Crafting Culture project celebrates diverse women entrepreneurs in textiles



Crafting Culture project celebrates diverse women entrepreneurs in textiles

02 Apr 2019    

The Department of Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design is hosting “Crafting Culture: Women and the Business of Textiles in Nebraska,” an exhibition at the Nebraska History Museum, in partnership with the museum and the Asian Community and Cultural Center.

Crafting Culture celebrates both past and present contributions of entrepreneurial women to Nebraska’s textile and clothing industries. The exhibition presents textile-related crafts made by contemporary women – both immigrant and long-term Lincoln residents – alongside historical artifacts and images from the Nebraska History Museum’s collection. Interactive features of the exhibition invite broader audiences to develop their own ideas for textile products, and related public programming extends opportunities for cross-cultural exchange to members of the community.

The exhibition is based in part on the Spring 2018 Crafting Culture outreach and research project, which was a collaborative workshop series intended to foster social connections between immigrant communities and long-term Nebraskan residents, while developing craft-related and entrepreneurial skills among immigrant communities.

The exhibit will take place from April 12 to July 13, 2019, with the grand opening night at 5-7p.m. on April 12 with fun activities for visitors to enjoy, including:

  • A panel discussion with young women entrepreneurs in textiles
  • Drop-in craft and sewing activities
  • A Pop-up shop with locally made crafts for sale by immigrant women whose work is featured in the exhibit
  • Exhibit tours in multiple languages
  • Read aloud stories from Africa, China, and the Middle East

The project was initiated by Claire Nicholas, assistant professor, and Surin Kim, assistant professor and Extension Entrepreneurship specialist, in Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design, with support from many other community organizations. More information about the project can be found at https://cehs.unl.edu/tmfd/news/crafting-culture-project-connecting-immigrants-and-nebraskans/

The admission to the museum is free. More information about the exhibit can be found at https://history.nebraska.gov/visit/crafting-culture-women-and-business-textiles-nebraska

 


Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design
College of Education and Human Sciences