Aboriginal art centres play a really important role in remote communities. They are a place for artists to work, to access supplies and to make money through their art. Art centres are a vital source of employment in communities, employing retail staff, screen printers, managers, tour guides, and much more. In remote Australia, where jobs are often scarce, income earned by one employee or artist usually goes on to support a large family network. Art centres are also often places of innovation – responding to tourism trends, isolation / remoteness, and the growing market for Indigenous art and textiles in creative ways (e.g. accessing online markets, looking at other tourist experiences such as cafes and tours, and hands on experiences such as textile printing). Sales of the products created at remote art centres are pivotal to their survival.
Magpie Goose purchases textiles, and licenses designs directly from Aboriginal Art Centres.
Since our launch in December 2016, Magpie Goose has channelled over $403,000 into Aboriginal art centres and to independent Aboriginal artists, through textile purchases and licensing payments.