ADELAIDE.- The 2018 TARNANTHI Art Fair closed on Sunday, breaking all previous records.

Over the weekend at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, the TARNANTHI Art Fair attracted 5,682 visitors, an increase of 81% from 2017, and generated over $900,000 in art sales.

Art production is a key source of income for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Marking its third year of operation, the TARNANTHI Art Fair provides a unique opportunity to view and purchase works of art direct from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and art centres. This year, the Art Fair welcomed 10 new participant art centres and showcased over 200 artists from 30 art centres from across the country.

Director, Art Gallery of South Australia, Rhana Devenport says, ‘The extraordinary success of 2018 TARNANTHI reflects the excitement and vitality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art today. TARNANTHI showcases artists and communities and offers exceptional opportunities to share art, culture and ideas. The Art Gallery of South Australia is honoured to be presenting this highly innovative, nationally important, event.’

Asset President Olympic Dam, BHP, Laura Tyler says, ‘BHP’s Reconciliation Action Plan has four key focus areas, one of which is the economic empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Along with striving to achieve this through employment and business opportunities linked to our operations, we see the TARNANTHI Art Fair as another key avenue to support the economic empowerment of many talented artists and their communities.’

For those who missed the event, works of art are available for sale at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, including work by South Australian artists presented by Ku Arts.

The 2018 TARNANTHI Art Fair coincided with the opening of TARNANTHI’s major offering, John Mawurndjul: I am the old and the new, on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia until 28 January 2019.

The TARNANTHI Art Fair returns 18 – 20 October 2019.