21 November, then 10 am to 5 pm Saturday 22 and 10am to 4 pm Sunday 23 November, this year’s market brings together more than 50 accomplished makers from across Australia. And the new venue? It couldn’t be more fitting.

A fresh new venue

Gorman Arts Centre in Braddon has long been one of Canberra’s creative heartbeats – a collection of historic buildings and charming courtyards that house artists, makers, and arts organisations. Moving Undercurrent here feels like a natural move, nestled within an arts precinct that already pulses with creative energy.

The venue shift brings practical benefits too. More space means a more comfortable browsing experience, and this year’s market includes a bar and food options, transforming the weekend into more of a celebration than simply a shopping expedition.

Imagine wandering through studios-turned-stalls with a glass of wine in hand, pausing to chat with makers about their process, then settling into a courtyard to admire your finds.

Get up close and personal with makers

Over 50 stallholders will fill the centre, representing contemporary work across jewellery, glass, ceramics, textiles, and diverse creative mediums. The lineup mixes familiar local favourites with interstate makers Canberrans rarely get to meet face-to-face. You can ask about their process, learn why they chose particular materials, understand the story behind specific pieces.

Canberra makers like ceramic artist Josephine Townsend and textile artist Julie Ryder will be there, alongside other local favourites Eggpicnic, Ferro Forma, Karen Lee, Kemarre Arts, KIN Gallery, and jeweller Phoebe Porter.

Interstate practitioners who don’t regularly exhibit in the capital include textile specialists like Wendy Voon Knits and You Are Brave Textiles, while ceramic artists span from CBF Ceramics to Sian Thomas Ceramics and Feldmark Pottery.

Who else? Jewellery makers like Emma Kidson, Renate Jewellery, Shabana Jacobson, and via SMiTH, woodcrafter Aya O’Connell, textile designers like Lumi Clothing and The Niki Tree, and leather specialist MW Leather Studio. There’s also Glass Room Canberra showcasing local glasswork, contemporary resin work from MO RESIN and traditional porcelain from Froni Binns. Clothing makers like Cottage Industry and Two Threads offer wearable pieces with character.

Discover the stories behind the pieces

Buying directly from makers means your money goes straight to the person who created the work. But beyond the economics, these face-to-face interactions offer something more valuable: context. Ask about the glazing technique that creates that particular blue, discover what inspired a textile pattern, learn why a jeweller chose that specific stone. The stories behind the pieces often make them even more precious.

It’s a chance to discover pieces you won’t find in typical retail spaces – pieces with character, crafted by hand, often in limited quantities or one-of-a-kind.

Support Australian craft and design

Since 2009, Undercurrent has championed quality craftsmanship while supporting Australian makers’ livelihoods – the market is a practical way for all Canberrans can help ensure craftspeople, designers, and artists receive the recognition and support they deserve.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector building your craft collection, hunting for that perfect gift, or simply curious about what Australia’s makers are creating right now, Undercurrent delivers.