Preparations for the Victorian First Peoples Art and Design Fair are gaining pace, with the appointment of two curators and announcement of support for eight First Peoples' organisations across the stat.

The Fair will showcase, celebrate, and build the market for First Peoples artists and designers from Victoria. It will also further enable networking, support artists and designers to expand their business practices, platform new ideas and bold new works, and strengthen the First Peoples creative industries in Victoria.

Indigenous creative leaders Stacie Piper (Creative Hub Manager) and Jessica Clark (Curatorial Manager) have joined the fair's Senior Project Manager Janina Harding to assist in bringing the new biennial event to life - set to kick off in 2025.

Piper is a curator, Djirri Djirri Dancer and educator – currently working as a curator at the State Library Victoria's Victorian Indigenous Research Centre. In 2021 she was lead curator of the Creative Victoria First Peoples visual art program Yalingwa and presented the exhibition Wilam Biik at TarraWarra Museum of Art.

Clark is a proud Palawa woman and respected independent curator. Clark is the current Yalingwa curator at ACCA, having recently curated exhibitions: Between Waves, From the other side, and the upcoming Tennant Creek Brio: Juparnta Ngattu Minjinypa Iconocrisis. Clark has also curated exhibitions for Experimenta, Benalla Art Gallery and Ballarat International Foto Biennale, among many others.

As the fair's senior project manager, Harding brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table - having worked as artistic director of the Cairns Art Fair for eight years. She has also been a champion for First Peoples creative industries in Victoria, with 13 years in programming arts and cultural events for the City of Melbourne.

Over the coming year Harding and her team at Creative Victoria will spend their time building the capacity of artists and designers by ensuring they have culturally safe spaces to create, workshop ideas, upskill and produce museum standard work.

Harding said the event has curated a great team, with all members looking forward to kicking off next year.

"As we gear up for the 2025 Victorian First Peoples Art and Design Fair, we are so happy to have a dream team on board to make it happen. The new and improved spaces will also mean First Peoples artists and designers can come together to create their work, share and connect – and we're looking forward to having the opportunity to present their amazing work," she said.

The Victorian First Peoples Art and Design Fair is an initiative of the Creative Victoria First Peoples Directions Circle. Striving to be known as more than just a biennial event, the fair is aiming to build the market for First People's creative work across the state and upskill creators all year round.

To further support the First Peoples creative community to develop work in the lead-up to the 2025 event, and beyond, eight First Peoples organisations will share in more than $654,000 from the Creative Spaces and Places program to create new and improved spaces that will enable creatives to develop work and develop their skills.

Mob in Fashion is also set to transform their Brunswick fashion studio with an interior fit-out, while Djirra in the West will invest in much-needed equipment and convert a shed into a functional art-making hub for First Nations women.

Murran Hub in Geelong will upgrade its infrastructure and equipment while The Torch will fit out their Carlton hub and gallery to include a creative studio, build fit-for-purpose large artwork storage facilities and make improvements to their digital infrastructure.

The Motherless Collective in Collingwood, Baluk Arts in Mount Eliza, In Print Projects in Tyrendarra and Shepparton's Kaiela Arts will purchase new equipment, upgrade their spaces and improve their digital resources.

Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks said The First Peoples Art and Design Fair Showcase will highlight the broader Indigenous creative community.

"The First Peoples Art and Design Fair Showcase will be a celebration of the incredible First Peoples creative community that calls the place we now call Victoria home," he said.

"We're thrilled to welcome the team, and so proud to back these impressive First Peoples led organisations to transform their workspaces and give artists the tools they need to make their work that will go on to be featured at the Fair."

The Victorian First Peoples Art and Design Fair will launch with a showcase event at Melbourne Art Fair in early 2025.

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