culture

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair unveils 2025 masterclass series led by leading First Nations creatives

Phoebe Blogg Published June 2, 2025 at 2.00pm (AWST)

Mumred designer Samala Cronin. (Image: Mumred)

The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is inviting art lovers, collectors, and curious minds to roll up their sleeves and immerse themselves in the fair's newly announced 2025 Masterclass Series.

Hosted by some of Queensland's most esteemed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, the new workshop series is one of many fresh additions to CIAF's 2025 program.

The five CIAF Masterclasses will be held from Friday July 11 to Sunday July 13 at the Tanks Arts Centre. Exploring a range of traditional and contemporary practices, from weaving and pigment ink-making to cultural storytelling through fashion and truth-telling via object art, the masterclasses will spotlight a variety of artistic niches.

Led by master practitioners Helena Loncaric, Samala Cronin (MumRed), Nephi Denham, Kerry Klimm, and Matilda Nona, each masterclass is limited to 15 participants, allowing for focused, hands-on learning in a culturally rich environment.

CIAF artistic director Teho Ropeyarn said the 2025 Masterclass Series is an extension of the fair's mission to create opportunities for deep engagement and cultural exchange.

"CIAF's Masterclasses offer more than technical skills—they invite participants into a space of truth-telling, cultural transmission, and creative reflection," he said.

"Each session honours the strength and continuity of First Nations knowledge systems while providing an extraordinary opportunity to learn directly from leading artists in their field."

While there are many highlights in the 2025 CIAF program, the masterclass workshops bound to gain attention include The Art of Weaving with Helena Loncaric, From Fur to Feathers: Designing Bags with Samala Cronin (MumRed), Mindi Weaving with Nephi Denham, Spill the Tea on the Colony with Kerry Klimm, and Printmaking with Natural Pigments with Matilda Nona.

Each led by creative masterminds, all workshops strive to both educate and engage participants.