Aboriginal arts and culture

The department recognises and values the talents of Aboriginal artists and acknowledges the depth and diversity of Aboriginal cultures. By working together, we make an important contribution to maintaining and further developing Aboriginal contemporary culture.   

The department supports Aboriginal arts development through: 

• the Revealed Aboriginal art market and professional development program 
  
• our grants and funding programs 
• the Regional Exhibition Touring Boost program 
• the Regional Arts and Culture Investment Program 
• the NAIDOC Music Awards and Stompen Ground as part of the Contemporary Music Fund. 

Aboriginal languages 

It is estimated that at the time of arrival by Europeans there were more than 250 Indigenous languages across the country. According to the Australian Indigenous Languages Database less than 20 are now spoken by all age groups.  

 See the map of Indigenous Australia, David R Horton (creator), © Aboriginal Studies Press, AIATSIS, and Auslig/Sinclair, Knight, Merz, 1996.  

Peak bodies

• Aboriginal Art Centre Hub 
  
• ANKA (Arnhem Northern and Kimberley Artists Aboriginal Corporation)                   
  
• DesArt 

Arts centres, cultural centres and artist groups 

• Bidyadanga Community Arts Centre artists (Bidyadanga community) 
• Birriliburu Artists/Tjukurba Gallery (Wiluna) 
• Cheeditha (Roebourne)
• DADAA (Disability and Disadvantage in the Arts Australia) 
• Juluwarlu (Roebourne) 
• Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre (KALACC)
• Kayili Artists (Patjarr)
• Kira Kiro Kalumburu Artists (Kalumburu/Kununurra)
• Laarri Gallery (Halls Creek/Fitzroy Crossing) 
• Laverton Leonora Cross Cultural Association
• Looma Arts (Derby) 
• Mangkaja Arts Resource Agency (Fitzroy Crossing)   
• Marnin Studio — Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre (Fitzroy Crossing)
• Martumili Artists (Newman) 
• Maruku 
• Minyma Kutjarra 
• Mowanjum Artists (Derby) 
• Mowanjum 
• Mungart Boodja Art Centre (Albany) 
• Nagula Jarndu Designs (Broome) 
• Ngurra Arts (Ngumpan Community — between Broome and Kununurra, Walmajarri and Wangkajunga country)
• Ninuku 
• Northampton Old School Community Initiative
• Papulankutja Artists (Blackstone)  
• Papunya Tula Artists (Western Desert)
• Roebourne Art Group (Roebourne) 
• Spinifex Arts Project (Tjuntjuntjara) 
• Spinifex Hill Artists (Port Hedland)
• The Minyma Kutjara Arts Project (Wingellina)
• Tjanpi Desert Weavers (Central and Western Desert)
• Tjarlirli Art (Tjukurla) 
• Tjukurba 
• Tjulyuru Cultural and Civic Centre (Warburton)
• Walkatjurra Cultural Centre (Leonora) 
• Warakurna Artists (Warakurna) 
• Waringarri Aboriginal Arts (Kununurra)
• Warlayirti Artists (Balgo)
• Warmun Art Centre (Warmun) 
• Warmun
• Wirnda Barna Artists (Mt Magnet) 
• Yamaji Art (Geraldton)
• Yamaji Art
• Yarliyil Art Centre (Halls Creek)
• Yaruman Art and Cultural Centre (Kundat Djaru Community aka Ringer Soak, 170km SE of Halls Creek) 
• Yinjaa-Barni Art (Roebourne)
• Yirrabii Arts and Crafts (Kununurra)
• Yulparija Artists from Bidyadanga (Bidyadanga community, 250km south of Broome) Short St. Gallery in Broome.   

Western Australian Museums 

• Western Australian Museum 
  The museum’s early collections reflect hunting and gathering lifestyles and personal adornment of Aboriginal people of Western Australia.  
• Berndt Museum
  The Berndt Museum holds extensive collections of Australian Aboriginal art and Aboriginal cultural materials, including the Carrolup collection of Noongar children's art.  
• Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation
  The Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation strives to empower the healing of Noongar people’s lives and communities through cultural initiatives that strengthen the spiritual identity and creates a sense of belonging. The Kyana Gallery and Keeping Rooms hold extensive exhibits and displays of significant and rare art works and artefacts from the South-West region of the Noongar people. 

Aboriginal language centres in Western Australia  

• Kaartdijin Noongar  South West region of Western Australia (includes Perth)
• Noongar Boodjar Language Cultural Aboriginal Corporation — Noongar Language Centre. Ranges from south of the town of Geraldton to Esperance
• Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre South Hedland  
• Kimberley Language Resource Centre Halls Creek
• Yamaji Language Centre Geraldton
• Bundiyarra — Irra Wangga Language Centre  Midwest, Murchison and Gascoyne
• Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring Kununurra
• Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga  Nyamba Buru Yawuru (Broome)
• The Goldfields Aboriginal Languages Project Goldfield's languages Ngalia and Tjupan as well as Kuwarra, Kaalamaya, Ngaju, Cundeelee Wangka and Ngalia.  

Further information  

• Noongar language and stories 
• Noongarpedia Project  
• Indigenous Languages and Arts (Languages) Australian Government support helps people to keep cultural identity strong (via funding, employment initiatives and community programs).  
• Kimberley Aboriginal Art Trail Map — a self-drive guide to centres of contemporary art making.  
• Sounds of the Pilbara — capturing 5Indigenous languages  (Nyiyaparli, Nyanguamarta, Nyamal, Ngarluma and Kurrama), 54 Indigenous voices and 26 original tracks.   
• Boodjar: Nyungar place names in the South-West — an interactive cultural mapping project by the School of Indigenous Studies, The University of Western Australia
• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies — databases and indexes, includes links to variety of resources
• Our Languages — a website produced as a place where visitors can share and collaborate on activities surrounding Australia's traditional Aboriginal languages
•  ABC Holding our Tongues — language project online
• Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre (NSW), supports language documentation and conservation programs nationally and internationally
• Central Australian sign languages.  

Image: Revealed Exhibition launch at Fremantle Arts Centre, 2017. Photo by Jessica Wyld.