The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) is a premier cultural event celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, music, dance, and fashion. Held in Cairns City, this year-long event runs from July 2023 to July 2024, showcasing the rich heritage and vibrant contemporary expressions of Australia’s First Nations people. Visitors can experience a dynamic program of exhibitions, performances, workshops, and market stalls featuring authentic Indigenous artworks. CIAF aims to foster greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous cultures while supporting economic opportunities for Indigenous artists. For more information, visit CIAF.

FRIDAY 26TH JULY & SATURDAY 27TH JULY

Country in a western sense can be described an area of land that has its own government or land that is not in towns.

Country with a capital ‘C’ as used by First Nations people embodies the deep connection to the land, waters, skies and seas within their Nation and Clans. It is also much more.

It encompasses the spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental relationship to Country.

Country is inclusive of the tangible living and breathing landscapes and the animals nourished by it. The ancient songlines of 65,000 years of ancestral connections deepen First Nation People’s relationship with Country which cannot always be seen but is intangible.

CIAF 2024 Symposium seeks to expound and educate towards a deeper understanding of Country speaking.