Funding injection to improve Far North Indigenous art centres

24 Jan 2018

Indigenous art spaces in remote and regional Far North Queensland communities will benefit from upgrades and improvements through a new $500,000 Queensland Government infrastructure fund.

Announcing the Indigenous Art Centre Infrastructure Fund (IACIF) 2017-19, Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said the government was committed to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and artists remain an integral part of Queensland culture.

The IACIF offers funding over two years to support upgrades to key infrastructure at 14 Indigenous art centres, including studios and workshops; rehearsal, performance and exhibition spaces; amenities and air-conditioning; and energy-efficient lighting and solar panels. Funding is capped at $50,000 for each centre.

“Our government wants to showcase the best of our Indigenous art and culture to the world, and create more economic opportunities for artists and the communities they live and work in,” Ms Enoch said.

“This new $500,000 infrastructure fund will improve facilities and strengthen Indigenous art centres in our regional and remote Far North communities so these spaces can be better used to shape the skills of local artists and increase the production of quality artwork.

“These Indigenous art centres and hubs play vital roles in their communities, supporting more than 300 artists, providing employment and training opportunities, and offering artists a space to carry out their work and develop creative networks.

“It’s important we support these centres as they reflect the diversity of language and stories in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and also enable the ethical production, distribution and sale of artists’ works.”

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) Artistic Director Janina Harding said government investment into the Far North Queensland IACs assisted in the development of community art practices, keeping strong the connection to country and enabling artists to share their cultural stories and lived experiences.

“Most of the visual artists exhibiting at CIAF live and work in the diverse communities of Cape York and the Torres Strait. The fair’s connections with the IACs create economic opportunities for these artists and also give thousands of visitors the chance to engage in a meaningful dialogue with Queensland’s First Peoples,” Ms Harding said.

For more information, visit www.arts.qld.gov.au/iacif