Indigenous Arts Development Project and Business Centre

In 2006, local Indigenous artists formed the Regional Indigenous Artists Steering Committee, to support Indigenous visual artists in the region.

With the assistance of Arts Northern Rivers, they proposed a long term Indigenous Arts Development Project, to support the development and sustainability of the Indigenous visual arts industry in the region, a culturally rich area with large numbers of Indigenous artists working in all fields of the visual arts and craft.

In the first stage of the project, Frances Belle Parker was employed as Indigenous Arts Development Officer, to assist Indigenous artists develop their professional art practice, and provide outreach support for artists in remote communities.

The second phase of the project will involve the establishment of an Indigenous Arts Business Centre (IABC) in Lismore and the employment of an Indigenous Arts Business Manager to provide business support, marketing and sales services to Indigenous artists and arts enterprises in the region, and to manage and build a sustainable business model for the centre.

The IABC will act as a regional centre, connecting Indigenous artists from throughout the Northern Rivers to market opportunities.

The space will comprise studios/workshops for Indigenous artists, offices and a gallery/retail outlet.

This project is supported by the Australian Government, through the National Arts and Craft Industry Support Program of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

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