Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
Jilamara Arts is a remote Indigenous art centre in Milikapiti, Tiwi Islands
The art centre is the cultural hub of the community and houses working studios, wood carving and screen-printing workshops, the architecturally designed Kutuwulumi Gallery and the Muluwurri Museum
Our Latest Artwork
Ningiwulla ngirramini kitirumi yilaruwu jilamara
keeping culture strong through art
Our Art Centre
Established in 1989, Jilamara Arts is owned and governed by artists from the community of Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands. Through workshops, training and representation Jilamara members are supported to build careers as internationally renowned artists. In the community it is an important place for many generations of Tiwi people to build bright futures.
Our Culture
Jilamara artists are known for their Tiwi style, producing contemporary works based on ceremonial body painting designs, clan totems and Tiwi creation stories.
Our Art
The term Jilamara describes “design” based on ceremonial ochre markings on the body. Reimagining these styles at the art centre has fostered a dynamic creative field for maintaining Tiwi knowledge, as well as sharing and celebrating contemporary living culture.
Wurrungura
Wurrungura is a multi-media centre and digital archive for the audiovisual documentation and distribution of Tiwi heritage and culture.
Muluwurri Museum
Established in 1988, the collection is held in trust for the Milikapiti community. This important keeping place houses the priceless collection of Tiwi artefacts, carvings, paintings, prints, photographs and war medals.
Ngawa Mantawi
Jilamara’s Ngawa Mantawi program is an inclusive disability program at the art centre, that aims to support members with diverse needs to have sustainable careers in the arts, while living at home close to family and Country.
https://captur3d.io/view/uplands/jilamara-arts-crafts-and-muluwurri-museum 
We are Aboriginal owned and we produce authentic Tiwi art – ironwood carved birds and Tutini poles, ochre paintings on bark, canvas, linen and paper, original limited edition prints and hand screenprinted textiles.
Be part of Jilamara's continued success and join our community of supporters by making a donation in the form on your left
We’re on social @jilamaraartsandcrafts
Jilamara was thrilled to be able to supply a few locally made garments in art centre fabric for this great project with @cassie.black_ for the Tiwi Cultural Festival last weekend — modelled by many great people including Jilamara artists Michelle Woody Minnapinni and Janice Murray ✨✨✨
Repost from @cassie.black_
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Tiwi Cultural Festival 💛🖤🤍
Super proud to have pulled off our first ever Tiwi Fashion Show featuring beautiful designs by Bima Wear, Jilamara Arts & Tiwi Design. So proud of each and every one of our models for walking so proudly and confidently on the runway, young and old they all had it in them ✨
Big love and thanks to my mum for holding it down behind the scenes helping me coordinate everything this weekend—I couldn’t have done it without you!
Glam team @faceby.em , @amybhairdressing & my cousin Maria working alongside @amybhairdressing 💁🏾♀️ thank you for making us look and feel beautiful ✨
Thank you Tiwi Land Council for the opportunity & our Tiwi community for being the best crowd and showing us all love 🥰
And thank you @foxyfilmss for capturing it so beautifully for us 📸⚡️
ＪＯＨＮＡＴＨＯＮ ＷＯＲＬＤ
ＰＥＡＣＥ ＢＵＳＨ • @thisisnofantasy
We’re pleased to announce that Johnathon World Peace Bush’s ‘Let There Be Light’ polyptych has been selected as a finalist in the 47TH WALYALUP FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE PRINT AWARD @fremantleartscentre
Now in its 47th year, the Walyalup | Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award is Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious celebration of contemporary printmaking. The award recognises both established and emerging artists working across the full spectrum of print media—honouring traditional craftsmanship while embracing innovation through digital and cross-disciplinary practices. It consistently attracts entries from across Australia’s urban, regional, and remote communities.
Fremantle Arts Centre
16 AUG — 21 SEP 2025
Congratulations and Good Luck, Johnathon! 🧡✨️
Thank you to @fremantleartscentre, and the judges Hannah Matthews, @jessycahutchens and @t.or.rents
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#thisisnofantasy #johnathonworldpeacebush @jilamaraartsandcrafts #fremantleprintaward
Congratulations to Jilamara’s Kaye Brown and first time finalist Barbara Puruntatameri for being amongst great company in this year’s NATSIA Bark Painting Award ✨✨✨
MAGNT • @mag_nt
Ten artists have been named finalists in the 2025 Telstra Bark Painting Award.
Representing regions across Arnhem Land, the Tiwi Islands and the Kimberley, these artists are continuing one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world.
🖼️ Their works are now on display at MAGNT, Darwin, as part of the 2025 Telstra NATSIAA exhibition.
🎉 The Telstra Bark Painting Award winner will be announced on August 8th at MAGNT along with other major award category winners from 6pm on the MAGNT lawns.
Finalists include:
Barbara Puruntatameri
Graham Tipungwuti
Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu
Kaye Brown
Lucy Yarawanga
Wayilkpa Maymuru
Yalmakany Marawili
Yinimala Gumana
Angelina Karadada Boona
Obed Namirrkki
#TelstraNATSIAA #MAGNT #BarkPainting #ContemporaryIndigenousArt #FirstNationsArt #AboriginalArt #LarrakiaCountry
@jilamaraartsandcrafts @bukuartnow @maningridaarts @waringarri_arts @ngaruwanajirri
Repost from @unswgalleries
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☀️ This NAIDOC Week, we honour the enduring legacy of the first old ladies of Jilamara Arts, a generation of senior Tiwi women, including Freda Warlapinni, Kitty Kantilla, Maryanne Mungatopi, and Mary Magdalene Tipungwuti, who emerged as foundational figures in the development of Tiwi Art.
By adapting jilamara, the rhythmic mark-making used in ceremonial body design, across painting and printmaking, these artists affirmed Tiwi visual culture and helped bring it national and international prominence.
As we celebrate “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”, we reflect on the strength and cultural knowledge passed down from those who came before.
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Installation view, ‘Parlingarri Amintiya Ningani Awungarra: Old and New at Jilamara Arts’, UNSW Galleries, 2025. Photography: Jacquie Manning
To celebrate NAIDOC week come and see us at the National Indigenous Art Fair this weekend at Circular Quay on Gadagal Country!
🖤💛❤️ Shop ethical, authentic First Nations art
🎶 Experience live music, dance, and cultural performances
🎨 Join exclusive workshops with remote Indigenous artists
🍲 Explore bushfood, handmade goods, and more
Come celebrate culture, creativity, and community by the harbour.
📍 Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks
📅 [10am-5pm Sat & 10am- 4pm Sun]
#NIAF2025 #IndigenousArtFair #SupportFirstNationsArtists #BlakDesign #CulturalCelebration #TheRocksSydney #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart
For those lucky enough to be in Darwin this weekend please join us for a publication launch, artist talks and Yoyi (dance) this afternoon at Midpul Gallery in Charles Darwin University’s new city campus!
The exhibition Yipairraya arnuwujaputi / Tide going out, tide coming in ... celebrates the 35 year history of Jilamara Arts and the Muluwurri Museum as it developed from Adult Education in the mid 1980s to a thriving art centre and cultural hub of Milikapiti. The exhibition is comprised of both new and historical works loaned from the art centres collection and CDU — including recent gifts from Anne Marchement who helped establish the museum and incorporate the art centre in 1988.
In partnership with Charles Darwin University this project has been a great professional development opportunity for both artists and art staff at Jilamara as we all worked towards realising the exhibition and publishing a catalogue ✨✨
4:45pm
Gallery talk with Anne Marchment and Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody,
Early days of Jilamara Arts and Crafts and the Muluwurri Mueum Collection
Midpul Art Gallery at CDU in partnership with Jilamara Arts and Crafts
54 Cavenagh Street, Darwin
5:30pm
Exhibition party and Catalogue launch: Yipairraya arnuwujaputi / Tide going out, tide coming in ...
Midpul Art Gallery at CDU in partnership with Jilamara Arts and Crafts
54 Cavenagh Street, Darwin
@midpulartgallery @charlesdarwinuniversity
#jilamaraartsandcrafts #muluwurrimuseum #tiwiart #milikapiti
If you happen to be in Sydney this weekend and are passionate about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art make sure you make visit Jilamara’s current exhibition at the University of New South Wales Galleries ✨✨✨
Parlingarri Amintiya Ningani Awungarri: Old and New at Jilamara Arts spans all six gallery spaces at the University and celebrates a cross-section of the incredible art work that has emerged from the small community of Milikapiti during Jilamara’s 35year history. It includes both new and histroical works loaned from a variety of collections including the Muluwurri Museum housed at the art centre.
The exhibition is curated by @inventaire in partnership with the team at Jilamara and we thank the whole team @unswgalleries for making this ambitious project possible!
University of New South Wales Galleries
Cnr Oxford St and Greens Rd, Paddington NSW 2021
Exhibition Open: 24 May — 10 August Wednesday — Sundays
#jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #unswgalleries #milikapiti #tiwiislands
This Saturday Jilamara launches a new publication for the current exhibition at the Midpul Gallery in CDU’s new city campus. With artists talks and performance this launch is part of a huge weekend of art events around the opening of the NATSIA finalist exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT ✨
Join us for an amazing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts and performing arts celebration!
Saturday 21st June 2025 - Monday 26th January 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm
Exhibition: 2025 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT)
19 Conacher Street, The Gardens
Saturday 21st June
10:00am
Exhibition Opening: Cassaria Hogan Young and Carol Young
Laundry Gallery, 1/1 Vickers St, Parap
10:30am
Exhibition Opening: Warlukurlangu Artists - Rising Stars
Pop up @ Parap, Outstation Gallery
8 Parap Place, Parap
11:00am
Artist Talk with Gary Lee and friends, Queer Territory exhibition
Northern Centre for Contemporary Art (NCCA)
Vimy Lane, Parap
12:30pm
Exhibition Opening: Nyangulya Katie Nalgood - Paja Jirrgu Wanti (Big Mob of Birds) and the opening of the new Waterfront Gallery Space
Outstation Gallery
Shop E4A (Next to Surf, Dive & Ski) Wharf 1
Darwin Waterfront
4:00pm
Garrmalang retrospective: Our Elders - Curated one on one conversations
Studio Theatre, Darwin Entertainment Centre
93 Mitchell Street, Darwin
4:45pm
Gallery talk with Anne Marchment and Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody,
Early days of Jilamara Arts and Crafts and the Muluwurri Mueum Collection
Midpul Art Gallery at CDU in partnership with Jilamara Arts and Crafts
54 Cavenagh Street, Darwin
5:30pm
Exhibition party and Catalogue launch: Yipairraya arnuwujaputi / Tide going out, tide coming in ...
Midpul Art Gallery at CDU in partnership with Jilamara Arts and Crafts
54 Cavenagh Street, Darwin
5:30pm
Exhibition Opening: Garrmalang Photographic Retrospective
The Gallery
Darwin Entertainment Centre
93 Mitchell Street, Darwin
> yourcentre.com.au
7:30pm
Garrmalang Festival event:
Dan Sultan with the Darwin
Symphony Orchestra Quintet
The Playhouse
Darwin Entertainment Centre
93 Mitchell Street, Darwin
> yourcentre.com.au
Locally produced Jilamara fabrics and garment designs starring at Barunga Festival on the weekend as part of UNEARTHED 2025✨✨✨
Big shout out to the amazing Jilamara models DK and Columbiere Tipungwuti — as well as Cassie Putuntatameri @cassie.black_ for putting this great festival show together!
These garments are made locally in Milikapiti by the team at Jilamara Arts with Art Centre Manager and sewing guru Hannah Raisin @hannahraisin_art using fabrics hand screen-printed at the art centre by local staff.
Stay tuned as this community-based fashion project has also been shortlisted for NIFA 2025 — Community Collaboration Award @indigenousfashionprojects
Photography: @daveblakephoto
@barungafest
#columbieretipungwuti #jilamaraarts #cassiepuruntatameri #barungafestival #tiwiart #indigenousfashion
Jilamara’s Walter Brooks and an amazing group of future art centre leaders have been part of this years ANKA Artsworker Extension Program! Today they have been in Melbourne working at the University and visiting the Potter Museum — tomorrow they present public presentations at the Grimwade Centre. Friends in Melbourne please see details below…✨✨✨
💥 One day to go // MELBOURNE, 12th June💥
Opening new pathways: employment and leadership in remote Aboriginal art and culture centres
What does leadership look like in a remote Aboriginal art and culture centre?
What role do Aboriginal art and culture centres play in keeping culture strong and communities connected?
ANKA in partnership with the University of Melbourne Grimwade Centre invites you to a public event in Melbourne. You’ll hear directly from cultural leaders who work at the heart of Aboriginal art and culture centres in remote Northern Australia.
Presenters will address their roles, daily life and leadership in their communities and how they are sustaining and growing culture today.
🟠 Event details
Melbourne
📅 TOMORROW | 🕠 5:30–7:00 pm
📍 University of Melbourne, Fritz Loewe Theatre
📧 RSVP: awepprogram@anka.org.au – let us know if you can attend. All welcome!
We had a great couple days in Naarm for the Weekend Conversations program of 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art at the Potter Museum of Art!
Following their inclusion in this incredible exhibition, Johnathon World Peace Bush and Pedro Wonaeamirri spoke with Judith Ryan on Tiwi Art over the years on Saturday. This was followed up with an great discussion on Sunday between Johnathon, Gordon Hookey and Brian Robinson on humour, playfulness and hard truths in their work ✨✨✨
Curated by Professor Marcia Langton AO, Senior Curator Judith Ryan AM and Associate Curator Shanysa McConville this incredible exhibition includes more than 400 works celebrating the brilliance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art while confronting the dark heart of Australia’s colonial history.
@pottermuseum @unimelb
#65000yearsashorthistoryofaustralianart #pedrowonaeamirri #johnathonworldpeacebush #judithryan #gordonhookey #brianrobinson #tiwiart #pottermuseumofart #unimelb
Congratulations Walter Brooks on being selected as a finalist in this year’s Rigg Design Prize at the National Gallery of Victoria. Stayed tuned for an exceptional inter-generational project that will be featured in the exhibition in September! Congratulations mantani ✨✨✨
National Gallery of Victoria • @ngvmelbourne
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The Rigg Design Prize 2025, Australia’s most prestigious accolade for contemporary design, opens 19 September at NGV Australia.
Marking its 10th edition, this landmark Prize brings into focus 35 outstanding Australian designers under the age of 35, working across ceramics, glass, furniture, woodwork, metalwork, textiles, lighting, and contemporary jewellery
Experience the free exhibition, Rigg Design Prize 2025 – Next in Design: 35 under 35 and celebrate the creative excellence of Australia’s early career designers and makers.
With thanks to Major Partner @deakinuniversity and Major Supporter Cicely & Colin Rigg Bequest managed by Equity Trustees.
@ngvmelbourne
#walterbrooks #jilamaraarts #riggdesignprize2025 #ngv #tiwiart
We all had an amazing time at the opening of Parlingarri Amintiya Ningani Awungarra: Old and New at Jilamara Arts — UNSW Galleries in Sydney on Saturday ✨✨✨
After an amazing group artist talk Pedro Wonaeamirri, Arthurina Moreen, Columbiere Tipungwuti, Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri and Janice Murray Pungautiji treated audiences to a Tiwi Yoyi to celebrate the incredible exhibition spanning over three decades across all the spaces in the university’s gallery!
This was Arthurina’s first time singing for Jilamara dancers, go Rina you’re a star!!
@unswgalleries
#rinamoreen #pedrowonaeamirri #columbieretipungwuti #patrickfreddypuruntatameri #janicemurraypungautiji #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #milikapiti #yoyi #unswgalleries
Ahead of artists talks at tomorrow’s opening of Parlingarri Amintiya Ningani Awungarra: Old and New at Jilamara Arts @unswgalleries, Pedro Wonaeamirri and the team had the opportunity to deliver an artist talk and workshop as part of the Djamu Program at the Art Gallery of New South Wales yesterday.
It was a great opportunity to share stories about the incredible collection of ochre painted ironwood tutini poles in the gallery’s collection commissioned in 1958 and made by artists and family in Milikapiti — one of the first examples of a commission of its nature where the project was framed as an art commission over an anthropological one. It has been great for Pedro and Patrick Freddy to revisit the works in person after their recent exhibition of 20 tutini poles earlier this year at Art Basel Honk Kong ✨✨✨
@agnsw
#jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #tutini #pukumaniceremony #pedrowonaeamirri
Last week Jilamara’s head screen-printer Raylene Miller had an amazing time with the team @printshopnt refreshing skills, sharing knowledge and reinstating this great design by Johnathon World Peace Bush✨✨✨
Printshop • @printshopnt
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Last week we had screen-printer Raylene White from @jilamaraartsandcrafts come in + work alongside the team to refresh her screen exposure skills, so she can keep printing her tees back home on the Tiwi Islands and teach the other printers best practice for screen preparation!
Last week we celebrated the opening of “Yipapirraya arnuwujaputi… Tide going out, tide coming in” at the Midpul Art Gallery in Charles Darwin University’s new city campus.
Organised in partnership with Jilamara Arts and CDU and co-curated by Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni and Joanna Barrkman, this exhibition celebrates the 30 + year history of Jilamara as an arts and culture centre in Milikapiti.
With a range of works from both current and past Jilamara artists the exhibition tracks the origins of Jilamara as an Adult Education Centre specialising in textile arts in the mid 1980s, the development of the Muluwurri Museum collection and incorporation as a Tiwi governed arts centre in the late 80s through to the thriving arts and culture centre it has become today.
For the first time CDU is displaying recent Tiwi acquisitions from Anne and Laurie Marchement’s private collection, historical loans from Jilamara’s Muluwurri Museum as well as new works from the art centre.
In partnership with the University and gallery team this project has also been a great chance for Jilamara staff and artists to build professional development opportunities around developing and realising institutional exhibitions, handling loans and producing a publication ✨✨✨
Now open until July 12th at Midpul Gallery in Charles Darwin University’s Cavenagh St campus there will be a publication launch on Saturday June 21st!
@midpulartgallery @charlesdarwinuniversity
#jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #midpulgallery #darwin #milikapiti
We are all over moon in the small community of Milikapiti today at the announcement of an exceptional selection of Jilamara artists in this year’s NATSIA Awards!
Congratulations to Pedro Wonaeamirri, Kaye Brown and this year a particular shout out to Barbara Puruntatameri for being a first time finalist and Johnathon World Peace Bush for a very special collaboration with his mother Doriana Bush. You are all super stars ✨ ✨✨✨
We are so excited to see all the finalists amazing art work @mag_nt next month for the opening of the exhibition and to be at the iconic Darwin award announcement night on the gallery lawns on the evening of August 8th!
@mag_nt
#pedrowonaeamirri #kayebrown #barbarapuruntatameri #johnathonworldpeacebush #dorianabush #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #natsiaa2025 #telstraawards #natsiaa #museumandartgalleryofthenorthernterritory
Jilamara’s Barbara Puruntatameri on show in great company with some amazing works on stringybark at this year’s Rising Stars exhibition currently open at Darwin’s Waterfront ✨✨✨
Outstation Gallery • @outstation_gallery
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Rising Stars Part 1 is open!
Rising Stars is our annual showcase of extraordinary up-and-coming Aboriginal artists, extending from the Tiwi Islands to the APY lands. This dynamic group exhibition has always been a highlight of Outstation’s art calendar, but this year it is so much more! Not only does it celebrate 17 incredible artists, but it also marks the merging of Paul Johnstone Gallery and Outstation– and is so grand and glorious that it is on show across two incredible locations.
Rising Stars Part 1 is on now at a pop-up space near the Waterfront Lagoon, next to Surf Dive and Ski - if you reach the Oyster Bar you’ve gone too far. This temporary space will feature a range of exhibitions over the coming months while work continues on our permanent gallery by the water, and right now it is alive with breathtaking barks and powerful spirits.
Visit Rising Stars Part 1 and see on the walls the beautiful patterned ochre work of Barbara Puruntatameri from @jilamaraartsandcrafts as well as stunning @bukuartnow barks from Gapaya Munuŋgurr and Merrkiyawuy Munuŋgurr, and from @maningridaarts , a number of fabulous Lucy Yarawanga’s Bawaliba spirits. It’s also worth visiting just to meet the Devil Spirits by @warmunart artist Peter Thomas. They are dark and delightful.
#risingstars #onnow #darwinwaterfront #popup #risingstarspartone #ochreonbark #spirits #outstation #aboriginalart #northernterritory
We are supported by
The art centre is the cultural hub of Milikapiti Community, it is also an important place for local school children to learn through culture classes and for many generations of Tiwi people to build bright futures.
