There are a range of membership benefits for First Nations artists living and working in Far North Queensland. Full (free!) membership applications are welcomed from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with blood-line connection to the Far North Queensland region.

We can assist you no matter where you are on your arts journey!

Download the application form below and return to admin@umiarts.com.au or get in touch to find out more!

 For non-Indigenous individuals and organisations who would like to keep in touch about current events and support First Nations arts and culture, we welcome you too as Friends of UMI Arts! Complete the Friends of UMI section in the applications form or find out other ways you can support UMI Arts.

Membership Benefits to Artists

Workshops

Side by Side: Go See workshops provide an opportunity for member artists to visit local galleries, studios, and arts suppliers, and provides a safe, community environment for members to learn side by side. These sessions are facilitated by our members for our members, encouraging _our members to share their skills with one another. These sessions also provide cultural strengthening, as members talk to each other and discuss or share their own stories during the sessions.

Side by Side: Come Share workshops engage member artists in a 3-day intensive Visual Arts or Product Development workshops for capacity building. The workshops provide both information and hands on exercises facilitated by arts industry professionals and high profile experienced visual artists. Participating artists will be introduced to industry knowledge needed to operate as a practicing visual artist, information about career pathways (e.g., TAFE, University courses, other networks), opportunities with visual arts projects, and additional mentoring working side by side with artists. Participants create unique crafts and products which they have the choice to take home, to consign to the Gift Shop for sale, or submit to be displayed in a UMI Arts exhibition.

Pathway Programs

Workshops can be taken as one-off learning opportunities, or UMI Arts members can choose to engage in our longer art pathway programs, either the Exhibition-Ready program or the Artist-in-Residence program. During these programs, artist members create a body of works either through workshops (Exhibition-Ready) or independent studio use (Artist-in-Residence) which will be exhibited in UMI Art’s exhibitions. Programs can be tailored to suit the individual learning and skills-building requirements of the participating artist, whether this focuses on upskilling art techniques or learning more about exhibiting and gallery operations. 

Exhibitions

You & Me, February – May

Annual members group exhibition @ UMI Gallery open to all member artists, from emerging to established.

Freshwater Saltwater, June – August

Annual signature members group exhibition @ UMI Gallery showcasing mid-career

and established artists that have participated in UMI Arts programs.

Exhibition Ready, September – October

Skills development, assistance and business program for new and emerging artists.

Participation in arts workshops leads to the artist creating a body of work for solo exhibition.

The Summer Show, November-January

Annual members group exhibition @ UMI Gallery open to all member artists,

including works created in Visual Arts or Product Development workshops.

 

Major Art Fairs

National Indigenous Art Fair, July

Run in Sydney in partnership with Blak Markets, multi-day art fair for UMI member artists.

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, July

Group exhibition and multi-day art fair for UMI member artists.

Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, August

The oldest and most prestigious Australian Indigenous Art Fair, for established & professional UMI member artists.

 

Gift Shop

The UMI Arts Gift Shop stocks a range of products and fine art created exclusively by our member artists. All UMI member artists can apply to offer their wares on consignment to be sold in the gift shop, which also includes listing on the popular UMI Arts online store, and promotion of products and artists via social media channels.

Artist Opportunities

UMI Arts are frequently contacted by external organisations with potential artist opportunities, from artwork commissions to logo and clothing design projects, collaborative artwork or event participation. UMI Arts keeps member artists up to date with opportunities and may offer specific projects to artists we believe will suit a particular artist’s talents. UMI Arts also runs its own series of events such as the Big Talk One Fire Symposium and Festival, and the Taste of Culture lecture series, which all offer opportunities for participation for UMI Arts members.

Artist Promotion

Member Artists who participate in UMI Arts programs, exhibitions, and events, will be promoted through UMI Arts in local and national print media such as The Cairns Post, Tropic Magazine, the Art Almanac and Art Collector magazine, as well as through local TV and radio stations, and our own social media channels.

Studio Use

UMI Arts member artists have full access to make use of our onsite studio space. The studio is a large, ventilated space equipped with printing presses, drying racks, and workshop with tools. Some other equipment and mediums are available for free use, and paper, inks, paints and other materials are available for purchase at discounted prices through the UMI Arts Gift Shop.