The rain did not stop people from coming together to celebrate the legacy of Sturt's gallery and studios over the weekend.

Staff at Sturt, creators, art lovers and former students and teachers united and commemorated the 80^th anniversary of Australia's oldest design centre on November 13.

Winifred West founded Sturt in 1941 during the midst of World War Two when bushfires threatened to destroy parts of Frensham.

"Eighty years on, Sturt stands proudly as Winifred's efforts for the future," said head of Sturt Kristie Phelan when she addressed the crowd.

Ms West was determined to provide children and adults with opportunities to learn crafts, and united her friends to establish the school.

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Sturt has transformed from teaching six girls to weave and spin, and a few boys learning woodwork in the 1940s, to educating thousands of children and adults every year.

Crafts enthusiasts have not only come from the Highlands, but from across Australia and the globe to learn a variety of specialties such as pottery, millinery, jewellery design and woodwork.

The design studio has employed many makers such as potters, ceramicists, metal artists and weavers over the years, to inspire and shape creators in the studios at Mittagong.

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Many former teachers also came along to celebrate milestone.

"It brings back a lot of memories," said German weaver Elisabeth Nagel who taught at Sturt for 50 years.

"I think every potter, weaver and maker, they might not know it, but they all have an invisible tattoo," said former Head of Pottery at Sturt Paul Davis to everyone.

"It doesn't matter where you go around the world, if you say you work at Sturt, if you're in Europe and America and Japan, people know this place.

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"You leave Sturt, but Sturt never leaves you."

Actor and comedian Noeline Brown and head of Frensham Schools Sarah McGarry also spoke at the event.

Attendees also had the opportunity to hear former director of the Sturt Workshops and renowned ceramicist Les Blakebrough AM launch his memoir and be interviewed by Jennifer Bott AO.

Guests also had the chance to look at the permanent exhibition Sturt - 80 Years in the Making, which contained crafts from many makers over the decades.

"The permanent exhibition tells a story of the evolution of craft in this country," the head of Sturt said.

Attendees also gathered and reminisced about their memories at Sturt's gallery and studios.

Former student Val Jessop said she still had a blanket her mother wove at the studio, and it has been passed to her granddaughter.

Jan Darling was a former student who has taken many courses at Sturt and said "it's here to help us install longevity."

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