Discover Our Onboard Artwork
Taking the connection with Indigenous communities to the high seas, our vessels display a curated collection of artworks that tell the stories of the communities and art centres we visit. Many of the works were sourced at their origin in places we visit like Elcho Island and Maningrida in Arnhem Land. We have been offering Indigenous art-themed voyages for years and have had the pleasure of Indigenous artists accompanying us to host workshops for guests. These artists have included well-known Torres Strait artists, Brian Robinson and David Bosun. Through our partnership with CIAF, we also held an art-themed sailing with Indigenous artist Naomi Hobson on the Great Barrier Reef.
‘We want to support and connect with the communities we visit. Bringing the elements of these cultures and stories with us onboard our ships is a powerful way to do that,’ says Jeff Gillies. ‘Coral Adventurer displays over 35 pieces of artwork onboard, including eight pieces sourced through a Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) partnership. We have also received two unique paintings from well-known Coen artist Naomi Hobson, which were commissioned specially for Coral Geographer.’
Supporting Our Community
Community arts centres are the gold standard if you want to buy Indigenous art ethically. Coral Expeditions voyages of Cape York, Arnhem Land and the Torres Strait islands frequently include stops at Maningrida Arts & Culture and Babbarra Women’s Centre at Maningrida, Elcho Island Arts at Galiwin’ku, Badu Art Centre at Badu Island, Moa Arts at Moa Island, Tiwi Design on the Tiwi Islands and Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre at Yirrkala.
Cape York Arnhem Land Art Expedition 2019
Purchasing art here is an authentic and meaningful way to support remote artistic communities. These art centres are often the beating heart of the communities on Indigenous lands, as they are places where culture is celebrated and instructed every day. The impact they have on the economy of remote communities is also deeply valuable, as creating art is one of few economic drivers that is available to remote areas. In these art centres, community leaders work with a committed and ambitious vision to create a better future for future generations, as the centres play an important role in artists’ career development and become a place of sharing culture between the old and the young.
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Partnership
Coral Expeditions has proudly sponsored the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) for the last 6 years, and are committed to continuing to support this event. The festival is one of the highlights of the North Queensland events calendar and is a true “coming together” of the communities and cultures of the north.
