Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) 2015 to Put Indigenous Art on a Global Stage

AccorHotels will this year sponsor the inaugural CIAF Conversations, as part of 2015 Cairn Indigenous Art Fair's (CIAF) program.

Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual artists, dancers and musicians join forces in a series of discussions designed to enlighten and challenge audiences at CIAF Conversations in Shed 2 at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Friday 31 July 9:30am -1:30PM.

Much more than an art fair, CIAF 2015 is a platform for artists to tell their stories through performance: music, song and dance; theatre, screen and fashion; workshops and informative talks.

Running from 31 July to 2 August, with most events free to attend, CIAF showcases Queensland's outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, to the public, as well as to a group of national and international collectors and curators.

Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer for AccorHotels Pacific said: “We're honoured to consolidate our five year relationship with CIAF, but primarily to join together to celebrate Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and cultural heritage.

“At AccorHotels we're committed to taking a lead role to support all aspects of Indigenous culture, providing Indigenous Australians with employment and training opportunities across the country.

“CIAF is a highly successful event on the national and international arts calendar and we expect it to bring together tourists and art lovers from across Australia and beyond to appreciate Queensland's unique cultural heritage.”

This year, the Art Fair will be curated by Artistic Director Janina Harding in collaboration with accomplished curator, writer and ABC Art + Soul creator, Hetti Perkins. For the first time, CIAF will present an Art Market, where artists sell their products directly to the public. Participants of CIAF Collectors and Curators Program will also visit the Aboriginal community of Yarrabah and the Yarrabah Arts and Cultural Centre, to observe where Indigenous artists live and work.

The Chair of Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Board of Directors, Cameron Costello said the partnership with AccorHotels is truly valuable to CIAF, offering further opportunities for visitors and artists to attend the event.

“CIAF continues to be an inspiring celebration of cultural strength, artistic appreciation and continuing creativity,” Costello said.

“The 2015 program is truly amazing and this is reflective of the vision and passion of the communities, the artists, and the CIAF Board.

“Underpinning the talent is the experience and knowledge of the foundation CIAF participants – those art centres, galleries and the industry experts who were there from the beginning and who continue to maintain the strengths of those artists and Elders who have gone before us,” he said.

As the official accommodation sponsor of CIAF, AccorHotels is offering a 10 percent discount for tourists seeking to visit Cairns for the festival. This discounted rate is available at five of the Cairns hotels including Mercure Cairns Harbourside, Pullman Cairns International, Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns Harbour Lights and Novotel Oasis Resort.

The discounted rates are available for stays from 28 July to 3 August and can be booked directly on hotel websites or by contacting the reservations team* with promo code (CIAF2015), subject to availability.

The CIAF 2015 program includes performance and visual art displays at venues throughout the tropical city, with the waterfront at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal remaining the hub of the three-day event.

For more about CIAF Conversations and for the CIAF program visit ciaf.com.au.
* Mercure Cairns Harbourside - 07 4080 3000 - reservations@mercure-harbourside.com.au
* Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort - 07 4080 1888 - stay@novotelcairnsresort.com.au
* Pullman Cairns International - 07 4031 1300 - h8772@accor.com
* Pullman Reef Hotel Casino - 07 4030 8888 - reservations@reefcasino.com.au
* Cairns Harbour Lights - 07 4057 0800 - h8777@accor.com

ACCORHOTELS SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

AccorHotels Asia Pacific, the largest hotel group in Australia, has been acknowledged as a standout performer in the Australian Indigenous Reconciliation space. AccorHotels has continued to proactively and passionately provide Indigenous Australians with employment and training opportunities since 2001. With a commitment to actively seeking, training and hiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, AccorHotels held 20 Indigenous Employment Training Programs around Australia in 2013 which saw the successful employment of over 120 Indigenous career seekers employed in a variety of positions within Accor. The group was consequently awarded the 2012 Corporate Partner Award by the Aboriginal Employment Strategy for its positive contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the local community.