Once More, With Love is a not-for-profit travelling jewellery exhibition exploring concepts of sustainability, recycling and ethical production. The project involves over 30kg of unwanted jewellery items donated by the Australian public which have been reworked ‘with love’ by a diverse selection of twenty one contemporary jewellers. The works created for Once More, With Love propose a potential new life cycle for materials, while creating space for reflecting on their origins. The project is an opportunity for people to experience what creative minds can do with recycled materials in an everyday studio context. Each exhibition will also be accompanied by complimentary events, such as community workshops and conversation forums, which aim to galvanise movement toward sustainability.

The Once More, With Love project was started in 2010 by Suse Scholem. Suse was inspired by the activities of the American group Ethical Metalsmiths, who have significantly increased ethical/sustainability awareness in the American jewellery industry.  Once More, With Love grew as the number of jewellers involved increased, and Simon Cottrell,  took on the role of co-curator.


The participating jewellers, all with a previous interest in ethical making and recycled materials, have each been given a 'mystery' bag of recycled goods and a challenge. The challenge was to use mostly these various bits, ranging from precious metals and stones to wood, plastic and costume, to create new contemporary jewellery pieces. Once More, With Love will showcase the unique pieces each jeweller has created, with three host cities on the touring schedule. Once More, With Love will begin its travels in Sydney, opening on 31 July at Studio 20/17, then to Canberra at Gallery Bilk in October, and concluding at Northcity4 in Melbourne early 2013.

In addition to the touring exhibition, the Once More, With Love project will involve events in each host city incorporating community workshops and discussions; as well as resources development and awareness raising around ethical jewellery. Works created through the project will be available for sale through each host gallery, as well as online.

Many people are unaware of the darker side of jewellery production – the ethical issues, including the exploitation of workers, damage to the environment, resource depletion, as well as health issues for jewellers themselves.

The Once More, With Love project was conceived with the aim of bringing together a breadth  of community to enter a dialogue around sustainable and ethical practice.