Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair is a not-for-profit organisation connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander makers, artists, arts centres and buyers from around the country, now in its 14th year. The fair is a huge source of annual income for remote arts centres and the communities they support, a revenue stream that has been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response, DAAF has moved its offering to a digital platform, allowing visitors from around the world to visit the 9-day virtual festival. As well as the online exhibition portals connecting buyers with arts centres, a public program consisting of cultural performances, artist workshops and demonstrations, Indigenous food experiences, panel discussions and a kid’s collaborative art project will be hosted on the DAAF website and social channels. Art centres such as Tangentyere Artists, Maningrida Arts + Culture, Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency, Papunya Tjupi Arts and Tjanpi Desert Weavers will be in attendance, amongst many more!

The Cultural Keepers Program will also be held virtually, operating as six online sessions bringing together Indigenous curators with senior art centre staff and international speakers from First Nations backgrounds.

Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair is part of an alliance of Indigenous arts events held in August every year, including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, Garma Festival, National Indigenous Music Awards and the Salon des Refusés. Together, they form the most extensive and significant celebration of Australia’s Indigenous art, music and ideas in the country.

Visitors must register online in order to enter the virtual marketplace.

Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair
A virtual marketplace for ethically traded Aboriginal art
Friday, August 7th – Sunday, August 16th
Online only

To find out more about the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair and register to attend, click here.