The Fair

The biggest and best craft fair in the Southern Hemisphere is on again in the scenic and delightfull Deloraine, Tasmania from Friday 31 October to Monday 3 November...

Come and see four days of Australia's best arts and crafts

What's new in 2008?

This year we are proud to offer an extensive array of talents, products, and entertainment to the public, as well as:
- special exhibitions of the "Legends" of the Tasmanian Craft Fair
- the New Zealand Association of Leater Artisans
- an amazing array of screen printing
- fantastic entertainment
- gourmet pantry

- working exhibits
- activities for the children

- musicians and street performers



This yearly event is huge! so we have (for your convinience) a fleet of free buses running continuously around the venue on the eastern side of the river.
The first one leaves Alveston Drive (venue 5) soon after the Tasmanian Craft fair opens, and the last bus leaves the showground (venue 7) around 4.30pm on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and 3.30pm on the Monday.

This year, a spaecial bus will run from the venue 1 across the bridge and up the main road of Deloraine to venue 10, and return. This bus route has been created for your convinience in geting across the river to visit the venueon the wesern side of the river, the town centre, the Great Western Tiers Visitor Centre, the ATM machines for additional cash.

Where To Eat:

To tantalize your tastebuds with the finest foods and drinks of Tasmania, we can offer you the following:

Venue 1 (Community Centre):
- Velocci Coffee Carts : (hot beaverages and cookies)
- Vanilla Icecream : (vanilla icecream)

Venue 5 (Community Complex):
- Christmas Hills Rasberry Farm : (rasberry waffles cones, cheesecakes, sauces, choc-coated rasberries, hot drinks, and more...)
- Velocci Coffee Carts : (hot beaverages and cookies)
- Apex Club of Deloraine : (steak sandwiches, hamburgers, chips, donuts, hot and cold drinks...)
- Lions Club of Deloraine : (hamburgers, fairy floss, cold drinks...)
- Mrs M : (mixed plates, roast meals, casseroles, sandwiches, rolls, wraps, soup, and desserts)

Venue 7 (Showground):
- Deloraine Show Society : (hot foods, steak sandwiches, hamburgers, egg and bacon rolls, kransky, a selection of gourmet pies, salad rolls, sandwiches, icecream, cakes, hot and cold drinks...)

Venue 8 (Rotary Park):
- Anvers : (hot chocolate)
- Tas Game & Gourme : (souvlaki, bbq game - ostrich, wallaby, venison, buffalo, chicken, scollops, salmon)
- Glennroys : (expresso coffees, teas and milkshakes)
- Bilambil Berry Farm : (pancakes with blueberry, rasberry, or maple syrup toppins, and icecream)
- Original Oven Baked Tasmanian Potatoes : (baked potatoes with butter, bacon, our cream, cheese, and coleslaw)
- Hilda's Kitchen : (international cuisine)
- Tio Rico : (Mexico food and drink)
- The Creamery : (gelato and milkshakes)
- Taslo : (sweet buscuit/bread dougn cylinder rolled in vanilla sugar, cinnamon and wallnut served with honey custard and stewed apples)

The Awards:

The Tasmanian Craft Fair is delighted to announce a doubling of the prize money available for artists involved in the Fair in 2008

The major prize, the Premier’s Award for Excellence is now $10000, up from $3000 in previous years. Substantially supported by the Hon. David Bartlett MHA, the Premier of Tasmania, and his Cabinet, this award acknowledges the significant role that artists and crafts people play in the economic and cultural life of Tasmania.

Tasmania is recognised world-wide for the quality and variety of art works produced here

A second award, sponsored by Craft Arts International seeks to highlight an artist whose work shows particular merit. The winner will be featured in Craft Arts International magazine, in a portfolio valued at $3000. In addition, he or she will receive a cheque for $1000 from the Rotary Club of Deloraine.

The Working Exhibit Award, sponsored this year by Tasmanian Alkaloids, highlights our traditional focus on encouraging exhibitors to demonstrate their craft to the visitors. The award is worth $1000.

Impact Fertilisers have been a long-term sponsor of the Fair and this year will sponsor Stand Presentation. Many stall-holders go to enormous trouble to construct a creative display and the Award of $1000 acknowledges the value of good presentation.

The Award for Innovative and Functional Design is sponsored by a first-time sponsor in The Artis Garrett. The $1000 attempts to identify the crafts professional who ‘thinks outside the square’.

The Gourmet Pantry has been a popular attraction since being introduced several years ago. Because of the particular nature of the exhibitors, a special award is presented. To the value of $1000, this award is sponsored by the Deloraine and District Community Bank.

Finally, the Rotary Club of Deloraine offers $1000 to the best of the First Time Exhibitors.

The judges this year are Katherine Hough, Director of Arts Tasmania, Marion Marshall, a well-known gold- and silver-smith from Melbourne, and Heather Butler MHA. Their job is a most difficult one.
The Awards are presented at a ceremony which will be held in the Deloraine Community Complex Auditorium at 6.30pm on Saturday, November 1st.

The judges at the Craft Fair play a very important role

Emerging Artist:

One of the original aims of the Tasmanian Craft Fair was to encourage artists in the early stages of their career to gain some recognition of their skills and exposure to a wider audience.

An important element of this goal is the appointment most years of an Emerging Artist. Recent artists selected for this role include Belinda Kurczok, Peter LeBatchelor and, in 2007, Georgina Richmond.

Not all emerging artists are young. The 2008 Emerging Artist is Robert Hedger who has commenced a second career as a printmaker, after 40 years as a professional chef.

Robert lives at Caveside and has settled in Tasmania ‘because of the light.’ He works in a variety of printing techniques, always searching for that elusive sense of perfection. His work will be on display in Venue 5, the Community Complex.

Out Of This World:

In the 28 years of its existence, the Tasmanian Craft Fair has seen the emergence of many artists who have become nationally and internationally celebrated. We are fortunate to be situated in Deloraine, recognised widely as a town enriched by its artistic heritage.

The 2008 Special Exhibition is entitled ‘Out of this world; legends of the Tasmanian Craft Fair’. The curator, Jane Deeth, has brought together work by some practitioners who have maintained an edge over many years by continually renewing their practice and some who have only recently begun the journey.

Gold and silversmiths Hugh and Mary MacLachlan; wood designer-maker Toby Muir-Wilson; painter Tony Smibert; glass designer-maker Julian Bamping; and ceramicists Lisa Boyter and Rudolf Sibrava have connections to the beginnings of the Tasmanian Craft Fair, developing significant reputations and sending their refined and beautiful work to the world.

Ceramic artist Sachiko Mardon; painter Mairi Ward; glass artists Keith Dougall; designer Simon Ancher; and jewellery designers Dick and Dora are the next generation.


     Proudly presented by the Rotary Club of Deloraine, Tasmania.