Alison Murray is congratulated by Sponsor Christ Marsh for winning the Inaugural CIAF Emerging Artist Award 2017

The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre and artists have excelled this year at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).

“We began our association with the event at the very first CIAF in 2009,” Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre Manager Valerie Keenan said.

“It was held at the Tanks Art Centre and we have been involved every year since then.

“It is now held at the Cairns Cruise Terminal and this year for the first time major awards were provided.

“Artist Alison Murray received the Inaugural Emerging Artist Award this year for a series of 10 ceramic works about her family.

“The work was universally acclaimed at CIAF and is in the process of being acquired by a major institution.

“Alison adds this award to earlier successes which includes being a finalist of the 2016 Indigenous Ceramic Art Awards in Shepparton and represented in the prestigious annual exhibition, Salon des Refuses in Darwin in 2016.

“We were also very proud to have the art centre recognised for its contribution and received the Highly Commended Art Centre Award.

“The artists and the art centre have gained a reputation for producing quality work and it is our aim to support artists to develop their arts practice and achieve great outcomes.

“It is very much a team effort.”