After a two-year hiatus, the return of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair this year set a new art sales record of more than $1 million.
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 $1m mark for the first time with a combined figure of $1,015,029 significantly surpassing the previous record of $924,000 set in 2019.
CIAF which returned in July 2022, also had an attendance record of more than 60,000 visitors, up from 45,410 visitors in 2019.
Added to this, CIAF's Collectors and Curators group, comprising some 50 members, was responsible for acquiring several works to 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.
Lockhart River Dancers. Picture: Bluetick Photography.
CIAF general manager Darrell Harris said Queensland's Indigenous artists and art centres relied on strong commercial outcomes for the industry's sustainability.
"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," he said.
Queensland Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said CIAF's return had been a success.
"The record attendance and art sales achieved at CIAF 2022 demonstrates the strong demand for First Nation arts and highlights the opportunity that Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games presents in celebrating First Nations arts on the global stage," she said.
CIAF has pumped an estimated $10.9m into the Queensland economy, mostly in Cairns, in its 13 year history, according to reports commissioned for the event.
SOme $9 million in arts transactions have taken place.
CIAF will run from July 12 to 16 in 2023.
- Story by Velma Gara
