Blak Design

An Australian first, Blak Design is innovative and Indigenous-led, and is a crucial step towards addressing the systemic barriers that have historically prevented many First Nations creatives from accessing the training, resources and opportunities necessary to fully participate within the national design sector. The program aims to equip First Nations creatives with the skills, confidence and industry networks necessary to advance their own design and commercial expertise, with the goal of nurturing long-term commercially sustainable design practices and, at the same time, ensure that First People’s voices and perspectives contribute to a more equitable, authentic and inclusive Australian design sector.

Each year, First Nations creatives participating in the Blak Design program engage in a series of intensive mentored workshops that address a range of professional development opportunities, including building their practical design skills, incorporating cultural storytelling into the design process, and providing guidance on commercial and small business practices. Industry networking opportunities are also built into the workshops, including introductions to producers, suppliers, retailers, museum curators and academics, and attendance of design fairs, symposiums or other industry events. The program culminates in an exhibition of participants’ work at KHT, touring to regional venues, and supported by a substantial catalogue.

Blak Design has a proven record in delivering real outcomes for First Nations designers, not only by enabling them to develop skills and build networks, but also by helping to build capacity within the Indigenous design sector as a whole. The program supports participants to build economic resilience, prosperity and independence. It equips them with valuable skills and knowledge, enabling them to develop their own design practices, build successful small businesses and find employment in the cultural sector. Significantly, the work of seven Blak Design alumni is included in the current Melbourne Now exhibition at the NGV.

Each year, Blak Design focusses on a single design discipline: the first two years focussed on jewellery, the current program on ceramics, and the forthcoming iteration will be devoted to fashion and textile design. A fundamental consideration in developing the program has been ensuring the ‘decolonisation’ of design education by weaving First Nations perspectives, narratives and principles into its format and delivery. In keeping with KHT’s Protocols for Sharing Indigenous Knowledge, Blak Design is Indigenous-led. Equal representation of First Peoples has been built into the program, both as participants, and as facilitators, mentors and presenters, ensuring a culturally-safe learning environment in which First Nations creatives are mentored by First Nations expertise. Moreover, the program adopts an inclusive, flexible and collaborative approach that tailors content, delivery and outcomes according to the needs and aspirations of each new intake of participating First Nations designers. This collaborative approach to program development and delivery is further extended through the strong, mutually-beneficial strategic partnerships KHT has established with NGV and RMIT. These are key to Blak Design’s ongoing success, providing vital practical support in the development of workshop content and presentation, access to world-class studio facilities, and the assistance of specialist tutors and technicians.