DARE TO DIFFER
19 September 2025 to 19 October 2025
To be held at Gallery M Marion South Australia
The exhibition will showcase Australian contemporary quilts predominantly fibre and composed of at least two distinct layers, stitched together throughout the quilt. They will be innovative, original and of course “Dare to Differ”.
Click here to download the 2025 Dare to Differ Conditions of Entry.
For any further information email
Sue Knuckey
Convenor of the “Dare to Differ” Exhibition
Email: Dare to Differ
In June 1994, the Quilters’ Guild of South Australia (SA Quilters) held it’s first ‘non-traditional’ juried exhibition ‘Dare to Differ’ at Megaw & Hogg as part of the celebration of the tenth year of the Guild.
Instigated by a small group of members interested in promoting and exhibiting contemporary quilting in South Australia, it followed the model of the New South Wales exhibition held at Manly Art Gallery annually. The title was used to steer people away from the traditional quilt and extend their horizons, leaning more to the visual arts.
First Committee: Barbara Mullan, Neta Lewis, Gennie Quinn, Pat Hagan, Deb Nicol, Helen Brook, Lyn Uppill, Quenby Sinclair. This was followed in July 1995 by Dare to Differ- Another Dimension at David Jones’ Gallery. Committee: Gennie Quinn, Deb Nicol, Neta Lewis, Barbara Mullan
It was decided to hold this event in the off year to the SA Quilters biennial exhibition, which is now held annually. From 1997, Prospect Gallery became the exhibition venue followed by Gallery M at Marion in 2011.
To broaden the outlook of SA Quilters, the invitation to participate was extended to quilters across Australia in 1999.
Suzanne Gummow assumed the role of convenor from 1999 to 2022 with assistance from Julie Haddrick and various SA Quilters members over the years.
In 2023 Sue Knuckey took on the role of convenor. Sue will plan the “Dare to Differ” Exhibition for 2025.
So what is “Dare to Differ”?
A small group came together in South Australia more than 25 years ago, as part of the Quilters Guild of SA (SA Quilters) 10th birthday celebrations, with the aim of promoting and showcasing contemporary art quilts in this state. The first exhibition was held at Megaw and Hogg in 1994, then at Prospect Gallery and in recent years at Gallery M, Marion.
SA Quilters aims to promote contemporary quilting in South Australia, giving our many innovative quilter members and others, the opportunity to show case their work, as the exhibition is open to ALL quilt makers within Australia.
Contemporary quilt makers are encouraged to extend their horizons, leaning more to the Visual Arts and Daring to Differ. Think about what “Dare to Differ” means to you.
Given the past success of the exhibition, the SA Quilting community has a thirst to see the high standard of contemporary quilts which are on display at the exhibition. Entries are preselected from photos – one of the whole quilt and one detail. The selection process is done by two contemporary quilt artists who have an international standing. “Dare to Differ” is held bi-annually, the next in 2025.
The definition of a quilt for this exhibition is that it must be predominantly fibre and be composed of at least two distinct layers, stitched together throughout the quilt. It must be innovative, original and of course “Dare to Differ”.
Sue Knuckey
Convenor of the “Dare to Differ” Exhibition
Email: Dare to Differ
The 2022 Exhibition was opened by SA Quilters President, Heather Ford, on 2nd September 2022. The winning entry was “At Least I can see the Stars” by Bronwyn Cant. Congratulations Bronwyn on a beautiful piece of textile art.
Dare to Differ Convenor, Suzanne Gummow, with winner Bronwyn Cant
Many thanks to the 2022 Dare to Differ Sponsors, SA Quilters, Bernina Australia, Gallery M, Cynthia’s Ark and Quilters Quarters.
Click here to view a slideshow of some of the artworks in the Dare to Differ 2022 Exhibition.