MEDIA INFORMATION
Esteemed creative and cultural collective to produce 2018 fashion performance
Friday 13 April 2018. Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) has appointed a new creative collective to co-produce its sixth, highly anticipated fashion performance that will premiere on Friday 13 July within the rainforest tableau of the Tanks Arts Centre, Edge Hill.
Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now being called for Queensland’s Indigenous fashion designers, and art centres to showcase their collections in this year’s performance, Bulmba-barra - When barefeet touch the earth – jointly curated by dynamic foursome; craftsman and cultural practitioner, Bernard Singleton, artist and sustainable fashion designer Simone Arnol, and creative directors and choreographers Rita Pryce and Peggy Misi of Pryce Centre and Baiwa Kazil.
CIAF’s general manager Vanessa Gillen said the event’s fashion performance is a much-loved, major highlight and every year much thought and planning goes into producing a performance that is authentic, powerful and unexpected.
“While it is imperative that we focus the spotlight on Queensland’s Indigenous fashion movement and talent it is the interwoven, cultural underpinnings of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples that evoke the strongest response from the audience.
“You could say we have very high expectations of our team - admiration, empathy, understanding and tears of joy,” Ms Gillen said.
In response to popularity of previous year’s performances, CIAF has expanded its fashion event program over two days to offer a total of four performances on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 July. Tickets are on sale from 3 May 2018 and are available via www.ticketlink.com.au
Fashion designers wishing to participate in this year’s CIAF fashion performance are invited to apply online between now and 4 May 2018 COB. The EOI document is located at www.ciaf.com.au.
A second EOI process to secure models and performers for Bulmba-barra will be launched on 14 May 2018 and run until 15 June 2018. This year’s production will feature up to 20 models and performers from across the remotest communities in Queensland’s far north and the Torres Strait.
About CIAF
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) is the quintessential celebration of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. CIAF is unique in that it brings together and conveys the rich diversity of Queensland Indigenous art in its curated art fair exhibition featuring more than 150 artists. Notably, CIAF is committed to providing an ethical point for sale for Indigenous art to support the career development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists across the state.
CIAF was established by the Queensland Government in 2009 as a strategic initiative of Backing Indigenous Arts. In support of CIAF realising its full potential, a Task Force was established in 2013 to transition CIAF outside of the Queensland Government and become its own independent entity. CIAF Ltd is now a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and governed by a Board of Directors.
In 2017 CIAF received the ultimate endorsement of its value and appeal recording more than 50,000 people who visited the Ports North-owned Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal and other satellite venues. Since its inception in 2009, CIAF has welcomed 235,000 people to its various events, featured 1,300 artists and generated more than $6 million in art sales for Queensland’s Indigenous artists.
CIAF is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland’s Backing Indigenous Arts initiative, which aims to build stronger, more sustainable and ethical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts industry in the State.
For further information on CIAF 2018, visit www.ciaf.com.au
ENDS
Media Contact: Pip Miller Mob: 0419 681543 Email: pip [at] pipmillerpr.com.au