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World of Threads Festival

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International Festival of Fibre and Textile Art in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Organized and curated by Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate @garethbate

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Opening reception today! Join us. Directions on the website. Sat. Sept. 26, 2026. 1-3 pm.

Here’s a glimpse of our group exhibtion “Across Time: Heritage and Tradition”curated by Gareth Bate @garethbate and Dawne Rudman. The show features artists from Canada, England, Hungary, India, South Korea, Switzerland and USA. #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #textileart #fiberart #fibreart

World of Threads Festival 2026-27

Opening Reception:
Sat. Sept. 26, 2023 from 1 – 3 pm.

Local, National & International
Contemporary Fibre & Textile Art

Festival 2026-27 features over 900 artworks by 192 artists from 22 countries.

Dates: Wed. Sept. 23 - Sun. Dec. 17, 2027
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Sun. 12 - 4 pm.

Admission: FREE! Parking: FREE!

Venue: Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre
2302 Bridge Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6L 2G6
Venue is totally accessible.

Co-Curators:
Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman.

Artists:
Carol Ann Apilado, Beverly Ayling-Smith, Eszter Bornemisza, Marianne Büttiker, Joan Diamond, Selina Gasser, Payal Jain, Meredith Jones, Yangmi Kim, Kae Sasaki

The Display Area Gallery
For this exhibition we’ve brought together ten artists from seven countries for a global conversation about cultural heritage, tradition and memory. They explore artistic knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Some artists learn from, or reconnect with, traditional techniques inherited from ancestors. They transform these methods through contemporary approaches. Others draw on personal family stories and lore. In some works, vintage textiles carry legacy through material form, holding memory in the objects themselves. Together, the artists reveal a vast global lineage of creative knowledge in conversation across time. taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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3 days ago

Opening Reception this Saturday! Here’s a few highlights from “Water Stories” our major festival exhibition. Curated by Gareth Bate @garethbate and Dawne Rudman. #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #textileart #fiberart #fibreart
World of Threads Festival 2026-27

Opening Reception:
Sat. Sept. 26, 2023 from 1 – 3 pm.

Local, National & International
Contemporary Fibre & Textile Art

Festival 2026-27 features over 900 artworks by 192 artists from 22 countries.

Dates: Wed. Sept. 23 - Sun. Dec. 17, 2027
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Sun. 12 - 4 pm.

Admission: FREE! Parking: FREE!

Opening Reception: Sat. Sept. 26, 2026, 1 – 3 pm

Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre
2302 Bridge Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6L 2G6
Venue is totally accessible.

Co-Curators:
· Toronto: Gareth Bate, Oakville: Dawne Rudman.

Artists:
· Brigitte Amarger, Nancy Arbuthnot Johnson, Susan Avishai, Ilka Bauer, Mackenzie Browning, Lucinda Button, Chantal Cardinal, Victoria Carley, Ani Daher, Meredith Filshie, Dianne Firth, James Fowler, Susan Germain, Camilla Gryski, Michèle Guevara, Becky Hurwitz, Michele Kirchner, Irene Koroluk, Elena Kuki, Eileen Kwan, Annie Landry, Chris Liszak, Lorna Livey, Judy Major-Girardin, Lee McLean, Kelly McLeod, Sam Meech, Meshell Melvin, Joy Muller-McCoola, Stan Olthuis, Marty Ornish, Lorraine Roy, Rochelle Rubinstein, Helena Scheffer, Robyn Shortt, Sheila Thompson, Linda Inge Tremblay, Svetlana Turov, Kathleen Vaughan, Helena Wadsley, G. Annie Whitty,
taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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6 days ago

Here’s the Opening Reception of World of Threads Festival 2023 on Sat. Oct. 14, 2023. 🎉 It was fabulous. Massive turnout! Over 3000 people went through the building on Saturday alone. Thanks to the 67 artists who travelled from France, Spain, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and across Canada and the USA to attend in person. Thanks to everyone who attended. The festival is organized and curated by Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate @garethbate. Thanks to Carol Stanley, Volunteer Coordinator. Thanks to the volunteers who put together this wonderful Reception:
Jeanne Hamill, Freda Cott, Carol Stanley, Jean Towell, Heidi Daughney, Susan Richard, Ann Van Stone, Sophia Cott.

Bus Tour by Caren DesBrisay and Gareth Bate. Thanks to Caren for preparing the name tags for the artists.
Thanks to all the volunteer Gallery Sitters – they will be here for the duration of the festival – from October 10 to December 17.

Thanks to Albert Fuchigami who is our Artist Portrait Photographer.
Large artworks in the background by Deborah Kruger, Melanie Siegel, Gretchen Jankowski, Bonnie J Smith. Judith E Martin, Ixchel Suarez, Stéphanie Zito, Elizabeth Babyn.

World of Threads Festival

Local, National & International Contemporary Fibre & Textile Arts

Dates: Tues. Oct. 10 - Sun. Dec. 17, 2023
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm, Sun. 12 - 5 pm.
Admission: FREE!

Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre
2302 Bridge Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Parking: Free
The building is physically accessible and inclusive.

Featuring 426 artworks by 115 artists from:
Canada, England, Finland, France, Hungary, India,
Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
South Korea, Spain, Uruguay, USA,
US Virgin Islands, Wales.

Check out our website for directions, art bus tour, maps, artist interviews.
www.worldofthreadsfestival.com

#worldofthreads #worldofthreadsfestival #fibreartist #fiberart #fiberart #fiberartist #textileart #textileartist #oakville #oakvilleontario #contemporaryart #opening #openingreception taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre Qepccc by @worldofthreads

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3 years ago

Here’s a glimpse “War and Displacement” a small group exhibition curated by Gareth Bate @garethbate and Dawne Rudman. The show features artists from three countries. The six large quilts are by Laurel Izard. #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #textileart #fiberart #fibreart

World of Threads Festival 2026-27

Local, National & International
Contemporary Fibre & Textile Art

Festival 2026-27 features over 900 artworks by 192 artists from 22 countries.

Dates: Wed. Sept. 23 - Sun. Jan. 17, 2027.
Closed Oct. 9-12, & Dec. 23, 2026 - Jan. 1, 2027.
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Sun. 12 - 4 pm.

Admission: FREE! Parking: FREE!

Venue: Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre
2302 Bridge Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6L 2G6
Venue is totally accessible.

Co-Curators:
Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman.

Artists in War and Displacement:
Barbara Burns, Maria Cijntje-van Enckevort, Carla Costuros, Bahar Daee, Laurel Izard, Marla Panko, Mical Pearlman, Priscilla J Smith.

War and Displacement

In this small group exhibition, we bring together eight artists from three countries whose work responds to one of the defining conditions of the world today: war and displacement. Hardly a day goes by without news of bombings, drone attacks, missile strikes, slaughter, and destruction. Entire cities are wiped from existence. Horrific images and videos of war in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa appear on news channels and social media. These artists attempt to convey some of the consequences of these actions. Imagery in this show includes bandages, blood, wounds, ruined buildings, childhood imagery, and weapons of war, such as tanks, bombs, helicopters, and drones. Themes include violence, genocide, erasure, mourning, victims, oppressors, land, and the remarkable endurance of peoples, communities, and cultures.

“War itself is a form of madness. It’s amazing how we spend so much time inventing devices to kill each other and so little time working on how to achieve peace”. Walter Cronkite.
taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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a day ago

Here’s Mackenzie Browning installing his work for World of Threads Festival 2026-27. He will be showing in Water Stories our major exhibition. Our opening is this Saturday the 26th. Our volunteer installers are doing an incredible job with the festival. #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #textileart #fiberart #fibreart

World of Threads Festival 2026-27

Opening Reception:
Sat. Sept. 26, 2023 from 1 – 3 pm.

Local, National & International
Contemporary Fibre & Textile Art

Festival 2026-27 features over 900 artworks by 192 artists from 22 countries.

The World of Threads Festival is a leading international showcase of contemporary fibre and textile art. We are a not-for-profit initiative with charitable status. The festival is organized and curated by mother and son team, dedicated volunteer Dawne Rudman, and Gareth Bate. We have a team of dedicated volunteers. Festival 2023-24 attracted over 80,000 visitors.
Some of the most exciting and compelling artworks being made today are happening in the field of fibre and textile arts. In our current age where tech companies would like to replace artists with automated AI generated imagery, making art using fibre and textile methods becomes a radical gesture. It’s an affirmation of human making and human creativity.

Dates: Wed. Sept. 23 - Sun. Dec. 17, 2027
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Sun. 12 - 4 pm.

Admission: FREE! Parking: FREE!

Opening Reception: Sat. Sept. 26, 2026, 1 – 3 pm

Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre
2302 Bridge Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6L 2G6
Venue is totally accessible. taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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7 days ago

We are actively hanging festival 2026-27. Four weeks of install. Really excited to share the new artworks with you. #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #fiberart #textileart #fibreart

World of Threads Festival 2026-27
Festival 2026-27 features over 900 artworks by 192 artists from 22 countries. The festival is a leading international showcase of contemporary fibre and textile art. It’s a not-for-profit initiative with charitable status run by a few dedicated volunteers. The Festival is organized and curated by Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate. @garethbate

Dates: Wed. Sept. 23 - Sun. Dec. 17, 2027
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10 am - 5 pm, Sun. 12 - 4 pm.
Admission: FREE!

Opening Reception: Sat. Sept. 26, 2026, 1 – 3 pm

Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre
2302 Bridge Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6L 2G6

Artists come from 22 countries:
Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Curaçao, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Hungary, India, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

www.worldofthreadsfestival.com taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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18 days ago

#tbt Throwback Thursday to our 2023-24 exhibition Amorphous. We are currently hanging festival 2026-27.
Four weeks of install.

Our major group exhibition Amorphous was all about abstracted natural elements. The artworks evoked organic things such as plants, leaves, trees, roots, seeds, reefs, rocks, feathers, algae, nests, soil, sediment, clouds and shells. They recalled processes like new life, growth and decay. Although they evoked these elements, the artists did so in a non-literal way through abstraction. Many of the works were made using repurposed or recycled materials. They were filled with life and vitality. They were amorphous and bursting off the wall as they lunge out towards you. Works ranged in scale from massive to tiny and use a huge variety of materials and fibre and textile techniques. This exhibition was the spiritual successor to our 2012 show De rerum natura (On The Nature of Things). #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #textileart #fiberart

Curators:
·       Canada: Ontario: Toronto: Gareth Bate,
·       Oakville: Dawne Rudman.

Artists:
·       Canada: British Columbia: Vancouver: Thomas Roach, Victoria: Martina Edmondson, Ontario: Barry’s Bay: Anna Wagner-Ott, Burlington: Svetlana Turov, Caledon: Elizabeth Babyn, Howe Island: Leisa Rich, Peterborough: G. Annie Whitty, Richmond Hill: Melanie Siegel, Simcoe: Mary Ann Rich, St. Catharines: Hannah Rothschild, Toronto: Elaine Whittaker, Sarah Elizabeth Creskey, Susan Farquhar, Walter’s Falls: Julia White.
·       India: Goa: Gopika Nath.
·       Mexico: Jalisco: Chapala: Deborah Kruger.
·       New Zealand: Whanganui: Kate Sellar.
·       South Korea: Seoul: Eunsun An.
·       USA: Illinois: Forest Park: Gretchen Jankowski, Oak Park: Karen Gubitz, Oregon: Salem: Darilyn Bennett, Rhode Island: Cranston: Sonja Czekalski, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh: Margery Amdur, Stefanie Zito.

@garethbate @worldofthreads @thomasaroach @annawagnerott @sfeltlana @babynelizabeth @monaleisa2 @rothschild_hannah @saltfrost @rugskey @sfarquhar108 @gopika.nath @deborahkrugerstudios @katesellar7 @eunsun_fiber @sonjaczekalski.art @_stefaniezi taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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19 days ago

The first two artworks have been hung! Artist Kathleen Vaughan @kathleen.sheila.vaughan came to install her own work. So helpful! Assisted by @jackylo.png Jacky Lo. These stunning works are in our major festival exhibition “Water Stories”. We have a four week install period ahead of us! Reels by Gareth Bate @garethbate #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #oakvilleontario #fibreart #textileart taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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a month ago

The packages are arriving! Dawne Rudman is dealing with the endless nightmare of couriers and shipping of hundreds of artworks. The companies make it as hard as possible. Shipping is the worst aspect of doing this. Today is the first day of a four week install period! Hundreds of packages have already arrived. The operations staff and reception staff of Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre in Oakville are real stars. So helpful. #worldofthreadsfestival #worldofthreads #oakvilleontario #fibreart #textileart taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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a month ago

Festival Curator Gareth Bate @garethbate is also the festival designer. He’s hard at work making the brochure, maps, post cards, posters, web pages, signs and social media imagery for festival 2026-27. Coming soon! #worldofthreads #worldofthreadsfestival #fiberart #textileart #oakville taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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a month ago

World of Threads is just around the corner and it’s going to be bigger than ever! The show will be running longer than ever! In my role as Volunteer Coordinator that means I have more Gallery sitting spots to fill than ever🥴. I will be sending out emails to those who have volunteered in the past or have mentioned that they are interested. Heads up to all my “creative communities “ I will be in touch !! 😁. If you are interested in volunteering or want more information, send me a DM. It truly is a lot of fun Gallery Sitting. You spend time in a space surrounded by beautiful works. An excellent time to work on hand sewing, reading, chatting with attendees, running into old friends or making new ones. Festival runs from September 23 to January 17 at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre. #oakvillearts #worldofthreads #worldofthreadsfestival by @worldofthreads

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2 months ago

For months Festival Co-Curators Gareth Bate @garethbate and Dawne Rudman have been reviewing thousands of artworks and over 380 submissions. We came up with all the exhibitions and planned exactly where all the works will hang for festival 2026-27. A hell of a lot of work and planning and measuring. These maps are of the corridor galleries. We will start in the next few weeks to announce who we’ve chosen and what the shows are. We are very excited about these shows, artworks and artists from many countries. taken in Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre by @worldofthreads

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