Brokering Aboriginal art: A critical perspective on marketing, institutions, and the state

Abstract

In the 2005 Kenneth Myer lecture, Jon Altman discusses a paradox: the international success of the Indigenous art market contrasted with Indigenous Australians’ stagnating socio-economic circumstances. Examining state sponsorship of arts infrastructure from an historical and analytical perspective, he argues that, although the market appears successful, it remains fragile, and complacency in policy and practice would be detrimental to its sustainability. His lecture concludes with arts policy observations intended to ensure the development of the Aboriginal arts sector, particularly in the light of recent changes to Indigenous affairs organisations.