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.


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.
We’re on social @jilamaraartsandcrafts
NEWS TODAY: South China Morning Post SCMP feature article ‘How indigenous artists on remote Australian island keep traditions alive through art’
Artist Pedro Wonaeamirri grabs a chunk of chalky ochre from a seaside cliff on a remote island off Australia’s Northern Territory. “Ochre is important for our art and also for ceremonies,” he says, holding a clump of the natural white pigment in his hands. “In a way, this cliff is my art shop where I source supplies but I don’t have to pay GST [goods and services tax].”
Wonaeamirri is a member of the Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association, an indigenous arts centre in Milikapiti, a tiny village on Melville Island located roughly 110km (70 miles) – about a 30-minute flight – north of the city of Darwin.
Melville Island and neighbouring Bathurst Island are collectively known as the Tiwi Islands, the home of the Tiwi people, whose culture – one rich in art, music, dance and ceremony – is shaped by a strong connection with the land.
—Journalist Kylie Knott
••
Pedro Wonaeamirri (with Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri) will be represented in Encounters for Art Basel Hong Kong this year with ‘kurrujupuni, arrikininga, yarringa, tunuwuni, kapi katukuni (white, yellow, red, black on ironwood)’ commissioned in 2020 by Brook Andrew, Artistic Director, NIRIN 22nd Biennale of Sydney and presented at Art Basel by STATION Gallery with Jilamara Arts & Crafts
••
If you are in Hong Kong for Art Week please join us for Conversations curated by Stephanie Bailey:
Sunday, 31 March, 11am
‘Indigenous songs: performance by Pedro Wonaeamirri’
Pedro Wonaeamirri will present a special performance associated with his installation in Encounters. Followed by a conversation with Alexie Glass-Kantor, Curator, Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong
Venue: Auditorium, N101B, Level 1, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Free and all welcome.
#pedrowonaeamirri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwi @scmpnews @scmp_lifestyle @kylieknott @jilamaraartsandcrafts @stationgalleryaustralia @brook_garru_andrew @artback_nt @biennalesydney @angelle_says_hi @stephanie_waiyi_bailey @angelle_says_hi @sutton #encounters2025 #artbaselhongkong @alexieglass
![NEWS TODAY: South China Morning Post SCMP feature article ‘How indigenous artists on remote Australian island keep traditions alive through art’
Artist Pedro Wonaeamirri grabs a chunk of chalky ochre from a seaside cliff on a remote island off Australia’s Northern Territory. “Ochre is important for our art and also for ceremonies,” he says, holding a clump of the natural white pigment in his hands. “In a way, this cliff is my art shop where I source supplies but I don’t have to pay GST [goods and services tax].”
Wonaeamirri is a member of the Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association, an indigenous arts centre in Milikapiti, a tiny village on Melville Island located roughly 110km (70 miles) – about a 30-minute flight – north of the city of Darwin.
Melville Island and neighbouring Bathurst Island are collectively known as the Tiwi Islands, the home of the Tiwi people, whose culture – one rich in art, music, dance and ceremony – is shaped by a strong connection with the land.
—Journalist Kylie Knott
••
Pedro Wonaeamirri (with Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri) will be represented in Encounters for Art Basel Hong Kong this year with ‘kurrujupuni, arrikininga, yarringa, tunuwuni, kapi katukuni (white, yellow, red, black on ironwood)’ commissioned in 2020 by Brook Andrew, Artistic Director, NIRIN 22nd Biennale of Sydney and presented at Art Basel by STATION Gallery with Jilamara Arts & Crafts
••
If you are in Hong Kong for Art Week please join us for Conversations curated by Stephanie Bailey:
Sunday, 31 March, 11am
‘Indigenous songs: performance by Pedro Wonaeamirri’
Pedro Wonaeamirri will present a special performance associated with his installation in Encounters. Followed by a conversation with Alexie Glass-Kantor, Curator, Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong
Venue: Auditorium, N101B, Level 1, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Free and all welcome.
#pedrowonaeamirri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwi @scmpnews @scmp_lifestyle @kylieknott @jilamaraartsandcrafts @stationgalleryaustralia @brook_garru_andrew @artback_nt @biennalesydney @angelle_says_hi @stephanie_waiyi_bailey @angelle_says_hi @sutton #encounters2025 #artbaselhongkong @alexieglass](https://jilamara.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
ART BASEL HONG KONG 2025 ✨✨✨
@artbasel
We are all thrilled that this exceptional work by Pedro Wonaeamirri and Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri will be shown in Hong Kong as part of Encounters at Art Basel in two weeks time!
Kurrujupuni arrikininga yarringa tunuwuni kapi katukuni is an unprecedented collection of 20 carved ironwood tutini poles painted in locally sourced earth pigments from Country. From the 28-30th of March this work will be on display at one of the world largest international art fairs. It is the first time Tiwi art has been showcased at an Art Basel and Pedro will be performing and speaking with curator Alexie Glass-Kantor in the Encounters Conversation series on Sunday 30th March at 11am ✨✨✨
@artbasel @stationgalleryaustralia @alexieglass
#pedrowonaeamirri #patrickfreddypuruntatameri #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #contemporaryfirstnationsart #artbasel #artbaselhongkong #artbaselhongkong2025

MELBOURNE / Take a walk through Timothy Cook | Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars now on view in our Exhibition Street gallery, through to 11 April 2025.
Cook draws inspiration from parlingarri jilamara, or ancestral designs, passed down through generations. These intricate motifs, a fusion of kurluwukari (circles), pwanga (dots), and marlipinyini (lines), reflect the complex visual language of the Tiwi people.
An enduring focus of Cook’s work is the Kulama (yam), a sacred symbol of the Tiwi initiation ceremony which is held over three days during the yam harvest, when rings of light appear around the moon. This exhibition presents twenty-two new and recent works by Cook, each of which represents Kulama.
Timothy Cook | Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars
D’Lan Contemporary Melbourne | Until 11 April 2025
40 Exhibition Street
Naarm / Melbourne VIC 3000
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Video @gd.content
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@dlancontemporary
#dlancontemporary #australianart #modernart #contemporaryart #firstnations #firstnationsart #timothycook #jilamaraartsandcrafts #naarm #melbourne #2025

It is the final week to catch Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni’s amazing exhibition at Station Gallery in Sydney ✨✨✨
Station Gallery • @stationgalleryaustralia
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EXHIBITION | SYDNEY
Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni’s solo exhibition ‘Ngiya Murrakupupuni (My Country)’ presented in partnership with Jilamara Arts & Crafts continues at STATION Gadigal / Sydney.
This exhibition shares the principal stories important to Tiwi culture through depictions of Murrakupupuni (Country), tingata (sand/beach), winga (saltwater), makatinga (running fresh water), and jilamara (Tiwi body painting). These paintings on bark and linen speak directly to Murtankala, the primary ancestral figure in the creation narrative of Tiwi mythology who arose from the darkness to bring light, creating the sun from fire.
To request a catalogue, please follow the link in our bio.
(Images: #MichellePulatuwayuWoodyMinnapinni, ‘Ngiya Murrakupupuni (My Country)’, installation views, 2025. Photo: @documentphotography)
#STATIONaustralia
#STATIONsydney
@jilamaraartsandcrafts

JOHNATHON WORLD
PEACE BUSH
FRIEZE NO.9 CORK STREET LONDON
Join us at in London this morning for a curated exhibition walk-through led by @tamsin_hong - Exhibitions Curator at @serpentineuk
Saturday 08 March | 11:45am | Gallery 2 | Frieze No.9 Cork St, London
Johnathon World Peace Bush
Walking Between Two Worlds
27 FEB - 15 MARCH 2025
Frieze No.9 Cork Street
9 Cork St | London W1S 3LL
Please email info@thisisnofantasy.com for an exhibition catalogue 🧡
Photography by JUDDartINDEX @judd_art_index
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#thisisnofantasy #johnathonworldpeacebush @jilamaraartsandcrafts @friezeofficial #No9CorkStreet #frieze @thisisnofantasy

Repost • @willheathcote_art
Just a couple highlights from a week in London with Johnathon World Peace Bush! His exhibition at Frieze No. 9 Cork St was a hit and the artist talk and panel discussion we did on Saturday was amazing, but we also managed to sneak in a couple sites, galleries and pub meals in between ✨✨✨
@jilamaraartsandcrafts #johnathonworldpeacebush #jilamaraartsandcrafts #tiwiart #no9corkstreet #london

We are here in London celebrating Johnathon’s latest exhibition at Frieze No.9 Cork St — today there will be an artist talk and panel discussion in the gallery from 2pm this afternoon ✨✨✨
This Is No Fantasy • @thisisnofantasy
•
JOHNATHON WORLD
PEACE BUSH
now open | FRIEZE NO.9 CORK STREET
We’re so thrilled to share Johnathon World Peace Bush’s 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 at Frieze No.9 Cork Street, London 🧡
Exhibition Opening Celebration:
Thursday 27 February | 6 - 8pm
Artist in Conversation + Panel Discussion:
Saturday 01 March | 2 - 4pm
Walking Between Two Worlds
27 FEB - 15 MARCH 2025
Frieze No.9 Cork Street
9 Cork St | London W1S 3LL
Please email info@thisisnofantasy.com for an exhibition catalogue 🧡
Photography by JUDDartINDEX @judd_art_index
___________________________________
#thisisnofantasy #johnathonworldpeacebush @jilamaraartsandcrafts @friezeofficial #No9CorkStreet #frieze

And Johnathon World Peace Bush has landed in London in time for his exhibition opening tonight at Frieze No. 9 Cork Street with This Is No Fantasy ✨✨✨
“Walking Between Two Worlds” is Johnathon’s first solo exhibition in the UK opening tonight at 6pm with an artist talk and panel discussion on ICIP (Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property) this Saturday March 1st at 2pm.
Congratulations mantani!!!
@thisisnofantasy @friezeofficial
#johnathonworldpeacebush #jilamaraartsandcrafts #thisisnofantasy #tiwiart

JOHNATHON WORLD
PEACE BUSH
FRIEZE NO.9 CORK STREET
27 FEB - 15 MARCH 2025
This Is No Fantasy • @thisisnofantasy
We’re so thrilled to be presenting Johnathon World Peace Bush’s 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 at Frieze No.9 Cork Street 🧡
Exhibition Opening:
Thursday 27 February | 6 - 8pm
Artist in Conversation + Panel Discussion:
Saturday 01 March | 2 - 4pm
Frieze No.9 Cork Street
9 Cork St | London W1S 3LL | United Kingdom
Western landscapes are dotted with ‘public sculptures’ - yet they are not of the people. Instead, they become relics of the past, and in time become meaningless objects.
The power of statues derives from the fact they are representations of real people. They stand for racial purity, wealth, and power, often affirming the victory of the colonial narrative.
In 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴, Bush does not topple his statues – he uses a conceptual framework to manifest his unique and revolutionary approach, collapsing Tiwi markings for the body with ethnographic and art historical imagery in a single composition. In doing so he unravels the dark underbelly of history.
Please email info@thisisnofantasy.com for an exhibition catalogue 🧡
___________________________________
#thisisnofantasy #johnathonworldpeacebush @jilamaraartsandcrafts @friezeofficial #No9CorkStreet #frieze
Image: Johnathon World Peace Bush, Courtesy Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association. Photography: Will Heathcote

A great talk at D’Lan Contemporary’s Exhibition St Gallery on Saturday morning to coincide with the Melbourne Art Fair @melbourneartfair ✨✨✨
Jilamara’s Timothy Cook, Walter Brooks and Will Heathcote were joined by Timothy’s longtime colleague and friend Bruce Johnson McLean to discuss Timothy’s work! Surrounded by a great selection of new and historic Tiwi art work the discussion gave great context to Timothy’s work in the gallery and on show at the art fair!
D’Lan Davison • @dlandavidson
•
A great talk event today with @jilamaraartsandcrafts and @brucejohnsonmclean for Timothy Cook. A big thank you to all involved.
@willheathcote_art
#timothycook #jilamaraartsandcrafts #dlancontemporary #melbourne

So great to be in Naarm to celebrate Conrad Tipungwuti and Walter Brooks’ work at the Melbourne Art Fair! Booth F1 Vivien Anderson Gallery is looking very sharp, congratulations Conrad and Walter ✨✨✨
Vivien Anderson Gallery • @vivienandersongallery
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What a pleasure Day 1 of Melbourne Art Fair was!
In 2O25, the gallery is featuring the work of two Tiwi artists from across generations, Conrad Tipungwuti and Walter Brooks, in association with @jilamaraartsandcrafts.
Join us at Booth F1 today through until Sunday — Conrad and Wally will be around over the next few days, so make sure to stop by and say hello, and hear directly from the artists about their practices.
Together, their work lends insight into the long-standing living culture of Tiwi art making and ceremonial practice on the islands.
See you from 12pm today!
@melbourneartfair #ConradTipungwuti #WalterBrooks

Timothy Cook’s incredible booth with D’Lan Contemporary at this year’s Melbourne Art Fair ✨✨✨ Over a year in the making this great outcome is complimented by an artist talk at D’Lan’s Exhibition St gallery tomorrow at 11am!
D’Lan Contemporary • @dlancontemporary
•
Timothy Cook: Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars opens today at Melbourne Art Fair.
We are thrilled to present this exhibition, featuring new and recent works, in collaboration with the artist and Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association.
We invite you to visit us at Booth C8 at the Fair, and to join us at a very special Talk Series event at our Melbourne gallery at 11am this Saturday 22 February, when Timothy Cook, Will Heathcote (Jilamara Studio Manager), Bruce Johnson McLean (Wierdi and Birri Gubba people, independent curator, consultant), and fellow artists Conrad Tipungwuti and Walter Brooks, will join us for a discussion about contemporary Tiwi art and culture.
Find us at Booth C8 at the Fair, and if you’d like to join us for our Talk Series event, RSVP to enquiries@dlancontemporary.com.au
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Timothy Cook: Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars
Melbourne Art Fair | Booth C8 | 20 – 23 February 2025
D’Lan Contemporary Melbourne | 28 February – 11 April 2025
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📷 by @gd.content
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#dlancontemporary #australianart #modernart #contemporaryart #firstnations #firstnationsart #timothycook #jilamaraartsandcrafts #naarm #melbourne #2025

We all had an amazing time at the opening of Melbourne Art Fair today — celebrating an amazing install of Timothy Cook’s work at D’Lan Contemporary’s booth C8 ✨✨✨
D’Lan Contemporary • @dlancontemporary
A busy day installing at Melbourne Art Fair...
We can’t wait to present Timothy Cook: Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars, in association with @jilamaraartsandcrafts to Fair audiences in Melbourne this week. Find us at Booth C8.
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Timothy Cook: Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars
Melbourne Art Fair | Booth C8 | 20 – 23 February 2025
D’Lan Contemporary Melbourne | 28 February – 11 April 2025
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Video by @gd.content
#dlancontemporary #australianart #modernart #contemporaryart #firstnations #firstnationsart #timothycook #jilamaraartsandcrafts #naarm #melbourne #2025

Timothy Cook looking forward to being in Melbourne later this week to celebrate his solo presentation with D’Lan Contemporary at the Melbourne Art Fair ✨✨✨
Melbourne Art Fair • @melbourneartfair
•
Melbourne Art Fair is delighted to welcome @dlancontemporary (Naarm/Melbourne, Gadigal/Sydney, New York, USA) to the 2025 Fair, presenting a solo exhibition of Timothy Cook, who lives and works at Milikapiti on Melville Island.
Cook’s works focus on painting the Kulama ceremony, a traditional initiation for young men, where elders of both sexes sing and dance for three days, welcoming the boys into adulthood. The circles in his work symbolize the moon, yam, and ritual circles of the Kulama ceremony; the central cross in many of Cooks’s works has been suggested to reflect his spiritual life and connection with Catholicism.
Discover more solo presentations coming to the Fair next month at the link in bio 🔗
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Image: Timothy Cook, Kulama, 2023, locally sourced earth pigments on stringybark, 120 x 70cm. Courtesy the artist and D’lan Contemporary.

Only a week to go for the Melbourne Art Fair !!!
This year Vivien Anderson Gallery @vivienandersongallery is showing the amazing Conrad Tipungwuti and emerging talent Walter Brooks both of Jilamara Arts (Booth F1)💫💫💫
We cannot wait for this amazing outcome for both artists next week!
@melbourneartfair
📸 courtesy of the artists and Jilamara Arts. Photo: @willheathcote_art
#conradtipungwuti #walterbrooks #jilamaraarts #tiwiart #vivienandersongallery #melbourneartfair

Johnathon World Peace Bush is going to London!! 🇬🇧
We are all looking forward to this exhibition coming together in just a few weeks time ✨✨✨
This Is No Fantasy • @thisisnofantasy
•
JOHNATHON WORLD
PEACE BUSH
FRIEZE NO.9 CORK STREET
27 FEB - 15 MARCH 2025
We’re so excited to present Johnathon World Peace Bush’s 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴 at Frieze No.9 Cork Street in London later this month 🧡
Western landscapes are dotted with ‘public sculptures’ - yet they are not of the people. Instead, they become relics of the past, and in time become meaningless objects.
The power of statues derives from the fact they are representations of real people. They stand for racial purity, wealth, and power, often affirming the victory of the colonial narrative.
In 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘴, Bush does not topple his statues – he uses a conceptual framework to manifest his unique and revolutionary approach, collapsing Tiwi markings for the body with ethnographic and art historical imagery in a single composition. In doing so he unravels the dark underbelly of history.
Exhibition Opening:
Thursday 27 February | 6 - 8pm
Artist in Conversation + Panel Discussion:
Saturday 01 March | 2 - 4pm
Please email info@thisisnofantasy.com for an exhibition preview 🧡
___________________________________
#thisisnofantasy #johnathonworldpeacebush @jilamaraartsandcrafts @friezeofficial #No9CorkStreet #frieze
Image: Johnathon World Peace Bush, Courtesy Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association. Photography: Will Heathcote

Conrad Tipungwuti and Walter Brooks showing at Melbourne Art Fair next week ✨✨✨— a group of Jilamara artists will be traveling to Melbourne. Conrad and Walter will be joined by Timothy Cook, a great celebration of contemporary Tiwi art at this year’s fair!
Vivien Anderson Gallery • @vivienandersongallery
•
MELBOURNE ART FAIR
CONRAD TIPUNGWUTI & WALTER BROOKS
2O.O2.2O25 — 23.O2.2O25
In 2O25, Vivien Anderson Gallery will feature the work of two Tiwi artists from across generations — Conrad Tipungwuti and Walter Brooks.
Together, the works in this exhibition offer an insight into the long-standing living culture of Tiwi art making and ceremonial practice on the islands.
In association with Jilamara Arts & Crafts.
To register your interest, contact the gallery on +613 8598 9657 or email info@vivienandersongallery.com.
MELBOURNE ART FAIR
Booth F1
2O.O2.2O25 — 23.O2.2O25
@jilamaraartsandcrafts @melbourneartfair

TIMOTHY COOK at Melbourne Art Fair and D’Lan Contemporary’s Exhibition Street Gallery! We are all super excited to see some amazing new work by Timothy in Melbourne in just two weeks time ✨✨✨
D’Lan Contemporary • @dlancontemporary
In May 2024, D’Lan Contemporary Director Luke Scholes and Head of Research, Vanessa Merlino travelled to Milikapiti on Melville Island to visit artist Timothy Cook and Jilamara Arts & Crafts Managers, Hannah Raisin and Will Heathcote.
The visit resulted in an exciting new exhibition, Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars, that will be presented across two venues in Melbourne - at Melbourne Art Fair and at our Exhibition Street gallery later this month.
Luke and Vanessa were fortunate to spend time with Timothy whilst in Milikapiti, and to see some of his new works in progress. Here they share insights into that special experience. Visit our bio to watch the full video ✨
Timothy Cook: Japarra amantiya Japilinga: Moon and Stars
Melbourne Art Fair | 20 – 23 February 2025
D’Lan Contemporary Melbourne | 28 February – 11 April 2025
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video by @gd.content
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#dlancontemporary #australianart #modernart #contemporaryart #firstnations #firstnationsart #timothycook #jilamaraartsandcrafts #naarm #melbourne #2025

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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.