Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2022 shows strong demand for immersive First Peoples arts and culture experiences

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair held in July 2022 at the Cairns Convention Centre and arts and culture venues across Cairns, achieved new art sales and attendance records along with a series of qualitative outcomes, heralding a bright future for the event as Queensland’s quintessential celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture.

The success of CIAF 2022 proved there is an increasingly strong appetite for immersive First Peoples arts and culture experiences with the event having attracted tens of thousands enjoying the predominantly free program of events considered integral in the overall and record-breaking success.

60,000 plus people visited Cairns Convention Centre and satellite venues including Tanks Arts Centre, Court House Gallery, Cairns Performing Arts Centre, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, JUTE Theatre Company at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre and Cairns Art Gallery.

The highest ever attendance of more than 60,000 visitors was tallied between Wednesday 6th July and Sunday 10th July, up by 16.78% compared to CIAF’s previous record of 45,410 visitors in 2019.

Showcasing independent artists, galleries, art centres and market stalls, the Masters of Country themed Art Fair and Art Market, was a major contributor to art sales exceeding the one-million-dollar mark for the first time with a combined figure of $1,015,029 significantly surpassing the previous record of $924,000, also set in 2019.

Added to this, CIAF’s Collectors and Curators group, comprising some 50 plus members, was responsible for acquiring several special works that will join the collections of museums, institutions and galleries across Australia including the Art Bank Australia, Art Gallery of NSW, National Gallery of Victoria and Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Museum and Queensland Children’s Hospital.

CIAF General Manager Darrell Harris said that while numbers provide valuable information in terms of event programming and relevance, Queensland’s Indigenous artists and art centres rely on strong commercial outcomes for the industry’s survival and future sustainability.

In CIAF’s 13-year history, an IER report commissioned and published in 2021, estimated the broader annual in-scope benefits spanning both economic and social value amounts to be $10.9 million for Queensland and $8.3 million for Cairns. In the organisation’s history, total art sales have exceeded $9 million; the majority of which has been returned to the state’s thriving arts and culture community.

Harris noted “for artists and communities situated in the remote Cape York and Torres Strait Islands region CIAF is a significant event on the annual calendar that people look forward to and work towards.

“And while CIAF means different things to different people, it is the way it brings everyone together to celebrate culture and identity that makes us feel good and proud of what we do.”

CIAF Marketing and Communications Manager, Jack Wilkie-Jans said among the events in this year’s program, he cited the Symposium, Art Fair and We are Masters of Country fashion performance as memorable highlights.

According to Wilkie-Jans, from start to finish, CIAF 2022 proved there is an increasingly strong appetite for immersive First Peoples arts and culture experiences.

“What we have here in Queensland is so distinct from other states and territories because in terms of diversity we span both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

“With so much new and exciting work coming through, the Art Fair was one of the best ever and with exhibitors like Simone Arnol, Bernard Singleton, Teho Ropeyarn and Wujal Wujal’s Bana Yirriji Art Centre literally selling every piece of artwork on their stand – well, you don’t get much better than that,” Mr Wilkie-Jans said.

CIAF 2022 – In a snapshot

• 600 visual and performing artists representing Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across five days

• 60,000 plus people visited Cairns Convention Centre and satellite venues including Tanks Arts Centre, Court House Gallery, Cairns Performing Arts Centre, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, JUTE Theatre Company at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre and Cairns Art Gallery.

• Artwork sales of $1,015,029 – new record.

• Key acquisitions by institutions

• 28 Art Fair exhibitors and 300 featured artists

• 55 Art Market stallholders

• 37 satellite exhibitions’ featured artists

• $50,000 prize cache for CIAF Art Award winners – all female Indigenous artist winners, click here to view the results.

CIAF 2023 will be held between Wednesday 12th July and Sunday 16th July.

Image: The award-winning Lockhart River Dancers giving their first performance at CIAF 2022's opening ceremony held last month at Cairns Convention Centre.  Credit Blueclick Photography