Fibres West Latest News
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Fibres West 2021 - the difficult decision
June 29, 2021
This morning, and with a heavy heart, the Fibres West committee made the difficult decision to cancel Fibres West 2021. It is not what we or anyone involved wanted, but given the current situation the decision was, in a manner of speaking, made for us.
With only 5 days to go until the start of Fibres West, we met (via Zoom), to take stock and asses the impact of the minimum 4-day lockdown for Perth and the Peel region. We would normally have been incredibly busy right now with final, hands-on preparations; the majority of which are now not possible due to the lockdown. Our advance party, including a full truck of equipment, would have travelled to Muresk Institute on Friday, also not possible now. We liaised with Muresk Institute (the venue for Fibres West) to consider the logistics of social distancing, and the potential risk involved when people from various (and many ‘safe’) regions gather in relatively close proximity for a week.
We are acutely aware that our tutors made extensive preparations for their workshops and spending time away from their studio, practice and other work. We were sad to have to cancel four workshops as a number of tutors were unable to travel from Victoria, NSW and ACT due to border restrictions having been introduced at short notice. However, some of our other interstate tutors were able to arrive in WA much earlier than originally planned to avoid possible further border restrictions and, with the introduction of our inaugural studio program for those participants whose workshops had been cancelled, we were well on track to deliver another stimulating and creative Fibres West event.
Ten Traders were set to attend Fibres West with their wares, and volunteers from the Embroiderers' Guild Collection Group and Designing Women respectively, had prepared wonderful exhibitions. We have a colourful and inspiring display of the work of renowned silk 'paper' artist Judith Pinnell all ready to be installed.
And then, of course, the 120 participants, all of whom had made preparations for their respective classes and, like our tutors, arrangements to be away from home for a week.
However, we simply had no way of knowing what restrictions may remain in place beyond Friday. In today's announcement, WA premier Mark McGowan alluded to a gradual 'transitioning down' rather than removing lockdown restrictions entirely after the initial four days. With community acquired cases of Covid-19 in the Perth region, we assessed that the risk of proceeding with Fibres West proved just too high and, out of consideration for everybody, we made the responsible call to cancel Fibres West 2021.
The small and close-knit Fibres West team are currently busy cancelling things and feeling somewhat 'gutted'; so much careful planning and preparation goes into an event of this nature. In the end, having pulled out all the stops to make Fibres West 2021 a reality, we made the tough call when it counts.
But rest assured that Fibres West Inc. will survive this. When all is said and done, we will have taken a bit of a financial hit but thanks to excellent financial management by our Treasurer Marilyn Clark-Murphy, the finances of our not-for-profit organisation are in good order. And we are also a bunch of determined women! As one participant put it so well after receiving the news Fibres West had been cancelled: "I admire the strength shown in this decision. - “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt."
Thank you Ruth!
All this means is that, when things settle down and our heads are a little clearer, we will turn our focus to planning the next Fibres West event. We thank everyone for your support and understanding which means a great deal to us all.
Watch this space, to quote Arnie “We will be back ……”
Warm wishes,
The Fibres West committee
Martien van Zuilen | Convenor
Marilyn Clark-Murphy | Treasurer
Sue Stoney | Secretary
Jan Arnold | General committee member
Jan Campbell | General committee member
Meagan Howe | General committee member
Tania Spencer | General committee member
Caitlin Stewart | General committee member
June 29, 2021
This morning, and with a heavy heart, the Fibres West committee made the difficult decision to cancel Fibres West 2021. It is not what we or anyone involved wanted, but given the current situation the decision was, in a manner of speaking, made for us.
With only 5 days to go until the start of Fibres West, we met (via Zoom), to take stock and asses the impact of the minimum 4-day lockdown for Perth and the Peel region. We would normally have been incredibly busy right now with final, hands-on preparations; the majority of which are now not possible due to the lockdown. Our advance party, including a full truck of equipment, would have travelled to Muresk Institute on Friday, also not possible now. We liaised with Muresk Institute (the venue for Fibres West) to consider the logistics of social distancing, and the potential risk involved when people from various (and many ‘safe’) regions gather in relatively close proximity for a week.
We are acutely aware that our tutors made extensive preparations for their workshops and spending time away from their studio, practice and other work. We were sad to have to cancel four workshops as a number of tutors were unable to travel from Victoria, NSW and ACT due to border restrictions having been introduced at short notice. However, some of our other interstate tutors were able to arrive in WA much earlier than originally planned to avoid possible further border restrictions and, with the introduction of our inaugural studio program for those participants whose workshops had been cancelled, we were well on track to deliver another stimulating and creative Fibres West event.
Ten Traders were set to attend Fibres West with their wares, and volunteers from the Embroiderers' Guild Collection Group and Designing Women respectively, had prepared wonderful exhibitions. We have a colourful and inspiring display of the work of renowned silk 'paper' artist Judith Pinnell all ready to be installed.
And then, of course, the 120 participants, all of whom had made preparations for their respective classes and, like our tutors, arrangements to be away from home for a week.
However, we simply had no way of knowing what restrictions may remain in place beyond Friday. In today's announcement, WA premier Mark McGowan alluded to a gradual 'transitioning down' rather than removing lockdown restrictions entirely after the initial four days. With community acquired cases of Covid-19 in the Perth region, we assessed that the risk of proceeding with Fibres West proved just too high and, out of consideration for everybody, we made the responsible call to cancel Fibres West 2021.
The small and close-knit Fibres West team are currently busy cancelling things and feeling somewhat 'gutted'; so much careful planning and preparation goes into an event of this nature. In the end, having pulled out all the stops to make Fibres West 2021 a reality, we made the tough call when it counts.
But rest assured that Fibres West Inc. will survive this. When all is said and done, we will have taken a bit of a financial hit but thanks to excellent financial management by our Treasurer Marilyn Clark-Murphy, the finances of our not-for-profit organisation are in good order. And we are also a bunch of determined women! As one participant put it so well after receiving the news Fibres West had been cancelled: "I admire the strength shown in this decision. - “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt."
Thank you Ruth!
All this means is that, when things settle down and our heads are a little clearer, we will turn our focus to planning the next Fibres West event. We thank everyone for your support and understanding which means a great deal to us all.
Watch this space, to quote Arnie “We will be back ……”
Warm wishes,
The Fibres West committee
Martien van Zuilen | Convenor
Marilyn Clark-Murphy | Treasurer
Sue Stoney | Secretary
Jan Arnold | General committee member
Jan Campbell | General committee member
Meagan Howe | General committee member
Tania Spencer | General committee member
Caitlin Stewart | General committee member
