CIAF Program Dates: 9- 12 July 2026

Venue: Tanks Arts Centre

46 Collins Ave, Edge Hill QLD 4870. ___________________________________________________

Images: 1. (top) Rebecca Ray, CIAF 2025 Art Fair Showcase. 2. (background) Nathaneal Edwards (JigirrJigirr) Art Fair Showcase booth. Photographs: Michael Marzick.

Invitation for Expressions of Interest

CIAF invites expressions of interest from exhibitors for the 2026 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair!

We welcome applications from art centres, commercial galleries, independent artists and artist groups, artist collectives, and artist-run initiatives (ARIs). Whether you’re a returning exhibitor or a new voice in the CIAF community, we want to hear from you.

If you’ve never exhibited with us before, that’s okay—we’re excited to learn about your work, your creative journey, and the projects you’re currently developing. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with audiences, showcase your art, and be part of the vibrant CIAF 2026 program.

Apply now and bring your vision to CIAF!

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DISTINCTLY QUEENSLAND, GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT

CIAF is internationally recognised for its artistic calibre and unique positioning. It offers collectors, curators, and audiences an ethical marketplace and immersive cultural experience that cannot be found anywhere else. At the heart of CIAF’s success is its commitment to authenticity, Indigenous leadership, and cultural integrity.

 

QUEENSLAND INDIGENOUS ART MOVEMENT

CIAF supports an authentic Queensland Indigenous art movement that celebrates a traditional and contemporary approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural expressions through stories, design elements, motifs, symbolism and imagery that is unique to Queensland.

 

CIAF CULTURAL CODE

The use of traditional and cultural designs must be representative of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and not representative of people and cultures outside of Queensland. The use of dot work and cross-hatching with origins and styles from the Central and Western Desert and Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory is not considered traditional to Queensland. Traits of this symbolism established by the central and Western Desert movement were adapted by Aboriginal people across the country as a form of art identity and Aboriginality due to the loss of culture and historical events that have resulted in the loss of identity.

CIAF 2026 presents Reclamation & Regeneration as the theme which honours the enduring strength, vitality and creativity of Queensland’s First Nations peoples.

Reclamation is the active retrieval of what was taken, lost, archived or forgotten; whilst Regeneration is the renewal and transformation of that knowledge into vibrant, living cultures. Together, they form a cycle of cultural survival, resurgence and innovation.

Reclamation speaks to a return to Country, to memory, and to stories passed down through generations. It is an act of resistance and resurgence by reclaiming space through expressions of language, cultural identity and spiritual connection. It confronts the dispossession and disruption of peoples from Country and the environment, while addressing the threats posed to our cultural expressions, belief systems and visual languages and iconography.

Regeneration builds upon the foundational work of Reclamation; it breathes new life into repossessed knowledges. It is a creative force that sustains cultural identity through intergenerational exchange, innovation and healing. Regeneration nurtures the land and spirit, and imagines futures rooted in healing and transformation.

DEADLINES

• Art Fair Showcase EOI Deadline: Friday 14th November, 2025
• Exhibitor Selection/ Shortlisting Notification: Friday 28th November, 2025
• Registration for Selected Exhibitors Release: Friday 5th December, 2025
• Registration Deadline: Wednesday 17th December, 2025
• Submission of final artwork and booth layout design for curation
  *Art Centres & Independent Artists onlyFriday * 8th May 2026

 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to exhibit at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) in 2026, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Exhibiting artists, or artists represented by applicants (e.g., galleries, art centres, artist-run initiatives or collectives), must be First Nations artists of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent AND must meet one of the following residency requirements:
   (a) Reside in Queensland (QLD) OR

   (b) have familial ties to Queensland, meaning they have family connections or     ancestral links to Indigenous communities in Queensland.

2. Art Fair Showcase is open to First Nations artists at any career stage, including emerging, mid-career, and established artists.

3. Applicants should display a commitment to Indigenous cultural, traditional, and contemporary artistic expression, and the preservation of cultural practices through their work.

4. The CIAF Art Fair Showcase is committed to being accessible and inclusive, ensuring that eligible artists of all abilities have equal opportunities to apply and participate.

Booth Height: 2.7 meters

Booth sizes may vary slightly depending on specific exhibition needs and availability. 

We’ve introduced smaller booth options specifically designed for independent artists who prefer to commit to more compact spaces. This provides flexible and accessible options for artists. Individual needs can be discussed with the exhibitions teams. Exhibitors are asked to inform us if they will be including suspended works, as these require specific placement in the venue. Each exhibitor will be billed based on their final allocated booth size, with invoices adjusted accordingly once allocations are confirmed. All exhibitors are charged the same price per lineal meter, regardless of booth size. Booth sizes will be finalised prior to applications submissions.

 

Payment Terms 

Booth Deposit (25%, Non-Refundable)

Due: 27 February 2026

Balance Payment Due: 9 May 2026

 

The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair thanks you for the submission of your Expression of Interest for our art fair exhibition call-out. Your interest and creative contributions are immensely appreciated.

Your support is instrumental in making our art fair a success, and we value your commitment to the arts.

We will be thoroughly reviewing each EOI, and our team will be in touch soon with further details. Once again, thank you for being an integral part of our artistic journey.