CIAF 2024 milestone program speaks to Country

LOCAL EVENT

Lisa Keller

Journalist

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Indigenous artists entertain large audiences with their unique and powerful performances. Image: Cairns Indigenous Art Fair

The stage is set for an incredible weekend of art and culture as the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) returns to the Far North again.

The weekend will celebrate its 15th anniversary with more than 30 free and ticketed events held around Cairns, showcasing First Nations culture and talent from across Queensland.

Scheduled from Thursday, July 25, to Sunday, July 28, CIAF is expected to attract over 30,000 visitors, proving just how much the event and the industry have grown since the first showcase of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, performers and creatives in 2009.

This year’s theme, Country Speaking, invited artists to express their connection to land, waters and the sea to comprise a collective and powerful statement laden with spiritual and physical wisdom to be shared with locals and visitors alike.

CIAF’s Artistic Director Francoise Lane said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a proud and emotional connection to their Country—the land, waters and the sea—which shines through in their art—be it in a traditional or contemporary form, or in some works a blend of the two. 

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To see the full CIAF program, visit the website.

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“For this year’s Art Fair exhibition, we chose works based on their relationship to the theme and what we have is an outstanding showcase of works destined to inspire emotion and provoke thought,” Ms Lane said.

CIAF’s 2024 program is bursting with creative and cultural delights, including art displays, workshops, live music, panel conversations, a two-day symposium, and inspiring fashion performances.

Since CIAF introduced a performative fashion element in 2013, it has become a shining highlight and is instrumental in promoting Queensland’s vibrant Indigenous fashion movement.

“CIAF’s fashion performance is a legacy event that gives talented designers a platform to break into what is often considered a tough industry,” she said, 

“In its 15-year history, CIAF has become a platform for catapulting the careers of artists, arts workers, and performers. It is a space to discover new talent and celebrate established ones”.

Opening Night Party

The Cairns Convention Centre will burst to life on July 25 as CIAF officially opens. Featuring live performances and the first look at the much-anticipated Art Fair alongside more affordable and entry level works at the Art Market, opening night is a celebration and an opportunity to get a taste of what’s to come over the weekend. 

CIAF Art Fair and Market

Showcasing a collective artistic response to 2024 theme, Country Speaking, approximately 300 works in various mediums comprise CIAF’s Art Fair exhibition free to view within the comfortable surrounds of the Cairns Convention Centre hub from 25 - 28 July.  

Adjoining the Art Fair is CIAF’s colourful Art Market, with 40-plus stall holders whose bounty of affordable arts and wares present incredible craftsmanship and cultural stories. There is something for everyone, from textiles and fashion to accessories, homewares, artworks, and more.

Music in the Tanks

Within the atmospheric surrounds of Tanks Arts Centre, headlining artist BARKAA, Australia’s leading Indigenous hip-hop artist, will light up the stage, sharing her stories and igniting the crowd through what is anticipated to be a passionate and raw performance. Joining her will be Cairns RnB artist and powerful vocalist Simone Stacey and performers from the music development program No Shame in my Game. CIAF’s Music at Tanks on July 27 is a ticketed event.

Captivating Live Fashion Performance – Country Speaking “Light The Fire”

Another must on the CIAF 2024 program is its much-acclaimed fashion performance at Tanks Arts Centre. Under the curatorial direction of designer Lynelle Flinders and choreographers, Tahlia Burchill-O’Brien and Tamara Pearson, Country Speaking Light the Fire presents the fashion collections of 12 Queensland Indigenous designers with a cultural performance exploring ‘fire’ and its deep, symbolic significance in Indigenous culture and Country.

To see the full CIAF program, visit the website.

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