CIAF Program Dates: 9 - 12 July 2026

Venue: Tanks Arts Centre

46 Collins Ave, Edge Hill QLD 4870

Image: Samala Thakialee Cronin (MumRed)'s CIAF 2025 Masterclass: From Fur to Feathers - Making Bags with MumRed. Photograph: Studio Sol by Alicia Jade.

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). 

If this is your first time joining us, that’s absolutely okay—we’re thrilled to have you here. We’re excited to learn about your creative journey, your current projects, and the stories behind your work. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with audiences, showcase your art, and be part of the vibrant CIAF 2026 program. Don’t miss it!

Apply now and bring your creative vision to CIAF!

                                                                                                            

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

Masterclass EOI Deadline: Monday 12 January 2026
Masterclass Artist Facilitator Selection/Shortlisting Notification: Monday 26 January 2026

Eligibility Criteria – CIAF 2026 Masterclass Workshops

To participate in the CIAF 2026 Masterclass Workshops, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Participants must be First Nations artists of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent and meet one of the following residency requirements: Reside in Queensland (QLD) and/or have a strong connection to Queensland

• The workshops are open to First Nations artists at any career stage—including emerging, mid-career, and established artists

• Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to Indigenous cultural, traditional, or contemporary artistic expression, and a willingness to share and preserve cultural practices through creative exploration.

• CIAF is committed to ensuring the workshops are accessible and inclusive, providing equal opportunities for eligible artists of all abilities to apply and participate.

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To maintain the integrity of the CIAF Masterclasses, we ask all applicants to carefully review the CIAF Info Pack and adhere to the guidelines and eligibility criteria before submitting an application.

The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair thanks you for the submission of your Expression of Interest for our Masterclass 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.