The 2021 DESIGN Canberra Festival has been cancelled this morning with organisers choosing to move the entire program to next year.

Slated to run in the capital from 5-28 November, this year’s festival was designed to support more than 500 artists impacted by COVID-19-driven cancellations.

It would have featured creative workshops (online and in person), online studio tours and interviews, an online art auction, a sketchbook challenge, professional development workshops and some public art commissions.

In a statement, organisers Craft ACT said the decision was made in an effort to keep Canberrans safe.

“The essence of DESIGN Canberra is about connection, community, exploration and activation of our city and given the extended lockdown and the ongoing uncertainty in the coming months we believe moving the 2021 Transformation programming to next year will ensure that the festival will run to its full potential in 2022,” said its CEO Jodie Cunningham.

“While we are disappointed not to hold a physical festival, we look forward to still being able to create a place for our community to come together and support the arts community.”

The DESIGN Canberra Festival will return to the city in November 2022. The full program will be available to view online later this month.

In other Australian festival news, Melbourne’s Architecture Commission is on track to open on 20 November 2021, according to a statement made by the NGV last week.

The gallery plans to make the free installation available to the public until October 2022. Earlier this month, ADR spoke to the pavilion’s designers Taylor Knights and James Carey.

Lead photo: Kengo Kuma’s NAMAKO installation at DESIGN Canberra 2018. Photo: Art Atelier Photography