One of the great things about editing Embroidery is witnessing to the verve and commitment of our readers to their passion for embroidery and textiles in all its guises. For some time now, I've sat on the exhibitions committee of a new arts centre in the North West. It showcases the arts in its broadest sense - from dance and theatre to the arts. It has hosted several popular shows by textile groups, so a solo show by a textile artist was a natural progression. The latter turned out to be one of the gallery's best attended exhibitions and it is keen to explore textiles further. While this hardly represents a complete argument for the greater representation of stitch within our larger galleries, why do textiles fail to grab the imagination of many venues? Even the few who do support the medium are under increasing pressure due to funding shortfalls. Two textile exhibitions currently bucking the trend are Cloth & Culture NOW at the Sainsbury Centre and the Embroiderers' Guild biennial, art of the STITCH, which opens at the Waterhall, Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery this month. The Guild continues to support embroidery and textiles in many ways (not least through the commitment of its many branches) and its biennial will tour to Hungary, Spain and Germany. We hope to see you there!
Jo Hall