SENATOR the Hon Mitch Fifield, Minister for the Arts and Leichhardt MP, Warren Entsch have congratulated four Far North Queensland Indigenous arts groups on receiving grants under the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program.
“I am extremely pleased to announce that the Hopevale Aboriginal Corporation for Arts and Culture, the Pormpuraaw Arts and Cultural Centre, Indigenous Art Centre Alliance, and Umi Arts will receive a total of $52,800 in funding.”
Mr Entsch has been a long-time supporter of local arts and frequently visits centres that showcase indigenous arts in his electorate of Leichhardt. Most recently he called into the Erub Arts Centre in the Torres Strait where artists were completing works for an exhibition in Singapore, and the Aurukun Arts Centre where artists were preparing some of the famous Aurukun dogs for sale at the Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair.
“The funding will help local Indigenous artists to provide professional art services such as training, marketing, business management and cultural preservation, and ensure that Indigenous arts and culture in North Queensland are maintained and developed for future generations,” said Mr Entsch.
“Each year, these organisations provide professional opportunities for more than 8,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and employment for around 350 Indigenous arts workers, mostly in remote communities,” said Mr Entsch.
Minister Fifield said “The Federal Government is proud to support North Queensland arts centres, art fairs and service organisations which are at the heart of our world-renowned Indigenous visual arts movement,” Minister Fifield said.
The Federal Government is providing $22.3 million to 92 organisations to support the Indigenous visual arts sector, which includes support for two new organisations and eight one-off activities.
“Indigenous artists create some of Australia’s most vibrant and critically acclaimed contemporary visual art,” Mr Entsch said. “They enrich our nation’s cultural identity, make a valuable contribution to our local economy and help promote Australia to international audiences.”
For more information about the program and to view the full list of
funding recipients visit: www.arts.gov.au/ivais
