New studio a boost for Aurukun artists
12 December 2012: Female Indigenous artists from Aurukun recently received an early Christmas present from the Queensland Government—a brand new women’s art studio at the Wik & Kugu Indigenous Art Centre.
Kerry Trapnell
Elder and master weaver Mavis Ngallametta at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2012
Aurukun is a small, remote community situated on the North West tip of the Cape York Peninsula.
The Indigenous art centre has built an international reputation for creating authentic and high quality indigenous sculpture and fibre art, which have been popular with buyers and onlookers at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair over the past four years.
Acting Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek announced construction would soon start on a new women’s art studio in the Indigenous community.
The Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland’s Backing Indigenous Arts program, is investing $400,000, along with the Australian Government providing a further $300,000 to build the studio.
The new studio will be a dedicated space for female artists to create their art works for sale, which helps stimulate creative, cultural and economic growth in the community.
The studio also provides a safe environment for the local community to share, engage and carry on their ancient traditions of carving, painting and weaving.
