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All the latest news about the National Indigenous Art Fair
National Indigenous Art Fair returns to Sydney this July
Launching NAIDOC Week
National Indigenous Art Fair returns to Sydney this July
Indigenous artists from some of the most remote regions of Australia will gather on 5-6 July 2025 for the sixth National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) — a two-day ethical art market and festival held on Gadigal Land at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney.
This iconic annual event will be held on Sydney Harbour’s stunning foreshore and showcases the latest award-winning ideas and innovations from Indigenous artists, designers and makers from remote art centres around the country, with each community bringing their particular range of unique handcrafted and limited-edition items produced using locally sourced materials, natural fibres, dyes and the distinctive style of their region.
From stunning original artworks to design objects, fashion, jewellery, homewares, and native dyedand hand-printed textiles, these artisans work closely with the resources found in their own environment.
The NIAF represents an incredible gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives traveling from the far corners of Australia and all the different styles of art of those regions — from the Bathurst Island in the Tiwis to Yuendumu in the Northern Territory to Port Hedland in the West. It presents a rare and exciting opportunity for Sydneysiders to interact directly with these makers.
Remote artists travelling to Sydney will also be able to participate in First Hand Solutions’ Heart in Art program, which provides economic and professional development opportunities to First Nations artists working in remote communities. This includes a three-day professional development program for artists to connect them with urban-based arts and cultural institutions and creative arts workshops prior to the event, so when they return home they can maintain and build on these connections and skills.
In the spirit of 2025’s NAIDOC Week theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, NIAF will feature a vibrant program of live music and dance performances including an interactive weaving circle and Indigenous bush food plant and food offerings.
An exciting new addition this year will be the Shop at the Runway, with an Indigenous fashion runway and Flash Mob Fashion show as part of the Art Fair which will highlight new collection pieces of NSW and remote designers that can be purchased at the Art Fair.
Officially welcoming these remote practitioners to Sydney, NSW artists, designers, and makers from
Australia’s premier authentic First Nations marketplace — the Blak Markets — will join them at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
The sixth annual art fair is proudly presented by Sydney-based First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation, in partnership with the Port Authority of NSW, Destination NSW, University of Technology Sydney, ABC Sydney, Place Management NSW, the City of Sydney, Nelson Meers Foundation, Creative Australia, Create NSW, Macquarie Foundation, Gilbert+Tobin, The Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program, Mercure Sydney and ABC Radio Sydney.
Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th