TAFE NSW Tamworth has launched a new course that is focused on the development of cultural art skills for a career in the growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts sector.i

The Certificate III in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts is equipping students with the hands-on practical skills that they need to preserve and make meaning of their important history through drawings, prints, paintings and sculptures.

TAFE NSW Art and Design Teacher, Dr Gillian Rhys said it was incredibly important for people across the New England region to have access to Aboriginal cultural training of this nature.

“Aboriginal art is booming and there is a high level of interest both nationally and internationally for commissioned works and exhibition pieces in galleries. Students may also find that the hands-on practical skills and knowledge that they learn through the course could lead to work in galleries, museums and jobs as cultural tour guides.

“Aboriginal people have the opportunity to tell their story through art and this is exactly what the course aims to achieve, preserving history and helping Aboriginal people regain their sense of belonging.”

TAFE NSW Cultural Arts student and proud Kamilaroi woman, Rebecca Slater is studying the course and said she is enjoying learning about how to share her personal journey through art.

“Art is important to our culture and we communicate through art; we are learning about how to tell our unique stories through different images, styles, and colour.

“Some of our mob are lost and I hope to use the skills I learn through the course to bring something back to them and give them a piece of their identity back.

“I’ve worked in mental health and I believe helping the mob to find their identity through art will give them a sense of peace and connection.”

For more information on the Certificate III in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts at TAFE NSW Tamworth, visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.

Media contact: Emma Curtis, TAFE NSW Media and Communications Business Partner, (02) 6338 2509, mobile 0427 901 515

______________

i. Parliament of Australia. Aboriginal Art Sector 2020.