Another successful National Indigenous Art Fair
16-07-2025
The Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks was alive with colour, Culture and community spirit over the first weekend of July, with the sixth annual National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) at the start of NAIDOC Week 2025.
Over two days nearly 100 Indigenous artists, including those from more than 30 remote art centres, travelled from across the country to share paintings, sculptures, textiles, and fashion. The fair offers visitors a rare opportunity to connect directly with creators, and ethically purchase artworks that fund remote communities, organisations, and artists.
Around every corner was a stunning display of cultural and artistic brilliance, with vibrant works paired with authentic connections between visitors and the centres. The event embodied this year’s NAIDOC theme: empowering the next generation of artists, Cultural workers, and community members; while celebrating the vision, knowledge, and strength of our Elders who have brought us here.
Created by First Hand Solutions, the Fair is core to the organisation’s ethos: to build resilient and strong Aboriginal people, communities and business through education, opportunities and economic development projects. Known for their frequently running, iconic Blak Markets alongside their Country revitalisation and education through Indigigrow; First Hand Solutions have a reputation for successful and impactful community outcomes, the Fair being no exception to this.
Highlights of the weekend included the Shop at the Runway showcase, a fashion parade featuring powerful collections by emerging First Nations designers; as well as a bush‑foods cooking demonstration by Mindy Woods (Bundjalung), MasterChef finalist and award‑winning restaurateur who shared native culinary traditions in a live BBQ cook‑off.
The fair also offers live music, dance performances, cultural workshops, communal weaving circles, and conversations with First Nations creatives.
Peter Cooley, CEO of First Hand Solutions summarised the significance and impact of the weekend, saying: “This event is more than an art fair – it’s a living, breathing expression of culture . . . helping to preserve an ancient culture, traditions, and stories of those communities.”
For more, read NIAF’s Curator Miah Madden’s sit down with Frankie Magazine, where she provides her insight on how this year’s Fair was built.
