Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts news

Australia's delegation to Festival of Pacific Arts - 30 June 2008

Australia’s delegation to welcome the new day at 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts.

Arts and culture leaders honoured with top community arts prizes - 03 April 2008

Arts Minister Peter Garrett today presented four artsworkers with awards for outstanding leadership and contribution to the advancement of community arts and culture.

Australia Council to consult further about Indigenous key organisations - 27 March 2008

The Australia Council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts board chair Dr Chris Sarra today announced the board would extend its consultation with the Indigenous arts sector about proposed changes to the Indigenous key organisations funding program to September 2008.

Guides to help do the right thing with Indigenous culture - 28 February 2008

The Australia Council for the Arts has released a fully revised second edition of its protocol guides to help Australians better understand the use of Indigenous cultural material.

Wesley Enoch leads Australia's delegation to Festival of Pacific Arts - 19 February 2008

The Australia Council for the Arts today announced the appointment of Wesley Enoch as artistic director of Australia’s delegation to the 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts, to be held in American Samoa in July 2008.

Music in Communities Awards - 15 February 2008

The Music Council of Australia is seeking entries for its new music awards, celebrating the vitality of music in Australia’s coastal communities, outback towns, remote Indigenous communities.

Stephen Page named NSW Australian of the year - 29 November 2007

Australia Council for the Arts congratulates Stephen Page as his contributions to choreography and community are celebrated.

Opportunity for Pacific dreaming in American Samoa - 16 November 2007

Australia Council for the Arts is looking for Indigenous dancers, musicians, actors, writers and visual artists to join Australia’s delegation to the 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts.

National Indigenous Art Triennial - 12 October 2007

Culture Warriors - Australia's first Indigenous Art Triennial

Strategic initiatives - 10 September 2007

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts board has recently selected a number of proposals from the received expressions of interest to address the Artist in Work (Employment), Showcasing the Best (International) and Other Side of the Coin (Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property) strategies.

National Indigenous Art Award - 14 August 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts congratulates Dennis Nona whose 650-kilogram bronze sculpture of a crocodile has won the Telstra National Indigenous Art Award.

Introducing the NIARG - 13 August 2007

The National Indigenous Arts Reference Group (NIARG) is comprised of artists and industry experts from around the country, who act as an information resource and advisory group to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board.

Australia Council mourns Paddy Bedford - 17 July 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts today expressed sadness at the passing of renowned Aboriginal artist Paddy Bedford.

Launch of National Indigenous Television - 13 July 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts today welcomed the launch of National Indigenous Television (NITV), Australia's first national Indigenous broadcasting service.

Australia Council forms National Indigenous Arts Reference Group - 15 June 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts has formed a National Indigenous Arts Reference Group to provide cultural insight and expert advice for the development and implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts programs.

Australia Council affirms commitment to reconciliation - 18 May 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts is committed to the development of a reconciliation action plan by 30 December 2007. Development of this reconciliation action plan will involve consultation with internal and external stakeholders including Indigenous staff, clients and the local community.

Indigenous curators to experience the 2007 Venice Biennale - 03 May 2007

Four Indigenous curators will join the Australian contingent at the 2007 Venice Biennale.

Keeping culture strong in South Australia - 25 April 2007

Indigenous staff from the Australia Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board are visiting centres in South Australia in May to talk to people about the Australia Council’s funding programs for 2007.

Keeping culture strong in Western Australia - 25 April 2007

Indigenous staff from the Australia Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board are visiting Western Australia in May and June to talk to people about the Australia Council’s funding programs for 2007.

ATSIA grant seeker's program 2007 - 21 April 2007

Information sessions and client meetings with staff from the Australia Council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board will be held across Australia between April and June 2007.

Call for strategic proposals - 20 April 2007

Expressions of interest are invited from Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and organisations wanting to make a long-term positive impact on the cultural landscape for Indigenous arts.

Australia Council mourns Justine Saunders - 18 April 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts joins the Indigenous and non-Indigenous arts community of Australia in mourning, respecting and honouring the loss of Ms Justine Saunders who passed away on Sunday 15 April 2007.

Vale Mr Nyakul Dawson - 15 January 2007

The Australia Council for the Arts honours the life of Aboriginal artist Mr Dawson a senior member and artist of the Wingellina community in Western Australia.

$3.5 million for big picture programs - 11 December 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts has allocated more than $3.5 million to nine major projects in the latest round of strategic initiatives funding.

2006 Red Ochre Award - 11 December 2006

Actor, musician and artistic director Tom E Lewis has been honored with the 2006 Red Ochre Award by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait arts board of the Australia Council for the Arts.

Indigenous contemporary art books initiative - 18 September 2006

The visual arts board, in consultation with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts board, will work with Melbourne University Publishing (MUP) over the next three years to publish 10 Indigenous contemporary art books.

Australia Council welcomes inquiry into Indigenous visual art sector - 18 August 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts today welcomed the decision by the Australian Government to hold a parliamentary inquiry to examine ways to strengthen the Indigenous visual arts and craft sector.

Vale Lisa Bellear - 28 July 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts honours the life of Aboriginal artist Lisa Marie Bellear, a Minjungbul woman from Stradbroke Island, Queensland.

Australian Indigenous art to become Parisian cultural landmark - 30 May 2006

The artworks of eight leading Australian Indigenous artists, specially commissioned for the major new Musée du quai Branly in Paris - one of the most significant cross-cultural collaborations between Australia and France - will be unveiled by President Jacques Chirac on 20 June.

A ceremony of celebration to honour the Australian Indigenous Art Commission - 30 May 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts has enlisted one of Indigenous Australia’s most respected artistic directors, Rhoda Roberts, to produce the gifting ceremony of the Australian Indigenous Art Commission (AIAC) at the new Musée du quai Branly in Paris on 23 June.

Aboriginal author adds to life story with top literary award - 26 May 2006

Eminent Aboriginal author and historian Dr Ruby Langford Ginibi has been honoured with the 2005 Australia Council for the Arts Writers Emeritus Award.

Harold Mitchell Foundation announces gift in support of the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris and Indigenous artists - 02 May 2006

The Harold Mitchell Foundation has announced it is the major partner with the Australian Government and Australia Council for the Arts for the Australian Indigenous Art Commission (AIAC) in the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, a new museum dedicated to the art and culture of the indigenous peoples of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

Selection panel for Australia's representation at the 2007 Venice Biennale - 13 April 2006

The 2007 artist/s will be chosen by a panel comprising John Kaldor AM, Australian Commissioner; Lesley Alway, Chair, Visual Arts Board, Australia Council; Juliana Engberg, Artistic Director, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art; and Rachel Kent, Senior Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art.

Australia Council's $3 million boost to Indigenous arts - 13 April 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts will spend an extra $3 million over the next three years on four new programs to support Indigenous arts across Australia and overseas.

Australian artists’ incomes to get multi-million dollar boost - 06 April 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts will invest more than $2.8 million to increase the earnings of Australian artists.

The Other Side of the Coin - A win for Indigenous artists - 05 April 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts board today announced a $300,000 three-year strategy to protect and promote Indigenous cultural and intellectual property.

Brief for the Australian exhibition at the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007 - 31 March 2006

The Australia Council for the Arts is calling for expressions of interest to represent Australia at the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007.

Keeping Indigenous culture strong - 27 March 2006

More than $674,000 will go to support 29 Indigenous arts projects from around Australia in the latest round of funding from the Australia Council for the Arts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts board.

Aboriginal playwrights tread the boards in Paris - 03 February 2006

Three Aboriginal playwrights had staged readings of their works held at the Louvre as part of a week-long celebration of Pacific writers.

Community arts visionary wins key arts prize - 14 December 2005

Writer, researcher and playwright Graham Pitts has received the Australia Council for the Arts' 2005 Ros Bower Award for his outstanding contribution to the arts and community cultural development.

Seaman Dan honoured with Red Ochre Award - 14 December 2005

Torres Strait Islands singer/songwriter Seaman Dan was honoured today with the Australia Council for the Arts' 2005 Red Ochre Award.

J Arts Crew revealed - 05 July 2005

From August 2005, the J ARTS CREW will begin broadcasting on ABC Radio's Triple J network.

Executive director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts appointed - 09 June 2005

The Australia Council for the Arts has appointed Lydia Miller as its new executive director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts (ATSIA).

Our Place: Indigenous Australia Now - 18 April 2005

The 'Our Place: Indigenous Australia now' exhibition is a unique insight into one of the oldest living cultures and most dynamic contemporary art movements in the world.

Ngaanyatjarra Picture Dictionary Launch - 13 April 2005

Australia Council funded Indigenous publishing house, IAD Press will launch the 4th volume of its highly acclaimed series of Aboriginal language picture books, Ngaanyatjarra Picture Dictionary.

New ATSIA chair appointed - 11 March 2005

Chris Sarra has been appointed as chair of the Australia Council's Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander arts board for a three-year term.