Community & Business
25 April, 2025
First Nations artisans sought
CAIRNS Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) has issued a call to First Nations artists and craftspeople to showcase their culture and wares to thousands of visitors at this year’s Tanks Arts Centre-based Artisans Showcase between 10-13 July.
The Artisans Showcase is one of CIAF’s much-loved program highlights, and will provide a welcoming and inspiring marketplace featuring a new and diverse range of authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and crafts at various price points, from gifts to artefacts and collectibles.
CIAF’s artistic director Teho Ropeyarn said that while the art market was traditionally one of the most popular and visited attractions of the annual event, it had been rebranded Artisans Showcase to better reflect the organisation’s commitment to showcasing authentic, high-quality artwork and craftsmanship.
“Importantly, the Artisans Showcase will provide an inclusive, ethical platform to present and sell a diverse and culturally rich range of arts and crafts celebrating the heritage, traditional techniques, and creative expressions of Queensland’s First Nations communities,” he said.
Over the four days of CIAF, the work of approximately 300 visual artists and 100 performers will be experienced across a multifaceted program of mostly free and family-friendly events.
Queensland’s First Nations artisans are invited to apply between now and 30 April. To submit an expression of interest, visit https://ciaf.com.au/ciaf-2025-artisans-showcase-eoi-now-open-0
