2021

Blacksmiths Festival 2021: A Year of Adaptation and Resilience

Event cancellation and rescheduling

The majority of the 2021 Blacksmiths Festival, originally scheduled for Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 June 2021, was cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdowns. With the support of the Maribyrnong City Council’s Festival City Program, the festival was able to be rescheduled and successfully took place the following year once public events were permitted again.

Activities that went ahead

Despite the cancellation of large-scale public gatherings, several key festival activities were able to proceed, keeping the spirit of blacksmithing alive during a challenging time.

The #150mmChallengeAus exhibition

For the first time, the festival called out to metal artists and blacksmiths to take part in a challenge exploring the creative possibilities of 150mm of steel and copper. The #150mmChallengeAus exhibition, hosted in the Gabriel Gallery next to the festival site, showcased the incredible results of this fiery call to action. The challenge, which originated as a student assignment by lecturer Ambrose Burne at Hereford College of Arts (UK), had become a viral social media sensation.

The exhibition featured 29 submissions, highlighting the depth and innovation of Australian blacksmiths. To ensure accessibility, a virtual gallery was also created, allowing those unable to visit the Footscray gallery to experience the showcase online.

‘Give-It-a-Go’ sessions at Waterside Metal Art studio

Waterside Metal Art Studio hosted a full day of ‘give-it-a-go’ sessions, offering beginners the opportunity to try their hand at traditional forging. Participants left with a hands-on experience of the craft, making the most of the limited festival activities that could safely take place.

Blacksmiths knife workshop with master bladesmith Shawn McIntyre

Renowned bladesmith Shawn McIntyre guided budding smiths through the process of crafting their own blacksmith’s knife. This workshop provided an invaluable opportunity for hands-on learning and skill development, ensuring that festival-goers could still engage with blacksmithing in a meaningful way.

Women’s artistic blacksmithing workshop

With travel restrictions in place, Denise Axelsen from Townsville, QLD, was unable to attend and lead the festival’s second dedicated women’s artistic blacksmithing workshop. However, Victorian blacksmiths Janine Pfeifer and Dara Carey Quilty stepped up to support 10 participants in crafting their own hand-forged hanging candle holder and hook. This adaptation ensured that the festival’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in blacksmithing remained strong.

A testament to community spirit

While the 2021 Blacksmiths Festival did not take place as originally planned, the resilience and adaptability of the blacksmithing community shone through. The continuation of select activities, the success of the #150mmChallengeAus, and the unwavering support of artists and participants demonstrated the strength of this craft and its passionate following.

As the festival moved forward into 2022, these experiences served as a reminder that even in the face of challenges, the fire of blacksmithing continues to burn brightly.