About the Fair
Creating Australia’s iconic art and craft experience.
Our focus is to celebrate and nurture high quality artists and makers across a broad range of crafts both traditional and contemporary, who are encouraged to show their works being created at the fair. With over 200 exhibitors, a majority are from Tasmania with a quality selection from interstate Australia.
Our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan focuses on 4 areas:
A thriving creative community - create opportunities for artists and makers to network, grow their markets and share their stories.
A clear community difference - continue to fund and support diverse community programs across the year to encourage connectedness and assist each other in the Rotary spirit of service.
Valued economic impact - understanding and leveraging our economic impact for individual exhibitors, local community and the Tasmanian visitor economy.
Future-orientated - focused on sustainability in all forms, from environmental impact to investment in strong foundations for the ongoing delivery of the Fair.
We also welcome International visiting artists, and each year, exhibitors compete for the coveted $10,000 Premiers Arts Award sponsored by the Tasmanian Government. Each year visitors deliver a $2.5 million impact to the community plus the budget spent to hold the event and that’s growing!
Our target for growth is to grow to 30,000 attendances at the 2030 event.
Community Impact
A portion of Craft Fair profits are provided to the Rotary Club of Deloraine to invest on their many local, national and international humanitarian projects. With the implementation of the 2024-29 Strategic Plan, extra funds will be directed to the ongoing investment and transition of the Fair, securing longevity for decades to come.
Some of these community projects, of nearly 200 in total, include:
Within Tasmania:
Provision of scholarships to outstanding secondary students towards Tertiary education.
Running the Tasmanian part of the national Model United Nations Assembly for secondary students.
Financial support to the Deloraine Hospital in setting up a hospice care facility and provision of beds.
Learn to Swim Program in Deloraine for younger children
Construction of walking bridges across the Meander River Deloraine
Nationally:
Financial donations to drought, fire, flood relief programs and rural mental health programs.
Internationally:
Financial support of Polio eradication, anti-Malaria programs run by Rotary International.
Support to eye clinics in Nepal
Provision of water wells in Fiji
Volunteer Rotary groups to work on various projects in Tanzania, Nepal and Fiji.
Some of the funds go to service groups such as Apex and other Rotary Clubs in the region that have provided volunteers to assist with the TCF. These clubs in turn use the money to funding their own local charities or civic projects.
The Tasmanian Craft Fair is supported by the Tasmanian Government and many other generous sponsors.
History of the Fair
In the late 1970s Deloraine experienced an influx of artists and craftspeople seeking an alternative lifestyle. Rotarians at the time explored ways of facilitating the integration of these new creative people into the conservative farming community. The Rotary President of the time, John Sullivan, suggested a Craft Fair as a way not only to bring the two parts of the community together, but also to develop an avenue for the artisans to sell their products.
John's idea was taken up by the Rotary Club of Deloraine, which started development of the inaugural event in 1981. This was called the Tasmanian Cottage Industry Exhibition and Craft Fair. The Fair boasted 34 exhibitors and during the two days attracted about 3,000 people to the local Community Centre. It was a huge success as it provided a window of opportunity for people to display and sell their work.
During the ensuing years the Fair continued to develop and expand with increased numbers of both exhibitors and attendees. As the Fair grew it was necessary to find additional space, so it spread throughout various venues around the town and gallery owners became involved. Cottage industries blossomed to include cheese, wine, liqueurs, truffles, and more.
The Fair grew to such an extent that it gained recognition as a major Tasmanian event. Publicity for the Fair began to go national and, to help in attracting Government assistance, in 1996 the Rotary Club decided to change the name from the Tasmanian Cottage Industry Exhibition and Craft Fair to the Tasmanian Craft Fair. This gave focus to the State as well as the event.
Now as we embark on another 40 or more years, we’re implementing a 5 year Strategic Plan to ensure the relevance and growth of this iconic event led by the current Fair Director Michael Plunket.