What is Tarnanthi?
Tarnanthi is a festival and exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, presented by the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide. It was first held in 2015.
The name Tarnanthi comes from the Kaurna language of the Adelaide Plains and means to come forth or appear, like the sun or the first emergence of light. The Kaurna community gave permission to use the word.
The event includes a major exhibition at the gallery and shows at venues across South Australia, featuring hundreds of artists from remote communities, regional towns and cities.
Art fair
The Tarnanthi Art Fair lets visitors buy art directly from Aboriginal-owned art centres, with all proceeds going to artists and communities.
The festival is supported by a long-term partnership with mining company BHP and has been held regularly since 2015, usually in spring.
It includes artist talks, performances, film screenings and workshops, and some works are commissioned especially for the festival. Tarnanthi has become one of the largest celebrations of First Nations art in Australia, drawing visitors from interstate and overseas to Adelaide.
Did You Know?
Tarnanthi has helped many artists from the APY Lands of northern South Australia reach national audiences.