Merrepen Arts Festival - Daly River
Direct Phone Number : (08) 8978 2533
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Return to Daly River
An opportunity to purchase and view indigenous art work.
The annual Merrepen Arts Festival is held in the friendly community of Nauiyu, 240 kilometres south-west of Darwin on the banks of the Daly River. While the exquisite visual arts of the region, based on its abundant bush tucker, are the focus of the weekend, the festival encompasses a combination of events, including art sales and auctions, traditional music and dance, bush tucker displays and tasting and a football and sporting carnival.
The Merrepen Art Centre is open all weekend for you to peruse the beautiful works, but are only available for purchase on Sunday morning. The works are iconic depictions of the local fauna, flora, everyday life and traditional stories, they are colourful, fresh and contemporary. Works of local artists Gracie Kumbi, Phillip Wilson, Marita Sambono, Patricia McTaggart AM and Geraldine Ungunmerr, will be available in the auction and the art sale.
The art and culture program features the ‘Fi Weaving Tours’, a dillybag weaving demonstration and workshop on Saturday afternoon with the local women sharing their culture and knowledge through weaving workshops.
Saturday night features a concert with Aboriginal bands and on Sunday there are traditional dance and music performances. Note that this is an alcohol-free event and no alcohol may be brought into the community. Food and drinks will be available over the weekend.