Chair-making Workshop at the Rare Trades Centre

Begin your journey into the world of chairmaking with Windsor Chairmaker, Jon Grant from Tasmania.

In this five-day intensive you will make the elegant Democratic Chair.

Designed by American master craftsman, Curtis Buchanan, the Democratic Chair tells a story of accessibility and legacy. This chair can be made with affordable and readily available tools which allows more people to experience the joys of chairmaking and carry the rare trade into the fuature.

Jon will guide you through the process from start to finish. You will learn to use traditional hand tools such as a drawknife to facet the legs, post, spindles and crest.

At the end of the workshop, you will take home your beautiful and comfortable Democratic Chair and the knowledge and skills to make a matching set.

Held at Ballarat’s Australian Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, a world-class facility dedicated to learning and preserving Australia’s rare arts and trades through a series of workshops, masterclasses, events, and residencies.