Cairns Indigenous Art Fair unveils 2027 theme

A group of First Nations artists has launched the 18th season of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) by creating a collaborative hero artwork. The piece introduces the theme for the 2027 season, titled ‘Superhighway: Country sings to stars dancing’.

Developed in partnership with the Gimuy/Cairns-based creative agency Red Ochre Republic, the artwork features individual star contributions from several artists, including Teho Ropeyarn, Peggy Kasabad Lane, Jack Wilkie-Jans, Tarquin Singleton, Sheree Jacobs, Sandra Delaney, Douglas Tamwoy, Daphne de Jersey, and Sabrina Rose-Toby.

Artistic director Teho Ropeyarn noted that the theme serves as a nod to the cultural influence of Yothu Yindi and explores the living networks connecting land, sea, sky, and stars. The project aims to showcase how ancestral knowledge evolves through contemporary art, technology, and practice.