Ecofiesta is an annual event that engages with the Cairns community to raise awareness of environmental sustainability. Organised by the Cairns Regional Council, this year (for the first time) the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) was invited to participate.
CIAF collaborated with Arts Nexus and Junk Weavers to share a space, cross-promoting the work of each of the organisations at the fiesta, down at Munro Martin Parklands. Together, we celebrated the message of ‘sustainability in art', while CIAF was also able to engage with the wider community, successfully reaching out to new demographics to promote our events.
The CIAF stall at Ecofiesta, and on the Munro Martin Parklands' centre stage, displayed a rare preview of new ghost-net sculptures, created by artist from the Pormpuraaw Art & Culture Centre. The works are made from recycled, discarded fishing nets and line collected from the ocean and that wash up on their beaches. At the CIAF stall, visitors were invited to participate in learning how to junk weave, upcycling old CIAF banners and into handbags and other ingenious items.
Ecofiesta also provided great hands-on event experience for our CIAF Evolution Project trainees, helping them accumulate valuable events experience, making industry connections and engagements.
The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is moving into a more eco-conscious space. In accordance with this, our theme for 2021 - as chosen by our Artistic Director, Janina Harding - celebrates the beauty of this great land: Sacred - An artistic response to Queensland’s sacred sites and significant places.
For information on our series of events for this year, stay tuned here on our website as our program will be released in early July! Our events will be held across several world-class venues (Cairns Convention Centre, Munro Martin Parklands and Tanks Art Centre) from 17-22 August.
Words by Ebony Doyle,
CIAF Evolution Project Marketing Assistant Trainee