A plan to advance Australia’s Indigenous Visual Arts

Joint Media Release

The Hon Paul Fletcher MP - Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts

The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP - Minister for Indigenous Australians

Indigenous arts centres in regional and remote Australia will have access to high-speed broadband, helping their artists to build new audiences and markets across the world, under the Morrison Government’s National Indigenous Visual Arts Action Plan (NIVAAP), released today.

The Plan outlines the Government’s priorities in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts sector over the next five years.

Along with connecting up to 80 arts centres to the NBN, measures in the Plan include:

• Ongoing funding of $5 million per year to implement the Action Plan, increasing the overall support to the Indigenous Visual Art sector to more than $27 million annually
• A national rollout of digital labelling for artworks and products, to protect the authenticity of artists’ work
• Working with international counterparts, to seek reciprocal arrangements for resale royalties overseas

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the action plan will reinforce a sector which offers strong participation and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, organisations and businesses.

“The Morrison Government’s Action Plan will help safeguard the cultural knowledge which underpins the work of Australia’s world-renowned Indigenous visual artists, while investing in sustainable economic opportunities for a modern digital environment,” Minister Fletcher said.

“This plan contains actions on many fronts – we’re funding the national rollout of digital labelling, investing in ethical production of authentic art and working with Indigenous communities to explore certification trademarks and new stand-alone legislation.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, said the initiative encourages sustainable growth while protecting the cultural interests of artists and organisations.

“We’ve undertaken extensive consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, together with commercial galleries, auction houses, wholesalers and the state and territory governments – because successful outcomes requires Indigenous Australians to be at the table.

“Visual art is an important vehicle for us to document and tell our stories, maintain and share culture and promote an understanding of history and Country.”

The Government will conduct a mid-point assessment of the Action Plan in December 2023 and adjust, as needed, to continue addressing the most urgent priorities in this sector.

To see the full National Indigenous Visual Arts Action Plan, visit: www.arts.gov.au/actionplan