National Indigenous Art Fair: Here’s An Event Sydneysiders Won’t Want To Miss
- Words by Emma Mulholland
If you’re a Sydneysider with a wall in need of a glow-up (or a fabric stash in need of something special), then you’re in luck because the National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) is heading to town this month (29 and 30 June 2024). Held on Gadigal land, at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Warrane (Sydney Cove), this annual event is your chance to peruse prints, textiles, ceramics and jewellery from all over the country – and to purchase directly from the artists.
above NICK LAWRENCE, DESTINATION NSW
above (left and centre) NICK LAWRENCE, DESTINATION NSW
The weekend also happens to be packed with arty workshops that will have you painting and weaving alongside masters of the craft. Plus, all profits go to remote, community-owned art centres and their artists, ensuring these skills are passed on. Says Peter Cooley, CEO of event organiser First Hand Solutions: “The National Indigenous Art Fair is a unique opportunity for these art centres, which are often economically excluded, to showcase, celebrate and sell their art in Sydney.”
Beyond the dollars, Peter says the fair is important for bridging the urban and non-urban divide. “Many Australians haven’t had the opportunity to connect with Indigenous people and culture, further challenged by the geographic divide between our remote communities and cities on the east coast. NIAF breaks down these barriers, building pride in culture and amplifying the voice of remote communities.”
above (from left) MARY DHAPALANY FROM BULA’BULA ARTS, POSSUM SKIN WRISTBANDS, THEO (FAYE) NANGALA HUDSON FROM WARLUKURLANGU ARTISTS
Our advice? Book a spot in the ochre-on-paper workshop, where you’ll get a chance to learn the painting techniques of West Arnhem Land, taught by Kunwinjku artists from Injalak Arts Centre. There’s also communal weaving to be done, a bush food cooking demo and live music by the Stiff Gins and Microwave Jenny.
For little artists, there’s sand painting and a Torres Strait Island dance workshop. Plus, artist and storyteller Amanda Reynolds (Guringai) will lead kids’ wristband-making workshops using offcuts from possum pelts, shells and recycled fibres. They’re traditionally gifted as a token of friendship and connection among people living in what is now Sydney and the South Coast.
above (left and right) BASKET WEAVING AT NUMBULWAR NUMBURINDI ARTS (centre) FAITH BUTLER IN TJUKURLA, PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROSIE FRECHEVILLE
Another highlight is The Living Room, an installation curated by Paper Dolls actress Miah Madden (Gadigal and Bundjalung). Filled with Indigenous-designed furniture, textiles and homewares, Miah’s showroom takes Indigenous art beyond the walls of a gallery and brings it into the home.
THIS ARTICLE WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR. THE EVENT RUNS 29 AND 30 JUNE 2024 AT THE OVERSEAS PASSENGER TERMINAL IN WARRANE (SYDNEY COVE). FAIR ENTRY IS $2.50 (FREE FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE). TO BOOK A WORKSHOP OR FOR A LIST OF PARTICIPATING ART CENTRES, GO TO niaf.com.au.
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“My piece of advice for makers and designers? Run your own race… make sure your key decisions stay anchored in your brand’s core beliefs.”
- Bec Bligh
Quick show of hands: who’s opened a water bottle expecting a refreshing sip… and instead been greeted by the unmistakable whiff of uh-oh?
Because for something that follows us everywhere (desk, car, hikes, yoga…), the humble drink bottle is strangely prone to becoming a science experiment. Hard-to-clean corners and gaskets. Mystery smells. Bec Bligh and her husband Tim know it well. A six-month sailing trip along the Queensland coast left them with a lifetime of memories and one stubborn annoyance: mouldy water bottles they couldn’t properly clean.
So they did something about it.
Enter @EverVessel. Thoughtfully designed borosilicate glass and stainless steel bottles that keep things beautifully simple: durable materials, wide openings, easy-to-clean parts and none of the techy gimmicks that tend to age badly. Turns out simplicity, done well, is pretty powerful stuff. (Their many design awards agree!)
And lately they’ve added a little extra delight: the Artist Series, where creatives like Paola Castro, Ben Miners and Martin Thompson transform these everyday companions into tiny travelling artworks. There are more colabs in the works, too: hydration, but make it joyful! 🎨💧
We chatted with Bec about the sailing trip that started it all, the philosophy behind Ever Vessel, and why the most sustainable product is often just the one you keep using.
Tap the link in our bio to read the full conversation. 🚰
#EverVessel #ReusableWaterBottle
Pull up a chair… there’s room at this table!
For the first time, Feast for Freedom is bringing people together for a spectacular long-table dinner as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
A Longer Table is exactly what it sounds like: one beautiful shared table inside the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1), piled with generous dishes inspired by this year’s hero cooks, Noha and Nige.
From 6 to 9pm on Wednesday, 25 March, this is what you can expect:
🍽 A three-course shared feast
🍷 Matched drinks
🎶 Live entertainment
✨ A room full of good humans
Your ticket doesn’t just buy you a delicious dinner. It supports the ASRC’s vital work and helps create a fairer future for people seeking asylum.
Seats are limited, and long tables have a way of filling up quickly – head to @MelbFoodAndWine’s website to book now: feastforfreedom.org.au/mfwf
#FeastForFreedom #MelbourneFoodAndWineFestival #LongTableDinner #FoodForChange
Sew versatile! 🪡
Another great make from Lisa from @SunnySewsEveryday:
My #PeppermintWaratahWrapDress is finished and I’m so proud of it. It has been designed not to flap open and flash your pants in the wind, so I feel confident it will be a great wheelchair or standing dress in English weather.
#PeppermintPatterns #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
Frame your face with the Peppermint Bucket Hat!
Stay safe and stylish in the sun with your very own self-sewn and self-drafted wide-brimmed bucket hat. This beginner-friendly sew is perfect for a sunny day. Get out your pencils – this pattern is created using equations and maths!
This DIY project was featured in Issue 53 and now you can access it for the lovely low price of only $5.
Sun-safe chic is always in style. ☀️
Find it via the link in our bio!
Photos: @KelleySheenan
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintBucketHat #BucketHat #BucketHatPattern #DIY
✨ INSTANT CLASSIC ✨
The Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with a few special details based on the ever-stylish shift shape – the perfect dress you need in your wardrobe right now!
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from our lovely sewing partner @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Location: @ShareTheDignityAustralia
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
It’s time to Feast!
Some recipes travel a long way before they land on your table to delight your taste buds. This year’s Feast for Freedom invites us to gather our friends, cook something delectable and raise funds for the incredible work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1) while we’re at it.
The 2026 Feast features recipes shared by two remarkable cooks: Noha, who brought the flavours of Palestine with her when she arrived in Australia, and Nige, a Sri-Lankan Tamil cook whose journey with food began in the most unexpected of places.
You can host your own Feast up until 30 April – simply register online and get planning! Host a dinner, organise a workplace lunch, or gather your community… However you do it, the idea is simple: cook, connect and celebrate the cultures and stories that shape Australia.
Want to find out more? Head to the link in bio to meet Noha and Nige, learn more about their stories, and discover a delicious recipe to try.
#FeastForFreedom #PeppermintMagazine #FoodForGood #ASRC
