The Morrison Government has today announced that more than $49 million will flow to Australia’s world-renowned Indigenous visual arts sector, providing new opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and supporting a professional and viable visual arts industry.
The funding, which is part of the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program, will support 54 Indigenous visual art organisations including art centres, art fairs, regional hubs and service organisations.
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said annual IVAIS funding supports around 8,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and 500 Indigenous arts workers.
“Indigenous-owned art centres are at the heart of Australia’s internationally renowned Indigenous visual arts movement and are an important contributor to local economies,” Minister Fletcher said.
“The IVAIS funding will create new opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the country and provide funding certainty to organisations that support their work,”
Funded projects include:
- $70,000 in 2020-21 for First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation to contribute to the delivery of the National Indigenous Art Fair in Sydney in 2021 where artwork can be bought directly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from remote communities.
- $550,000 over five years to support the Arts Law Centre of Australia’s Artists in the Black and Licensing the Right Way projects to improve licensing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and to build best practice within the Indigenous visual arts industry across Australia.
- $240,000 over three years to support Numburindi Arts to provide services to visual artists based in the Numbulwar community located in South-East Arnhem Land on the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory.
“This funding is part of the Government’s long-standing support for Australia’s world-class Indigenous visual arts sector. I’m pleased that the organisations supported through today’s announcement continue to facilitate and promote ethical conduct in the Indigenous visual arts sector,” Minister Fletcher said.
The IVAIS program provides annual funding through an open competitive grants process and through targeted funding opportunities.
The Government invests around $750 million in the arts and cultural sector in each year through its regular funding programs.
The funding announced today is in addition to $7 million of support for Indigenous artists and arts centres through the Relief and Recovery Fund COVID-19 package announced on 9 April 2020.
