TARA KENNEDY

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EDUCATION

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2016 - 2018: University for the Creative Arts - Masters Distinction in Textile Art 

2009 - 2016: Open College of the Arts - BA Honours in Fine Art & Textiles 

1985 - 1989: Berkshire College of Art and Design - OND & HND in Fashion Design 

 

EXHIBITIONS & SITE SPECIFIC WORK

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Aug 2025: Material Expressions, Consuo Textiles, The Old Fire Station Gallery, Henley-onThames

May 2025: Material Reveries, Consuo Textiles, Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire

Jan 2025: Hope Emerging, Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire

Sep 2024: Emotion, Cista Arts online exhibition

May 2024: Cluster Crafts, Silbury + East building, Old Street, London

Apr 2024: Echoes of Iceland II, Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire

Mar 2024: Craft Continuum, Oxmarket Contemporary, Chichester

Sep 2023: Consuo Textile Collective: Reflections of South Hill Park, Bracknell

Sep 2023: Beyond Trauma, Link Gallery, UCA Epsom

May 2023: Transition Brighton, Gallery 40, Brighton

Dec 2022: Exhibition of Drawings, Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire

Nov 2022: Echoes of Iceland, Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire

July 2022: Wells Art Contemporary installations: Wells Cathedral, Somerset

Mar 2022: Transition Materiality: OXO Tower Wharf Gallery, London

Mar 2022: Hope mini quilt challenge: Great British Quilter, Stitch Festival, Business Design Centre, London 

Jan 2022: Hope Emerging exhibition, ACEARTS, Somerton, Somerset

July 2021: Beyond Trauma exhibition, South Hill Park, Bracknell

July 2021: Hope mini quilt challenge, Great British Quilter, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham NEC

Dec 2020: Making Matters Pop up Gallery Shop, Farnham

Dec 2019: Vlieseline Fine Art Textile Award: The Knitting Stitching Show, HCC, Harrogate

Nov 2019: Transition Chichester - group exhibition: The Oxmarket Gallery, Chichester 

Nov 2019: Vlieseline Fine Art Textile Award: The Knitting Stitching Show, RDS, Dublin

Oct 2019:  Vlieseline Fine Art Textile Award: The Knitting Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace, London

Aug 2019: Vlieseline Fine Art Textile Award: Festival of Quilts, Birmingham NEC

May 2019: The Latch String is Always Out:  The Textile Centre, Blonduos, Iceland

Feb 2019: Hope, Exhibit Here, Menier Gallery, London

Feb 2019: Unravel Festival, Farnham Maltings, Farnham

Jan 2018: Transition Henley - group exhibition, The Old Fire Station Gallery, Henley on Thames

Oct - Dec 2018: Home/Hope - Workers Gallery, Ynyshir, Wales  

Sep 2018: Transition London -  group exhibition, London Design Festival - Espacio Gallery, London 

Sep 2018: Hope Emerging, MA Graduate show - James Hockey Gallery - UCA, Farnham 

Nov 2017: Harmony installation - St. Marys Church, Purley-on-Thames, Berkshire  

Jun - Aug 2017: Spine Trees: collaborative site specific - Heathland Artworks - Farnham Heathlands 

Jun - Dec 2017: Stories in the Making -  Craft Study Centre, Farnham 

May - June 2016: Inspired By - Morley Gallery, London   

Aug 2016: Reading Arts Week, Reading Town Hall exhibition

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WORK EXPERIENCE

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2025: Secretary for Consuo Textile collective

2023: Member of Craft Continuum 

2023:  Member of Consuo Textiles collective

2021-2024:: Secretary for Transition Craft and Design

2019 - 2021: Chairman of Transition Craft and Design

2019:  Member of Textile Echoes, a group of 4 textile artists

2018 - 2024:  Member of Transition Craft and Design collective

1990 - 2010: Kennedy Design: my own craft and design business producing knitwear, hand and machine stitched pictures and jewellery. Exhibiting and selling at Craft and Design shows, trade shows, art galleries and gift shops.

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AWARDS

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2019: Awarded an a-n grant

2019: Finalist in the Vlieseline Fine Art Textile Award, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, NEC 

2018: The Peoples Choice award in the Home/Hope exhibition at the Workers Gallery, Porth, Wales 

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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2017: Kennedy, Tara: Stitched and Bound Piece,  Stories in the Making booklet

 

CURATED PROJECTS

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2019: Transition Craft and Design exhibition, Oxmarket, Chichester (co curated)

2017: 'Stories in the Making', Craft Study Centre, Farnham - curated   exhibition of archive items along with artists response pieces

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PRESS/INTERVIEWS

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2024: Article: Textile Centre Art Residency catalogue

2021: Podcast interview with Materials Inside, Goodfellow Ltd

2020: Article: Textile Centre Art Residency catalogue

2020: Article: 'In the Studio' - the Woven Tale Press online magazine

2020: Article: the Woven Tale Press magazine

2019: Featured article: Feltmakers Ireland, The National Guild of Felt Makers

2019 - present: posts on Textile Echoes a-n Blogg,  

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OTHER

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2025: 4 week Textile Residency by Loch Sunart in the Highlands, Scotland

2023: 4 week Textile Residency at the Textile Centre, Blonduos, Iceland

2021: Accepted as a Crafts Council Directory Member

2021: Shortlisted for the Great British Quilter mini quilt competition

2019: Shortlisted for Hot House professional development programme 

2019: 4 week Textile Residency at the Textile Centre, Blonduos, Iceland