Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) 2026 Mark Makers Keynote: Luke Currie-Richardson

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair - Mark Makers Keynote: Luke Currie-Richardson - Dancing in Between Worlds.

In this deeply personal keynote, Luke Currie-Richardson shares his journey through the arts, tracing the path from Ilan dancer, emerging performer to multidisciplinary artist navigating complex creative and cultural landscapes. Grounded in lived experience, his story explores the realities of building a sustainable career while holding strong to identity, values, and purpose.

At the heart of the talk is an honest reflection on what it means to live and create as a Blak artist away from Country. Luke unpacks the tension between distance and connection, and how these shape both artistic voice and personal understanding. Through this lens, he offers insight into the evolving relationship between culture, place, and practice.

Blending storytelling with reflection, the keynote highlights the mindsets that have underpinned his journey: resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to authenticity in spaces that are not always built to hold it. He speaks candidly about navigating institutions, challenging expectations, and reclaiming space within the industry.

This keynote is an invitation for audiences to consider their own pathways, encouraging a deeper awareness of identity, creative integrity, and the power of storytelling as a tool for both personal and collective transformation. During the keynote, Luke will perform a spoken word called Social Mediocre which talks about Luke as he navigates identity via social media as well as sharing some of my photography work. There will be an opportunity for questions from the audience during this session.

Artist Biography:
Luke is a descendant of the Kuku Yalanji and Djabugay peoples, the Mununjali Clan of South East QLD, the Butchulla clan of K’gari and the Meriam people of the Eastern Torres Straits Islands. He aspires to be a role model for young people both Indigenous and non-Indigenous to show them they can be and do all things.

Luke began storytelling in 2000 learning and performing traditional dance with Gerib Sik Torres Strait Islander Dance Group with his family in Canberra. His first introduction to contemporary arts came as a member of the youth dance ensemble QL2 in their 2007 production Unspeakable. Today, he is a dancer, photographer, writer, performer and actor (among other things!).

Price

Price Guide

When

Sat 11 Jul 2026

Venue Opens

Doors open

10.30am

Show Time

11.00am

Interval

Duration

1hr

Supporting Act(s)

Rating

M - Moderate

Seating

Unreserved Fully Seated

Food

Bar

Companion Card

Yes, click for more info

Ticket Collection

The Box Office opens at the advertised Venue Opens time for ticket collection and enquiries.

Seating Plan

Seating Plan