Superhighway: Country Sing to Stars Dancing
CIAF 2027 Expression of Interest

CIAF invites Expressions of Interest from exhibitors for the 2027 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair in response to the theme Superhighway: Country Sings to Stars Dancing.

We welcome EOIs from art centres, galleries and arts organisations, independent artists, artist groups and collectives, and artist-run initiatives (ARIs).

Whether you are a returning exhibitor or new to the CIAF community, we want to hear from you.

If you have never exhibited with CIAF before, we particularly encourage you to apply. This is an opportunity to introduce your practice or organisation, share your work and tell us about the work, artists or exhibition you are proposing for the 2027 Art Fair Showcase.

We look forward to discovering new work, welcoming returning exhibitors and bringing together a diverse range of First Nations artists, practices and perspectives from across Queensland and the Torres Strait.

Expressions of Interest Close: 16 November 2026 11.59pm
Applicants notified of outcome: 7 December 2026
Registration opens for successful exhibitors: 7 December 2026
Booth Deposit Due (25%, Non-Refundable): 28 February 2027
Balance Payment Due: 30th March 2027

CIAF 2027 Theme
Superhighway: Country Sing to Stars Dancing

Superhighway speaks to the vast living networks that have continuously existed across Countries; connecting Cultures and knowledge. It is a vortex of memory, movement and energy, guiding our purposes into the future. The theme Superhighway beckons us towards deep time and infinity. It is our divine duty to care for, and contribute to, our infinite keeping place.

The phrase "Country Sings to Stars Dancing" evokes the connection of our lands, seas and skies. Through this interconnectivity, First Nations peoples continue to learn from this ‘mirror world’– it is the wisdom written in the cosmos reflecting the memories held by Country.

Our cultural information highway brings the old ways through to new expressions, across generations, technologies and practices. Here, Culture is not a commodity, it is a responsibility; a living system of knowledge, values, relationships and beliefs.

Superhighway holds the tension between memory and motion, tradition and transformation. This is the story of resilience and continuity, of dancing through the seasons of time. It is a reminder of where we come from, who we are, and where we are headed.