Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 17-19 August 2012

A record 24 galleries and Indigenous art centres will take part in the 2012 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), making for an exciting program of visual art, dance, music and debate.

The CIAF has become Australia’s premier Indigenous art fair and a must-attend event on Queensland’s cultural calendar.

"It is a unique event in Australia – a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures through art and performance and a fantastic platform for Indigenous artists to market and showcase their art to the world," said Queensland's Arts Minister Ros Bates.

In 2011, more than 13 000 people attended CIAF at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal and over three years the event has sold more than $1.8 million in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork. The figures show that 98.5 percent of visitors to last year’s event rating it as excellent or good.

CIAF 2012 boasts a record number of exhibitors. High profile commercial galleries including Melbourne’s Alcaston Gallery, and Vivien Anderson Gallery; and Brisbane’s Fireworks Gallery and Suzanne O’Connell Gallery are showing alongside Indigenous art centres from as far north as Badu Island in the Torres Strait and North Stradbroke Island in the south - all selling works by Queensland Indigenous artists.

The Minister said CIAF is a key opportunity for Queensland Indigenous artists to sell work and raise their profile nationally and internationally. The CIAF Collectors and Curators program, supported by Arts Queensland’s Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA), plays a key role in this.

Key Dates

CIAF Opening Party

7–11pm Thu 16 Aug

Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal

Wharf St

Art Fair

1Oam–6pm Fri 17 – Sat 18 Aug;
1Oam–5pm Sun 19 Aug

Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal

CIAF Exhibition

Fri 17 Aug – Sun 7 Oct

Cairns Regional Gallery

cnr Abbott and Shields Streets