European Tapestry Forum (ETF)
European Tapestry Forum (ETF) is set up by tapestry weavers for tapestry weavers. The organization seeks to encourage the continuing development of the art of tapestry weaving in Europe.
To accomplish this, ETF has outlined their Vision and Mission:
Vision:
To raise the profile of tapestry as an art form and to provide a public platform for tapestry artists
To support and contribute to an ongoing development end renewal of tapestry weaving in Europe
To assist in the development of professional national organizations for tapestry weavers to secure the visibility of the weavers and their work
To succeed in these Visions the Mission of ETF is set in:
To be a network for coordinated action
Sharing knowledge and experience
Facilitating peer-to-peer education and training between weavers in Europe
The goal is to bring tapestry artists together for collaboration and cooperation, exchange of ideas, learning and educating.
ETF is run by a steering committee with representatives from around Europe who volunteer their time and effort in order to succeed in the above visions and missions.
HISTORY
The History of ETF starts in 2001 when the organization was founded. A few years later, in 2005, the juried exhibition of contemporary tapestries entitled ARTAPESTRY commenced. This triennial touring exhibition is organized by the ETF Steering Committee and has taken place in a variety of European cities throughout the years:
ARTAPESTRY 2005-2007:
Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, Aalborg in Denmark, Textilemuseum, Krefeld in Germany and Jean Lurcat Museum, Angers in France.
ARTAPESTRY2 2008-2010:
Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum Aalborg in Denmark, Musée Jean Lurcat Museum, Angers in France and Kunsten Hus, Luleå in Sweden.
ARTAPESTRY3 2012-2014:
ArtCentre Silkeborg Bad, Silkeborg in Denmark, Museum of Central Finland, Jyväskylä in Finland, Kulturcentrum Ronneby, Ronneby in Sweden, Musée Jean Lurçat, Angers in France and Museum of Decorative Arts and Design Riga (Culture Capital 2014) in Latvia.
ARTAPESTRY4 2015:
Rovaniemi Art Museum, Rovaniemi in Finland, Museum Lüneburg, Lüneburg in Germany, Textile Kultur Centre Haslach, Haslach in Austria and ArtCentre Silkeborg Bad, Silkeborg in Denmark.
ARTAPESTRY5 2018-2019:
ArtCenter Silkeborg Bad, Silkeborg in Denmark, Kulturcentrum Ronneby, Ronneby in Sweden, Mark Rothko Art Museum, Daugavpils in Latvia and Arad Art Museum /Arad Art-association, Arad in Romania.
ARTAPESTRY6 2021-2022: In the making.
The purpose of the ARTAPESTRY exhibitions is to give tapestry weavers the opportunity to show their works to a larger European and international audience. ETF strives to showcase woven tapestry as a current, contemporary fine art discipline through these exhibitions.
ETF has also facilitated four master classed and two work-shops, all held in Denmark. Here internationally known artists such Archie Brennan, Susan Martin-Maffei and Helena Hernmarck, all from the United States, and Aino Kajaniemi from Finland has taught the classes.
Furthermore, ETF coordinates in collaboration with Skærbæk Kunstnerhus an Artist in Residence scheme (DIVA program), that has taken place in Denmark since the spring of 2010.
To seek information the website www.tapestry.dk and the ARTAPESTRY catalogues document the exhibitions and provide supplemental information about ETF and current tapestry weavers.
Contact the Secretariat:
Anet Brusgaard
Kastelsvej 6 o.g
DK-2100 Copenhagen
mail@tapestry.dk
www.tapestry.dk
Steering Committee 2020:
Margrethe Agger, Denmark
Anet Brusgaard, Denmark
Thomas Cronenberg, Germany/Australia
Ariadna Donner, Finland
Peter Horn, Germany
Fiona Hutchison, Scotland
Anne Jackson, UK
Katharine Lavocat, France
Ann Naustdal, Norway
Renata Rozsivalova, Czech Republic