The Australian Design Centre (ADC), a key institution in Australia’s craft and design landscape, is facing an uncertain future following the loss of critical federal and state government funding. The organisation confirmed yesterday that it will no longer receive four-year operational support from Creative Australia and Create NSW.
The decision will see the withdrawal of approximately $500,000 in base-level annual funding, which has historically underpinned ADC’s operations. While the remainder of its 2025 program — including exhibitions and the Sydney Craft Week Festival — will proceed as planned, the organisation warns that its long-term viability is now at serious risk.
“Without core operational funding, it is difficult to see how ADC can continue in its current form,” the Centre said in a statement.
The future of the ADC’s headquarters on William Street in Darlinghurst also hangs in the balance. The site not only accommodates the organisation’s staff but also houses the Object Shop — a vital retail outlet supporting New South Wales-based craft practitioners. The ADC Board, in consultation with the City of Sydney, is expected to make a decision regarding the site’s future before the end of 2025.
Despite being recommended for funding by peer assessors, ADC was ultimately passed over. The Centre said it was informed that the decision was based on “a lack of available funds and other priorities.”
The funding cut has drawn sharp criticism from across the arts community. The World Crafts Council Australia (WoCCA) expressed its disappointment on social media, stating, “This small, dynamic, independent organisation has nurtured and supported thousands of artists since 1964… presenting work locally, nationally, and internationally.”
Founded in 1964 as Australia’s first national craft association, ADC has played a central role in developing and showcasing craft and design. If it ceases operations, New South Wales would become the only state or territory without a dedicated, government-funded craft and design institution.
In its statement, the ADC acknowledged the legitimacy of the funding process and congratulated successful applicants but described the decision as deeply disheartening.
“We find the decision to remove this base level of operational funding from ADC after decades of investment difficult to understand,” the statement read. “Operating under incredible pressure to perform with inadequate resources, an organisation can only push well above its weight for so long.”
Under the leadership of Executive Director Lisa Cahill since 2016, ADC has forged significant partnerships and delivered wide-reaching programs. In spite of declining core support in real terms since 2015, the Centre has raised over $5 million through project grants, philanthropy, and earned income to sustain its work.
As it looks beyond 2025, ADC is appealing to the community, sector stakeholders, and potential partners to help shape its future. The organisation is seeking formal proposals to support key programs such as its national touring exhibitions (ADC On Tour), its annual Sydney-based exhibitions, the MAKE Award for innovation in Australian craft and design, and the Object Shop.
For now, ADC remains committed to delivering its scheduled programming through 2025, but without renewed core funding, its survival into 2026 and beyond remains uncertain.
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