Entertainment
5 October, 2025
CIAF 2026 introduces new themes
THE CAIRNS Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) has announced ‘Reclamation and regeneration’ as the curatorial theme for its 17th anniversary in 2026, marking a milestone return to its birthplace at Tanks Arts Centre from 9–12 July.
The theme reflects remembrance, resistance and renewal and will shape a season of programming led by CIAF artistic director Teho Ropeyarn.
“Reclamation is a powerful act of cultural resurgence, speaking to the ongoing process of retrieving what has been taken, lost, archived or forgotten,” Mr Ropeyarn said.
“For Queensland’s First Nations communities, reclamation is not only a response to historical and ongoing dispossession but also a declaration of survival, sovereignty and strength.
“Regeneration is the natural partner to reclamation. Where reclamation retrieves what was lost, regeneration breathes new life into it, a dynamic force rooted in ancestral knowledge yet reaching boldly into the future.”
This will be Mr Ropeyarn’s second curatorial vision for CIAF, following 2025’s Pay Attention!, which offered artists a platform to engage audiences with social, political and cultural issues.
CIAF chairwoman Bianca Beetson said next year’s program would once again provide a powerful stage for First Nations voices, art and storytelling.
“At its heart, CIAF is about creating a platform for First Nations voices, stories and creative expression, a powerful space for healing, innovation and connection, a gathering where art is not just created but lived,” she said.
“Through the themes of Reclamation and Regeneration, CIAF 2026 honours the resilience of our communities and their ability to not only reclaim what has been denied but to regenerate culture in ways that empower future generations.”
The 2026 season will open on Thursday 9 July, followed by three days of programming across Tanks Arts Centre, located on Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country in Cairns.
Highlights will include the art fair showcase and artisans showcase.
