Integrating art production and economic development in the Central Desert (NT) and the APY Lands (SA): National survey of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists

The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyse the extent to which art and cultural production can provide a viable pathway towards economic empowerment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote towns, settlements, homelands and outstations across the Central Desert/APY Lands region. These are areas where cultural production has the potential to be one of the most important means for providing a viable, sustainable and culturally-relevant livelihood for members of the community.

This Report presents the results of a study that forms one component of a major National Survey of Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artists. The National Survey is being undertaken in the Department of Economics at Macquarie University progressively across seven regions in remote Australia.
The regions are:
Region 1: Kimberley, WA
Region 2: East and West Arnhem Land, NT
Region 3: Tiwi Islands and North-west NT
Region 4: Central Desert, NT and APY Lands, SA
Region 5: Pilbara and Western Desert, WA
Region 6: Far North Queensland

The present Report relates to the implementation of the National Survey in Region 4: Central Desert NT and APY Lands SA.