Close to 7,000 people flocked to the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs over the weekend for the opening of Desert Mob 2018, demonstrating the importance of Aboriginal art both as tourist drawcard and economic driver.
The Desert Mob exhibition brought together 257 artists from 31 art centres throughout NT, WA and SA showcasing 262 remarkable works of art, with a ticket price value of just shy of $940,000, the highest amount since 2009.
Rene Kulitja, a senior weaver with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers, and leading artist with Maruku Arts, officially opened the exhibition with an explanation on the importance of art in her community, having the skills passed down to her from her mother and father and being able to then pass them onto her own daughter and grand-daughter.
This years Desert Mob Symposium on Friday 7 September, welcomed artists from across the country and focussed on the 25th anniversary of Desart and the remarkable work they do in supporting Aboriginal art centres, and the essential role of art centres in ensuring that Aboriginal culture is kept strong.
The Desert Mob MarketPlace on Saturday drew around 3,000 people to Araluen to purchase artworks from 31 remote Aboriginal art centres, and while the figures are still being collated, it is anticipated that they have again generated sales over $500,000.
The Desert Mob exhibition continues at Araluen Arts Centre until 21 October with all artworks available to view online https://desart.com.au/desert-mob/desert-mob-exhibition-2018/
As stated by Minister for Tourism and Culture, Lauren Moss
Investing in our Aboriginal arts and culture industry is important, as it is a major economic driver creating many jobs here in the Territory.
Desert Mob is one of the most significant expressions of Aboriginal art and culture in the nation where the connection between art and culture has been celebrated annually at Desert Mob since 1991. It continues to draw thousands of visitors and collectors to Alice Springs for an event that is truly unlike any other.
Congratulations to the team at both the Araluen Arts Centre and Desart for delivering an incredible event and for their work in supporting remote Aboriginal Art Centres.
As stated by Senior Director of the Department of Tourism and Cultures Araluen Cultural Precinct, Dr Mark Crees
We are thrilled to see so many people visiting the Araluen Arts Centre for Desert Mob 2018 and to support the incredible Central Australian Aboriginal Art market, immersing themselves in the incredible art and culture from the region.
Our first collectors were queuing in the Araluen foyer from 10am that morning in order to be the first through the doors to acquire the best new works from Central Desert artists. In total 110 works from the exhibition were sold over the opening weekend resulting in sales worth $405,070. Opening night sales alone were up by $50,000 on last years sales.
We are ecstatic with this result which puts us on track to eclipse last years record of $1 million in sales between the Exhibition and Marketplace, which was already a 68% increase from 2015 and the highest sales we have ever achieved in Desert Mobs history.
