Today I announce more than $22 million in funding for 97 organisations to support and develop professional Indigenous visual arts practice and further strengthen the sector.

The Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program contributes to the operations of a national network of around 80 Indigenous-owned arts centres and five service organisations that are at the heart of Australia’s world-renowned Indigenous visual art movement.

These art centres enable the development, production and marketing of Indigenous visual art. Together they support the practice of more than 6,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, enriching the nation's cultural life and ensuring Indigenous culture and stories are passed on to future generations.

In 2015-16 funding will be provided to some of Australia’s oldest art centres such as Ernabella Arts in South Australia which was established in 1948 and Buku Larrnggay Mulka in the Northern Territory, established in 1976. Some of the country’s newer art centres will also be funded including Spinifex Arts Project in Western Australia, and Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh in the Torres Strait Islands.

This funding will also enable art centres to provide training, leadership and employment opportunities for around 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts workers living and working in some of Australia’s remotest communities.

As well as supporting art centres and service organisations, the program will contribute to a number of key promotion and marketing events, including the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair and Revealed, a showcase of emerging Aboriginal artists from Western Australia.

Funding through the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program in 2015-16 includes $11 million committed in previous years through multi-year funding agreements.

More information about the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program and a full list of funding recipients can be found on the Ministry for the Arts website.