CIAF Talks Program 2025

Join us at our CIAF Talks Program 2025 as we explore all that needs paying attention to in the arts. This year’s Talks feature a stellar line-up of keynote, or Mark Makers, speakers.

These presentations will be specially ticketed events for art fair patrons. There will also be numerous daily and free panel talks. These will go in-depth into all things art-making, collecting, promoting, policies and politics, conservation, and artistic authenticity in an era of Truth-Telling.

Our esteemed Mark Makers speakers and eclectically experienced panelists are made up of artists, arts workers, curators and arts writers, authors, and visionaries in arts showcasing internationally. Representing First Nations arts will be experts of all fields, background and ages—alongside the occasional ally in the arts—bringing to the fore a reignited look into groundbreaking cultural and contemporary arts practice and theory.

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒 (𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝)

#ArchieMoore
Friday 11 July, 10AM

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 / 𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙆𝙞𝙣, 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨

A Kamilaroi/Bigambul man, Moore has taken the international art world by storm with his seminal work, kith and kin (2024), winning La Biennale di Venezia’s prestigious Golden Lion Award. Moore’s practice challenges contemporary perspectives on First Nations’ histories, telling the stories of our peoples, and what we’ve lost and what sustains us today in renewal and remembrance.

#TerriJanke
Saturday 12 July, 10AM

𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙮 / 𝙊𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨

Terri Janke is a Wuthathi, Yadhaykana and Meriam woman and an international authority on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). She is known for innovating pathways for collaborations using Indigenous knowledge and cultural expression. As the owner and Solicitor Director of Terri Janke and Company, she manages her team to deliver excellent results to a diverse client base. Terri advises on legal matters including intellectual property, business law, shareholder agreements and governance of Indigenous organisations. She has written leading ICIP Protocols and models for various sectors including the arts, museums, archives, film, and business. Terri is also a valued mentor, accredited mediator, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

#SebastianGoldspink
Sunday 13 July, 10AM

𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 / 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨

This presentation examines the creative relationship between artists and curators and uses the ongoing curatorial dialogue between Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie and Burramattagal curator Sebastian Goldspink as a case study for this potentiality.

Sebastian Goldspink is a proud Burramattagal Man living and working on Country in Sydney. An independent curator with over 20 years industry experience, Goldspink has worked across the sector from small scale artist run spaces to major institutions. In 2011 he created the project space ALASKA Projects to support emerging artists. He was the curator of the 2022 Adelaide Biennial entitled Free/State at the Art Gallery of South Australia. He has served as Director of the Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf and Hazelhurst Arts Centre. He sits on the board of Western Sydney University Creative and on the steering committee for the Indigenous Centre of Knowledge. Goldspink regularly writes and speaks about Australian contemporary art with a dedicated focus on First Nations practice.

𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐒 (𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞)

Friday 11 July, 12:45PM - 01:30PM

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸: 𝘈 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.

This session explores the way First Nations arts (and therefore, cultures) are presented, recorded and held for history. A combination of curators, writers and language maintenance experts analyse how First Nations art is critiqued or interpreted by markets.

Saturday 12 July, 11:30AM-12:15PM

𝘈 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘐𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘦.𝘨. 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮𝘴) 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮.

This session will give audiences insights into the making and conservation of some of the most celebrated innovations in First Nations art forms from Tropical North Queensland. As well as discussing the integral role country (and connection to it) plays in assembling organic materials for works which speak to country.

Saturday 12 July, 12:30PM-01:15PM

𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴: 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴-𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

With many international touring and cultural exchange opportunities for First Nations artists today, this session will delve into the nature of working in arts practices, within cultural settings internationally. As well as mapping-out logistical considerations in producing international projects, and artists being ‘showcase ready’.

Saturday 12 July, 01:30PM-02:15PM

𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 & 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Leaders in the arts and community discuss the tools we need to overcome challenges today, and what we’ve learned from yesterday. They’ll also discuss the vital role the creative industries, and Culture, has to social and emotional wellbeing and mental health outcomes

Sunday 13 July, 11:30AM-12:15PM

𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵: 𝘈 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴.

This session brings together artists and collectors in a concentrated discussion about what inspires them when they undertake their work. Do trends impact the shifts and movements of their practices? What does commercial success mean to them as creative and/or cultural practitioners? And, does commercial success matter to being attractive to collectors?

Sunday 13 July, 12:30PM-01:15PM

𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥: 𝘈 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴.

This session will delve into what opportunities or challenges are faced in accessing funding and training, gaining representation and having access to markets for art centres. Audiences will also hear what the fashion, wearable art and design sector experience, as an emerging and highly celebrated First Nations art form.

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑

#JackWilkieJans With over a decade of experience as an awarded multi-disciplinary artist, writer and arts worker, Jack Wilkie-Jans brings a wealth of arts, events and project management knowledge to his private consultancy practice: JWJ Consultancy (launched in 2023). Boasting a varied and stellar work history in political advisory services, economic development (including tourism) advocacy and land management across Cape York Peninsula—as well as research, critique, policy development, and copywriting—Jack Wilkie-Jans specialises in all facets of the contemporary Indigenous art sector and Aboriginal affairs. Jack is a qualified Politologist, with a Bachelor of Arts from James Cook University, majoring in Political Science & Internal Affairs; he is also an Alumni of the National Gallery of Australia's Dhiraamalang: Wesfarmers First Nations Arts Leadership Program and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society. Jack is a Waanyi, Teppathiggi and Tjungundji man from the Gulf of Carpentaria and Mapoon of Cape York Peninsula, with English, Vanuatuan and Danish heritage.

Also check out other Arts events in EDGE HILL, Literary Art events in EDGE HILL, Fine Arts events in EDGE HILL.