Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) congratulates the five Queensland-based artists named among 71 finalists in the 2025 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), Australia’s most prestigious First Nations art prize.
This year’s Queensland finalists are:
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Alick Tipoti (Kala Lagaw Ya, Badu Island, Zenadh Kes/Torres Strait) – Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award
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Colina Wymarra (Gudang Yadhaykenu / Dauareb, Seisia) – Telstra General Painting Award and Emerging Artist
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Elisa Jane Carmichael (Ngugi, Brisbane) – Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award
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Lisa Michl Ko-manggén OAM (Pala Nganduw Kedew, Cairns) – Telstra Work on Paper Award
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Naomi Hobson (Southern Kaantju, Coen, Cape York) – Telstra Work on Paper Award
Among Queensland’s 2025 finalists, two celebrated artists—Lisa Michl Ko-manggén OAM and Alick Tipoti—have works featured in CIAF’s 2025 prestigious Art Fair Showcase exhibition at the Tanks Arts Centre in Gimuy/Cairns this July. Curated in response to this year’s theme, Pay Attention!, the showcase will be a collective Queensland First Nations reflection on truth, justice, identity, and resistance.
Further enriching his presence at CIAF, NATSIAA finalist Alick Tipoti will also lead a captivating three-day live cultural art demonstration under the fig tree near Tank 4 from 10 am to 3 pm daily across the CIAF weekend, 10 to 13 July. Visitors will witness Tipoti’s craftsmanship up close as he brings traditional Zenadh Kes/Torres Strait Islander art techniques to life.
According to CIAF Artistic Director Teho Ropeyarn, the opportunity to work with Mr Tipoti in presenting visitors with such a powerful and interactive experience reflects CIAF’s commitment to cultural knowledge sharing. It complements the award-winning artist’s national recognition as a 2025 NATSIAA finalist.
Mr Ropeyarn said the recognition of Queensland artists at NATSIAA affirms the calibre of the state’s First Nations art movement and the enduring impact of CIAF’s platform and legacy.
“We are proud to see these influential artists acknowledged nationally. We are especially thrilled that Alick Tipoti and Lisa Michl Ko-manggén—both CIAF legacy artists—will also be part of this year’s Art Fair Showcase,” Mr Ropeyarn said.
According to Mr Ropeyarn, Tipoti and Michl Ko-manggén are highly respected and experienced artists whose work embodies the message of Pay Attention! and speaks truth to power with visual strength and cultural integrity.
“This recognition is testament to their excellence and a celebration of the unique voices coming out of Queensland’s Indigenous communities,” he said.
Now in its 42nd year, the Telstra NATSIAA will open at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in Darwin on 21 June 2025, with winners announced at a ceremony on 8 August.
The CIAF 2025 Art Fair Showcase will take place from Thursday, 10 July, to Sunday, 13 July 2025, at the Tanks Arts Centre—central to the multidimensional, visual and performing arts program bringing together artists, performers, and cultural leaders from across Queensland and beyond under the banner of creative excellence and cultural sovereignty.
The 2025 Telstra NATSIAA exhibition will open on 21 June at MAGNT Darwin, and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 8 August.
Telstra NATSIAA is Australia's longest-running Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art award. It celebrates culture, artistic practice, and connection to Country, presented by MAGNT and Principal Partner Telstra on Larrakia Country.