The new $10.5 million Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts Centre in North East Arnhem Land has officially opened, providing a space for First Nations artists, community and visitors.
Weaving, which holds deep cultural significance for the Yolŋu people, is central to the world-renowned, Aboriginal-owned arts centre's work, with artists from Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts having earned national recognition, including at the recent National Indigenous Fashion Awards and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.
The centre will serve as a place for artists to create, exhibit and sell their works, as well as a hub for the community to come together, according to the government. Saturday's opening celebrations included a Buŋgul ceremony, a gallery opening, an interactive screen display and a performance by the Tu'vann Women's Choir.
The federal government contributed $8.5 million, while the Northern Territory Government invested $2 million towards the centre, which highlights the vibrant culture and traditions of the Yolŋu people.
"The new Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts Centre is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of cultural preservation," Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said.
"The centre will be a fitting home for artists to come together, showcasing the incredible talent of Gapuwiyak and surrounding homelands. This is not just an investment in remote community infrastructure – it is an investment in economic empowerment."
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Owned by Yolŋu members and governed by a Yolŋu board, the centre supports more than 100 artists from Gapuwiyak and nearby homelands.
It features a museum and gallery open to the public, along with a studio and workshop for artists, giving visitors the opportunity to learn directly from Yolŋu creators.
Special Envoy for Remote Communities and Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour said creative spaces are essential to community life.
"Investing in these spaces is vital for the development of jobs, culture and economy," she said.
"I am delighted to see the new art centre in Gapuwiyak officially open, thanks to the Albanese Government and the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme."
The centre was built under the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme (AACAP), delivered by Aboriginal-owned business Kennelly Constructions, with support from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).
Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia Luke Gosling said the AACAP provides a "valuable service" to remote communities.
"Their contribution to places such as the Gapuwiyak centre assisting to deliver both a cultural hub and a visitor drawcard reinforces the value of the program," he said.
