Aboriginal Arts and Crafts Pty Ltd
AAC
1971 – 1990
Commonwealth-owned company set up to build a market for Aboriginal art and craft, buying work from craft centres in Aboriginal communities and selling it through its own galleries, which by 1982 comprised a head office and gallery in Sydney and galleries in Adelaide, Perth, Cairns, Darwin and Alice Springs.
How it came into existence
Formed in 1971 by the Commonwealth Office of Aboriginal Affairs, following two reports on the tourist industry, as the first organisation established by the Australian Government specifically to build a market for Aboriginal arts and crafts. It had no Commonwealth predecessor.
Changes during its life
- 19 December 1972Came under the new Department of Aboriginal Affairs, which replaced the Office of Aboriginal Affairs.
How it ended
Its end is poorly documented: it is reported to have been reorganised as Aboriginal Arts Australia Ltd in the late 1980s and wound up about 1990. The end date is an estimate.
Main functions
- Wholesale buying of Aboriginal art and craft from community craft centres
- Retail sale of Aboriginal art and craft through its galleries
- Development of markets for Aboriginal arts in Australia and overseas
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Lineage
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Sources
Some dates or links for this organisation are uncertain. Corrections are welcome.