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Industry Residency Circular Hospitality
Kate Bowman × Design Tasmania × The Agrarian Kitchen x Scholé x Dier Makr #
The first residency in Regional Arts Australia’s Industry Residencies Pilot Program, Circular Hospitality, proposes a design-led, circular economy collaboration between Tasmania’s hospitality and design sectors.
Led by ceramic artist Kate Bowman in partnership with Design Tasmania, the project explores how creative practice can reimagine waste as a resource. Working closely with three Tasmanian hospitality venues - Schole, The Agrarian Kitchen and Dier Makr, Kate will collect high-quality post-consumer waste materials and investigate their transformation into ceramic glazes, functional wares, and other ceramic outcomes.
Each stage of the residency is grounded in material research and collaboration. The resulting works will be returned to the participating venues for use, completing a circular material system that connects food, place, and design, while highlighting the potential for creative practice to drive sustainability and innovation within regional industries.
“Tasmania has a deep respect for craft and a hospitality culture that values provenance,” says Kate. “Working together, we have an opportunity to push that mindset further and explore new material systems that connect food, place and design. I’m incredibly grateful and excited to pursue this research alongside industry partners, with the support of Design Tasmania and Regional Arts Australia.”
Michelle Boyde, Artistic Director of Design Tasmania offered her support, "This project reflects a way of working we value at Design Tasmania - where designers and industry collaborate to address shared material and environmental challenges, with time allowed for deep research. We’re delighted to partner with Regional Arts Australia on the new Industry Residencies pilot, and with three of Tasmania’s most exciting bespoke hospitality venues to further support Kate, following her inclusion in our Tasmania Makes 25 program. Her practice so elegantly connects place, process and sustainability, and stands as a powerful example of how design can drive meaningful change within regional industries."
“This residency embodies the spirit of the Industry Residencies Pilot Program,” said Ros Abercrombie, Executive Director of Regional Arts Australia. “It shows how artists can lead new conversations about sustainability and circular design, offering innovative pathways for regional industries to evolve while honouring local knowledge, materials, and relationships. Kate’s practice, supported by Design Tasmania and local hospitality partners, demonstrates the potential of creative collaboration to strengthen communities and inspire positive change.”
About Kate Bowman #
Based in nipaluna/Hobart, Kate Bowman is a ceramic artist and educator whose practice explores material storytelling and environmental narrative through the transformation of overlooked and discarded matter. Working with local rock, brick, and waste from hospitality and industry, she develops experimental ceramic surfaces grounded in material research and locality.
Her recent works include Talus Table for Tasmania Makes ‘25 at Design Tasmania, which reimagines waste from Hobart’s historic Knocklofty quarry and brickworks into ceramic tiles paired with salvaged Myrtle from Tasmania’s submerged forests. The piece reflects her ongoing interest in revaluing forgotten resources and connecting craft with sustainable design.
Alongside her studio practice, Kate teaches ceramics in Hobart and runs regular Rock and Waste Glaze workshops, introducing others to the potential of raw and reclaimed materials. She is also a co-founder of the Melbourne Ceramic Fair, an annual showcase that brings together contemporary ceramic artists and fosters dialogue between makers, designers, and collectors.
About Design Tasmania #
Design Tasmania is a not-for-profit organisation based in Launceston with a statewide remit to champion Tasmanian design through exhibition, education, retail, and advocacy. Established in 1976, it plays a pivotal role in connecting designers, makers, and audiences across Lutruwita/Tasmania and beyond. Through its gallery, artistic and public programs, and partnerships, Design Tasmania supports professional practice, fosters innovation in materials and making, and strengthens the visibility and viability of Tasmania’s design sector - contributing to a vibrant creative economy and a deeper public understanding of design’s role in shaping culture and place.
About the Industry Residencies Pilot Program #
The Industry Residencies Pilot Program is an initiative of Regional Arts Australia, offering two fully funded, 12-month residencies for regional Creative Practitioners. The program connects artists, designers, and creative thinkers with regional industries to explore new ways of working together, address real-world challenges, and imagine sustainable futures.
By fostering collaboration between the arts, community, and industry, the program highlights the essential role creativity plays in building resilient, vibrant, and liveable regional Australia.
The future is regional. The future is creative.®
Industry Residencies is made possible through the Regional Arts Fund, an Australian Government program that supports sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia.
