Indigenous arts
Financial help and grants for artists
Backing Indigenous Arts
The Backing Indigenous Arts (BIA) initiative was established in 2007 to sustain and grow ethical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts industries in Queensland.
Read more about Backing Indigenous Arts initiatives, funding programs and Indigenous Arts Centres.
Queensland Government grants
A number of other Queensland Government departments offer programs and grants to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts businesses.
Australian Council for the Arts
The Australian Council for the Arts offers programs and grants for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts.
Australian Government grants
The Australian Government offer a number of funding and support programs for Australian art, heritage and culture.
Local council grants
Your local council may offer arts grants to local artists. Contact your local council to find out more.
Creative Partnerships Australia
Creative Partnerships Australia fosters partnerships between the cultural sector, supporters and investors and provides resources to bolster the creation of art works.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art production and distribution
Desert Pea Media
Desert Pea Media run art and media mentoring programs in remote communities around Australia and the world.
NorthSite Contemporary Arts (formerly KickArts)
NorthSite Contemporary Arts (formerly KickArts) is a registered member of the Indigenous Art Code and can help you with commissions, publishing fine art prints, distribution and organise your exhibition.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander publishing
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has a range of books, research publications and a publishing arm, Aboriginal Studies Press.
Budburra Books is a not-for-profit organisation based in Cherbourg that produces books for children and films.
IAD Press is an Indigenous publishing house specialising in the production of books about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, culture, biography and language.
Magabala Books, based in Western Australia, is a not-for-profit organisation that works to preserve, develop and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Places to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art
The Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA
The Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA is home to a collection of early and contemporary Indigenous Australian art.
The National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is home to more than 7500 works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island art. Located in Canberra, the collection includes paintings, textiles, prints, drawings, objects, photos, bark paintings and sculpture.
Aurukun Arts and Crafts Centre
The Wik and Kugu Arts Centre and the Akay Aoilia Women's Arts Centre, based in Aurukun, exhibit their work in locations around Australia.
Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Madh, Badu Island
The Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (Badu Art Centre) on Badu Island is one of the newest art centres in Australia. It houses the work of local artists with a strong focus on preserving and promoting traditional art and culture.
Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair
The Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair is a world-class marketplace for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture. It is held in July each year and supports the careers of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists by providing a platform for market exposure and income generation.
Erub Erwer Meta, Erub (Darnley) Island
Erub Erwer Meta (Our Learning House at Erub) is located in one of the most remote communities of Australia. Traditional Meriam Mer culture is preserved and shared through a range of media, including art, broadcasting, music, performance and technology.
Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Thursday Island
Located on Thursday Island, the Gab Titui Cultural Centre has a gallery with contemporary Indigenous art from local artists. It was also the first place to preserve historical artefacts from the Torres Strait.
Hopevale Arts and Cultural Centre
The Nganthanun Bamawi Gayan Gallery, located in Hopevale, is a centre for fine Aboriginal art, craft and culture.
Moa Arts Centre
Located on Moa Island in the Torres Strait, the Ngalmun Lagau Minaral (Our Island Designs) preserves and promotes Torres Strait Island art and culture.
Pormpuraaw Art and Culture Centre
The Pormpuraaw Art and Culture Centre exhibits the work of local artists including ghost net works, printing, painting and wood carving.
Queensland Museum
Cultural material from Queensland’s Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders comprise the most important part of Queensland Museum collections. We also hold a significant Pacific Island Collection that connects Queensland to the Pacific.
State Library of Queensland
The State Library of Queensland has a number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island collections—housing photographs, artwork and dreamtime stories.
Wujal Wujal Art Centre
The Bana Yirriji Art and Cultural Centre promotes the work of local artists and is located on the banks of the Bloomfield River, just below the Wujal Wujal waterfall.