Once a year, the tropical city of Cairns comes alive with Indigenous culture.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the north-east of Australia gather to celebrate at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).
‘For me, [the Fair] is about connecting to culture, sharing our culture and experiencing our culture,’ CIAF Artistic Director Janina Harding said.
CIAF attracts art lovers from around the globe, providing pathways for emerging visual and performance artists and a marketplace to sell their wares.
Supported by the Australian Government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support Program, CIAF has a strong connection to Country, as you will see in our video:
‘The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair means a lot for Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people in the far northern region because it supports us in telling our story,’ Badu Island artist Laurie Nona said.
‘I see the importance of art through knowledge transfer and keeping the culture still alive,’ artist Leonard Andy from Girringun Art Centre said.
Hear more from Leonard in our video:
The 2019 event was extra special as it was its 10th anniversary.
‘It’s just wonderful to have everybody together that we work with all year,’ CEO of the Indigenous Arts Central Alliance Pam Bigelow said.
‘There’s a feeling of celebration… everybody’s happy.’
