At Aboriginal Art Co, impact isn’t measured only in numbers — it’s felt in relationships, creative confidence, cultural exchange, and the long-term strength of First Nations artists and communities.
The 2024–25 year marked a period of strong delivery, deeper cultural leadership, and growing organisational maturity. Across exhibitions, residencies, public programs, and ethical retail, Aboriginal Art Co continued to create meaningful opportunities for artists while welcoming audiences into authentic, respectful engagement with First Nations art and culture.
This year, Aboriginal Art Co worked with more than 60 First Nations artists and 27 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art centres from across Australia. Our programs were built around fair remuneration, transparent processes, and artist-centred care — ensuring creative work is supported not just creatively, but economically and professionally.
Our Safe Space Residency Program remained a cornerstone of this approach. In 2024–25, residencies supported Meanjin-based artist Aidan Rowlingson and Minjerribah artist Dean Tyson (Bingkin), providing studio access, mentorship, professional development, and public exhibition outcomes. These residencies allowed artists the time and space to experiment, reflect, and develop ambitious new bodies of work — strengthening pathways for emerging and mid-career practitioners.
Cultural leadership extended beyond our walls. Aboriginal Art Co presented Country Speaking at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, bringing together 13 powerful paintings by artists from South East Queensland. Responding to the theme Country speaking, the exhibition centred Country as a living presence — carrying memory, responsibility, and ongoing knowledge.
Closer to home, our Footsteps: First Nations Art Walk continued to grow, with 13 walks delivered across the year. Led by First Nations guides, these walks offered accessible, place-based learning experiences that connected audiences to public artworks, stories of Country, and the artists shaping Brisbane’s cultural landscape.
Creative workshops remained a vibrant part of our public program, with hands-on sessions in weaving, printmaking, botanical art, stone tool making, and more. Led by First Nations artists, these workshops supported cultural knowledge-sharing while building creative confidence among participants of all ages and backgrounds.
These moments of learning — sitting together, making together, listening deeply — are where impact becomes relational, not transactional.
Behind the scenes, 2024–25 was also a year of consolidation and capacity building. With continued multi-year operational support from Arts Queensland, the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program, and philanthropic partners including the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Aboriginal Art Co strengthened internal systems, governance, and financial sustainability.
Our updated Strategic Plan now focuses on three interconnected priorities:
Artistic Presentation, Cultural Leadership, and Capacity Building — providing a clear framework for the next phase of growth and long-term impact.
We closed the year with Bubbles & Baubles, our end-of-year fundraiser and community celebration. While the event raised over $3,000 for our Artist Residency Program, its deeper value lay in connection — bringing artists, supporters, and friends together to celebrate creativity, generosity, and shared purpose.
As we move forward, Aboriginal Art Co remains committed to ethical practice, First Nations leadership, and artist-centred impact. Every exhibition, workshop, sale, and conversation contributes to a broader ecosystem — one that supports artists to thrive, protects cultural integrity, and invites audiences to engage with First Nations art in meaningful ways.
Thank you to everyone who continues to walk alongside us. The impact you help create is lasting, shared, and deeply felt. If you would like to see a copy of our Annual Report, you can find it on the ACNC website.
Image credit : Artwork by Dean Tyson, photo by Aboriginal Art Co, 2025.
