Cairns Indigenous Art Fair has launched its 2026 campaign, unveiling a bold new program under the theme Reclamation & Regeneration for its 17th year in Gimuy/Cairns.
CIAF's program this year will open on Thursday July 9 at Tanks Arts Centre with a powerful Opening Night celebration headlined by award-winning Zenadth Kes/Torres Strait Islander dance troupe Naygayiw Gigi (Northern Thunder), alongside an all-star First Nations performance line-up spanning rainforest, Cape York and Zenadth Kes/Torres Strait cultural practices.
The launch also confirms an extraordinary collective of approximately 350 Art Fair Showcase exhibitors and Artisans Showcase participants, signalling exciting growth in 2026.
The visual arts program represents more than 220 Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes / Torres Strait Islander artists across collectives, art centres and independent practices, including 21 independent artists, a marker of CIAF's role in supporting artists to move into sustainable practice within the context of a major national art fair.
The Art Fair Showcase will present 34 exhibitors representing more than 90 artists across Tanks 3 and 4, spanning art centres, commercial galleries and independent practitioners.
The Artisans Showcase will reach a new scale (comprising 38 market stalls), showcasing the work of more than 130 artists, marking the largest Artisans program in CIAF's history.
A further 65 performers will animate the program, including 21 fashion performers set to showcase the dynamism and innovation of First Nations fashion on the runway.
Founded in 2009, CIAF has grown into Australia's leading First Nations-led art fair and cultural gathering, recognised for its ethical art marketplace, curatorial rigour and deep grassroots grounding.
Returning to the iconic Tanks Arts Centre, CIAF 2026 will transform the botanical precinct July 9-12 with an expansive program of visual art, performance, music, fashion, talks, masterclasses and large-scale cultural activations.
More than a festival moment, CIAF operates as cultural infrastructure, connecting artists to markets, collectors to communities, and Queensland's Aboriginal and Zenadth Kes creativity to national and international audiences.
The 2026 Opening Night will feature a dynamic convergence of contemporary performance and cultural storytelling, including Naygayiw Gigi (Northern Thunder) Circa Cairns, Yidinji Dancers and more.
The evening will also include a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, immersive installations, curated food experiences and the simultaneous opening of the CIAF Art Fair Showcase and Artisans Showcase across the precinct.
CIAF artistic director Teho Ropeyarn said Reclamation & Regeneration speaks to the powerful continuum and unique voices of First Nations cultures across Queensland.
"Reclamation & Regeneration is about finding new and innovative ways to transform truth- telling and using our platform for bold contemporary expression," he said.
"CIAF 2026 is a celebration of resurgence. We reclaim; we regenerate. Our artists are not just preserving cultures; they are propelling it forward."
Queensland Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said CIAF offers extraordinary opportunities to engage with the diverse and exceptional work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in Queensland.
"The Crisafulli government proudly invests in CIAF as an important platform for Indigenous artists from across the state to access new markets and for visitors to engage with unique arts and cultural experiences," he said.
"CIAF's vibrant program attracts thousands of interstate and international visitors and delivers on Queensland's Time to Shine, our 10-year strategy for arts and culture, including the priority to maximise economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives."
CIAF chair Bianca Beetson said the 2026 program builds on the Fair's growing national and international reputation.
"CIAF continues to centre Queensland's First Nations artists as leaders in contemporary practice while remaining deeply grounded in Country. Reclamation & Regeneration reminds us that culture is living, is adaptive, resilient and future-focused," she said.
In addition to opening night, CIAF 2026 will present an art fair showcase, an artisans showcase and more.
CIAF will take place from the 9th to the 12th of July 2026, at Tanks Arts Centre, Gimuy/Cairns. Tickets are on sale online now.
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