CIAF wins industry placements

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair’s Coconut Leaf Project, a crosscultural community project celebrating Torres Strait Islander craft and weaving, is one of seven projects and two industry placements to benefit from the Queensland Government’s First Nations Commissioning Fund.

The Fund showcases new arts and cultural works and creates jobs, giving a boost to First Nations arts aimed at delivering accessible arts and cultural experiences to audiences.

Local MP Cynthia Lui said Far North Queensland was a deep reservoir of cultural heritage.

“First Nations communities across the region maintain strong arts practice traditions,” she said.

“Art is culture and culture is life.

“It’s important to practice this as a community.”

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the funds were part of the Grow 2022-2026 action plan, which was the second part of the Queensland Government’s 10-year roadmap for arts, culture and creativity.

“Support for industry placements, a new feature integrated across these funding programs, will address skills gaps and expand the scale and capacity of the state’s creative workforce supporting diverse positions including producers, curators, exhibitions assistants and digital content producers,” she said.

Others to benefit from the funding include Jessie Lloyd, who will continue her work researching and composing cultural song traditions in contemporary music, creating new songs in the Kala Lagaw Ya language of the Western Torres Strait.

For more information see https://www.arts.qld.gov. au/news/queensland-artsshowcase-program-and-firstnations-commissioning-fundround-1-recipients