Queensland Indigenous arts

Queensland Indigenous artists continue to express their cultural heritage through the contemporary art forms of visual arts and crafts, performing arts (including music, theatre and dance) and Literature. The expression of the arts and cultures of Indigenous peoples in Queensland is rich and diverse. 

The Indigenous population of Queensland, second highest in Australia, consists of two distinct groups, the Aboriginal peoples and the Torres Strait Islander peoples. Within these two groups, there are many languages and cultural traditions and these are reflected in the arts produced throughout the State.

Trade Queensland's Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA) has been responsible for the consistent promotion of high quality Queensland Indigenous art including visual, performing and written art forms in international markets.

Visual arts and crafts

The Queensland Indigenous visual arts and crafts industry is vibrant, with both young and mature artists creating works across all mediums of painting and sculpture, ceramics, body adornment, feathered and fibre works, and newer technologies of film, photography and digital imagery.

Performing arts (music, theatre and dance)

There are a growing number of Queensland Indigenous artists working in the performing arts (music, dance and theatre) who are consistently sought by the industry. Musicians, dancers and actors from Queensland have established profiles nationally and internationally particularly in the North American and European market. 

Literature

There is an emerging community across a range of writing genres including scriptwriters, playwrights, poets, authors and academics who are consistently employed by the arts and cultural industries locally and overseas.  Many of these have won national and international recognition.
Recently Queensland Indigenous art is making the highest impact in the visual arts arena.

A resurgence of cultural activity as well as government support has seen a number of strengths emerge within the industry and it is Queensland's geography and history that contributes to the diversity and distinctive nature of these art forms. The geographic regions profiled here include:  

• City-based (predominantly Brisbane)
• Lockhart River
• Aurukun
• Mornington Island
• Torres Strait Islands

City-based (predominantly Brisbane) 

Cutting edge, largely political, and conceptually rigorous, Queensland city-based Indigenous artists are a vital part of Australia's contemporary visual arts community.

Queensland has established its current position as a significant force through the work of City-based artists. Queensland is home to some of Australia's most successful and high profile Indigenous artists who work in the national and international arena.

Just as Western Desert canvases and Arnhem Land barks have revealed the cultural vitality of Australia's Northern Territory, the work of Indigenous artists from Queensland's cities and towns now help to define the cultural landscape of this State.

Lockhart River 

The Cape region contains culturally rich and diverse Indigenous communities where dance, song and age old traditions are maintained and new art forms are embraced.

On the east coast of Cape York, young artists from the Lockhart River region produce vibrant paintings on canvas. These artists give a voice to a new generation of Indigenous youth living in remote areas but influenced by both traditional and contemporary times.

Aurukun

The Wik artists from the Aurukun community of West Cape York produce unique ochre and acrylic painted wood sculptures and intricately woven fibre art. These unique forms reflect the rugged beauty of the region and traditional rituals, ceremony and crafts. 

Mornington Island

The Mornington Island artists from the Gulf region have recently emerged with an exciting new painting movement producing bold and definitive works with acrylic paint on canvas.

Torres Strait Islands

The Torres Strait Islands in the far north of the continent are home to a rich cultural tradition with its own distinct identity. A major strength of Queensland Indigenous art is found in the works of Torres Strait Islander artists epitomised by the unique and dynamic forms such as articulated dance masks, intricately carved linocut prints and bronze sculpture.

QIAMEA aims to attract world wide attention to the renaissance of Indigenous art in Queensland by strategically raising the profile of artists internationally and nationally through marketing and export activity.

Last updated 16 April 2009