Industry Ethics

Industry Ethics

The APY Art Centre Collective and its member art centres are Indigenous-owned businesses governed by an Indigenous board of directors, meaning they are rooted in principles of self-determination. They are not-for-profit organisations that participate in transparent reporting and annual independent audits to ensure the highest level of financial integrity. Art centres provide rare employment opportunities in remote and regional areas, allowing for much needed independent income for artists and artworkers of all ages. Artwork purchased from an Indigenous-owned art centre directly supports Indigenous artists from remote and regional Australia with income and agency that is to the benefit of individuals, families, and whole communities.

For remote Indigenous artists in particular, there are two distinct business models operating in the industry today. Both models engage in the production and sale of artwork – one being the art centre model outlined above and the other, a ‘private’ or ‘painting shed’ model.

Support Indigenous-owned businesses by purchasing direct from art centre owned galleries, or third-party galleries that are exclusive to the art centre model.

ART CENTRE MODEL VERSUS PRIVATE OR PAINTING SHED MODEL, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Art Centres

Private Painting Sheds

Business Ownership

  • 100% Indigenous-owned and governed. 
  • Income is directly returned to artists and their art centre businesses, which significantly impacts social challenges in communities. • The goal of the art centre is to maximise the return of income to artists and communities. 
  • Many individuals in remote and regional communities live below the poverty line, so painting money is food money. An artist’s income goes a long way towards feeding many family members, which is aligned with a broader cultural value system that prioritises shared resources and values. In this way, the impact of money returned to communities through art centres is far-reaching. 
  • APY art centres are the primary source of non-government income in in remote and regional communities.

• Owned by non-Indigenous people. 

• Their goal is to maximise the owner’s profits.

Participation

  • Art centres are accessible for participation by all community members – they do not turn artists away.

  • As a private business, private painting sheds can pick and choose artists who paint for them. 
  • They often poach high profile artists from community art centres and do little to support young and emerging artists.

Indigenous Employment 

  • In remote communities, art centres are the primary source of non-government income and the only source of ‘real’ jobs that provide meaningful training, skills development, and pathways to sustainable employment.
  • Art centres often support 6-20 positions working each day, with Indigenous staff in many diverse roles, including studio support, drivers, interpreters, building and vehicle maintenance, administrative support, and cleaners.
  • Indigenous staff are supported with professional development and training opportunities across all areas of art centre operation and artists are also supported to travel to their exhibitions across Australia and internationally.
  • Indigenous employment is not supported outside of securing artists to paint for profit.
  • They do not offer training and professional development opportunities to Indigenous staff.

Financial Transparency and Accountability

  • Art centres work with full financial transparency. 
  • Art centres are exposed to annual independent financial audits published on the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) website each year. 
  • Without these annual audits, art centres cannot receive the government funding that supports art centre operations. 
  • ORIC staff regularly visit art centres to check financial reporting.

  • They have no requirements for financial transparency and do not work with any formalised measures of financial and moral accountability. 

Staff 

  • Art centre staff are paid according to industry standards and are subject to performance reviews by industry peak bodies. 
  • Art centre staff do not receive bonuses based on the success of the business. 
  • They are not required to align with industry standards and are not subject to industry- standard review processes.