Advice Centre

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists operate across many sectors of the Australian visual arts industry. In dealing with Indigenous Australian art, artists and communities, an understanding of the rights, obligations and appropriate practices is essential.

Our Art. Our Art Industry.

Artists from remote communities building a strong Indigenous art industry.

Under a NAVA initiative, undertaken in partnership with Desart and ANKAAA, and funded by the Sidney Myer Fund, in 2007 and 2008 consultant Jill Gientzotis worked with artists from 28 Indigenous Art Centres and remote communities to discuss and document art business, their Art Centres and the relationships and concepts that were important to them.

During the workshops the artists verbally and graphically portrayed the cultural values that underpin their art, the ways their art is created and what is important in that process. They also considered how their art makes its way through the art market, often to a city based or even international buyer, including the commercial transactions associated with that process. They discussed the relationships, processes and agreements they enter that help ensure that their Art Centre and their art practice is protected from exploitative conduct that could undermine the return to the artists, their career and the desired return to their families and community.

The 2 key outcomes of the project are a set of posters - see PDF's below and 4 vodcasts.

To view the vodcasts go here .

For more information about this project contact merrilee@visualarts.net.au. Copies of the posters are available for members of the Indigenous art industry.___________

The Posters
These posters are copyright protected.

Artist: Illuwanti Ken
Art Centre: Tjala Arts
Workshop: Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara South
Poster 1

Artist: Damien Kelly
Art Centre: Waringarri Aboriginal Arts
Workshop: Waringarri Aboriginal Arts

Artist: Ellen Haywood
Art Centre: Arlpwe
Arts Workshop: Barkly Region

Artist: Susan Nelson
Art Centre: Julalikari
Arts Workshop: Barkly Region

Artist: Marita Baker
Art Centre: Kaltjiti Crafts
Workshop: Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara South
Copyright for the use of Marita’s image was licensed by Viscopy.