Textile Forum South West

Textile Forum South West (TFSW) is a contemporary ‘textile hub' for the southwest. It is a non-profit making, voluntary organisation to promote and develop textiles in all forms for the educational, cultural and economic benefit of the region. It is a point of exchange for people who love making, thinking or talking TEXTILES.

Membership is open to anyone over 18 years of age with a professional or personal interest in textiles and is not limited to those living in the region (for details see the membership page).

Established in February 2004 with the help of funding from Arts Council England, Textile Forum South West generates debate, events and research that will raise the profile of textiles and develop the region's textile culture, creating networking opportunities and encouraging collaboration between education, practitioners, museums, galleries, industry, local authorities and arts organisations.

Whilst TFSW operates from a regional base, it aims to attract a wider participatory audience, particularly through conferences, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, publications and special events.

Textile Forum South West members can join subgroups of the forum that focus on Practice and Industry, Research and Critical Writing, Museums and Heritage, Exhibitions and Audiences and Education and Learning. The subgroups were established to develop regional dialogue, networking and activities centred on specific areas of textiles. Further information is available on each subgroup page.

The Forum is steered by a management committee of textile professionals. This includes representation from practitioners (including regional textile groups), industry, museums and heritage, education and Forum subgroup leaders.

The aims of the Forum for its current work and future development:

Textile Forum South West aims to act as a lobby to advocate for textiles in the region promoting the South West as a leading centre for innovative textile initiatives (in the region and UK initially, aiming towards international collaboration and recognition in the future).

Textile Forum South West aims to encourage mentoring and collaboration between individual textile practitioners and those in other organisations.

Textile forum South West aims to stimulate and encourage research, debate, critical writing and practical action on all aspects of the region's textile culture.

Textile Forum South West aims to act as a focus for the interests of independent textile artists, crafts people and designers and to encourage exhibition and promotion of their work to a wider audience.

Textile Forum South West aims to raise the profile of the textile heritage and culture of the region with government agencies, opinion formers and the general public and to promote it's value within areas of economic development and tourism.

Textile Forum South West aims to liaise with public, private, professional, educational and voluntary organisations to encourage collaboration and partnership in textile initiatives, exhibitions etc.

Textile Forum South West aims to promote and undertake research into models of textile education, art, cultural heritage, manufacture and economic development and identify good practice in these fields and share information.

Textile Forum South West aims to encourage a co-ordinated approach to the development of textiles, promoting the interests, values and activities of textile communities within the region.

Textile Forum South West aims to collaborate with other organisations outside the region on jointly funded textile events and sharing of good practice (e.g. the North West Textile and European Textile Network).

Textile Forum South West aims to ensure that issues of gender, multi-culture, equality of opportunity and good environmental practices are incorporated.