Event Dates: Friday 5 August – Tuesday 23 August
Venue: The Atrium, Federation Square

The Social Studio and Craft Victoria are proud to partner with Federation Square and the Victorian Small Business Festival for the Super Maker project Magical Tent, bringing art, commerce and people together.

Magical Tent showcases textiles and fashions created by designers from The Social Studio in Collingwood. The Social Studio is a creative enterprise that combines a design and manufacturing space, a retail shop and a vibrant cafe to create training and employment opportunities for refugee youth in fashion, retail and hospitality. It is a space for social connection and the hub for a vibrant community of local artists, crafters and makers.

The Social Studio will transform Federation Square's Atrium into a magical community space for craft-making. In the hand-dyed silk tent, The Social Studio will run a series of workshops hosted by Super Makers from Sudan, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Samoa and Sri Lanka. The tent will be a hub of activity during the festival, leading up to a grand finale closing party which will also launch The Social Studio's Spring / Summer Collection as part of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week.

Super Maker Workshop Program

Super Maker: Abuk Bol
Craft: Hand Embroidery
Date: Tuesday 9 August 2011, 10am-1pm
Workshop: Develop hand embroidery skills with Abuk Bol, who learnt this craft in her home country of Sudan from her eldest sister creating decorative pieces to adorn the home.
Bookings: click here
Cost: $50/$25 Craft Victoria Members

Super Makers: Awen Kuol & Karl Sinlao
Craft: Jewellery design
Date: Wednesday 10 August 2011, 10am-1pm
Workshop: Join Social Studio designers Awen and Karl who will share their talents and inspire you to create your own piece of jewellery using everyday objects and reclaimed materials.
Bookings: click here
Cost: $50/$25 Craft Victoria Members

Super Maker: Haus of Savvy Savage & Pacific Women's Weaving Circle
Craft: Weaving
Date: Thursday 11 August 2011, 10am-1pm
Workshop: Learn to weave a simple table mat with artist Maryann Talia Pau, a Chief of Haus of Savvy Savage, in a banquet installation by Maryann and artist Rachael Waith. Also, see a weaving demonstration by some Super Weavers from the Pacific Women's Weaving Circle and enjoy the chance to buy some beautiful one off pieces of woven jewellery. The PWWC is a space for Pacific Islander women, who meet once a month to share and learn Pacific crafts like weaving.
Bookings: click here
Cost: $50/$25 Craft Victoria Members

Super Maker: Francess Sesay
Craft: Fabric Dyeing
Date: Tuesday 16 August 2011, 10am-1pm
Workshop: In this workshop, Francess will share her years of knowledge and skill in hand dying and embellishing fabrics first learnt in her home country of Sierra Leone. In this workshop you will bring fabric to life using various dyeing techniques.
Bookings: click here
Cost: $50/$25 Craft Victoria Members

Super Maker: Shazia Nasrat, Rania Deng & Ryan Euinton
Craft: Draping
Date: Wednesday 17 August 2011, 10am-1pm
Workshop: Join designers from The Social Studio to explore different cultures and traditional dress styles through the art of draping fabric.
Bookings: click here
Cost: $50/$25 Craft Victoria Members

RISE Artists Performances

RISE (Refugees, Survivors and Ex-Detainees) is an unique organisation which is governed by refugees/asylum seeker and Ex-detainees. RISE exists to enable refugees to build new lives by providing advice, engaging in community development, enhancing opportunity, and campaigning for refugee rights. The artist performances for The Social Studio Magical Tent will feature DJs, break dancing, spoken word + poetry and musicians.
Date: Saturday 20 August 7.30-9.30pm
Cost: Free

Party!

The Social Studio TSS4 Spring / Summer Collection
Date: Thursday 8 September 2011, 6.30-10pm
Venue: BMW Edge, Federation Square
Bookings: www.thesocialstudio.org
Cost: $55/$45 Craft Victoria Members

The Social Studio's Spring Collection will be made with fabric from the Magical Tent, and inspired by the Super Maker project.