Through the Lens
There is a new voice in Indigenous visual art with an increasing number of Indigenous artists picking up cameras and making their mark with photography.
2009 NAIDOC Artist of the Year Wayne Quilliam and 2009 Deadly Art Award Winner Bindi Cole are two Victorian Indigenous artists getting international recognition in the medium.
Supporting the Sector
Arts Victoria acknowledged this trend early on and kicked off a series of initiatives designed to recognise the existing talent in the sector and to support its growth. This culminated in the first ever National Indigenous Photography Forum in 2009, funded by Arts Victoria.
Naomi Cass, Director of the Centre of Contemporary Photography (CCP) and manager of the 2009 National Indigenous Photography Forum, said the inaugural event was a resounding success.
"We were delighted and surprised by the high attendance over three days and by the breadth of attendance from across Australia, from remote communities through to regional centres and capital cities," she said.
"The excitement and generosity of participants was palpable. This is the beginning of a robust dialogue between indigenous photographers from across Australia."
Naomi's prediction of a robust dialogue was accurate, with continued discourse on the topic and a second National Indigenous Photo-Media Forum to be held in 2012. The Forum will again present opportunities for emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander photographers and photo-media artists to join key photographic and photo-media industry specialists, artists and educators from across Australia and New Zealand.
The 2012 National Indigenous Photo-Media Forum will be held at ACMI at Federation Square from 8-10 February.
Speakers include artists Darren Siwes and Reko Rennie, ABC Radio National presenter Daniel Browning, artist, educator and consultant Dr. Les Walkling and Australian news and documentary photographer Mervyn Bishop alongside a further twenty speakers.
The 2012 Forum coincides with the inaugural Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival, featuring dance, cabaret, visual art, theatre, comedy, films and live music.
Other Opportunities
If you're an Indigenous artist living in Victoria looking for professional development opportunities check out our Indigenous Arts Development program