Additional investment supports growth of Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

The Queensland Government’s new additional investment of $400,000 per annum over four years will support Cairns Indigenous Art Fair to realise its growth ambition, secure its position on the global stage, and deliver economic and cultural benefits for Queensland ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Investment in CIAF aligns with the Queensland Government’s Creative Together 2020-2030 - A 10-year Roadmap for arts, culture, and creativity in Queensland.

This uplift builds on the current $600,000 per year core investment through the Backing Indigenous Arts initiative and will support CIAF to grow, expand its reach, and deliver job creation and new works, exhibitions and arts experiences that connect with the community and celebrate Queensland cultures on the global stage.

The record attendance and art sales achieved at CIAF 2022 demonstrates the strong demand for First Nation arts and highlights the many opportunities that Brisbane 2032 presents in celebrating First Nations cultures on an international scale.

Additionally, in 2023, CIAF will also receive project funding to support two new projects and two industry placements.

CIAF will develop the Coconut Leaf Project, a cross-cultural community project celebrating Torres Strait Islander craft and weaving with funding of $70,000 through the First Nations Commissioning Fund.

CIAF will also present Urban BLAKtivation, a family friendly, accessible arts and cultural event activating the Cairns CBD with Indigenous performance, art installation, story tellers and poets, with funding of $70,000 through the Queensland Arts Showcase Program.

CIAF will employ an event and exhibition manager and an arts worker with additional funding of $120,000 for industry placements to deliver these projects.

Industry placements, a new initiative integrated across arts funding programs, have been introduced to address skills gaps and to expand the scale and capacity of the creative workforce ahead of Brisbane 2032.

Francoise Lane, Artistic Director, Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair notes “The CIAF Board and Executive acknowledge and thank the Queensland Government for this very special CIAF Growth Uplift funding package.

“It is the natural business progression for CIAF to turn our attention toward philanthropic partnerships development to complement existing Government and corporate partnership engagement as CIAF firmly positions itself as Australia’s Premier Indigenous Arts Fair.”

The 2023 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair will be presented at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th – 16th July 2023.