Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, Aboriginal artist collective in Leichhardt, Sydney, Australia.
Boomalli is an artist collective in Leichhardt, Sydney, that displays work from Aboriginal creators in multiple exhibition spaces. The gallery shows painting, prints, sculpture, and other art forms all made by members who are part of the cooperative.
The cooperative started in 1987 in Redfern as a response to the need for Aboriginal artists to have their own exhibition space. It has moved to several locations over the years before becoming established at its current site in Leichhardt.
The name Boomalli was chosen because it means "make a mark" in at least three Aboriginal languages: Bandjalung, Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay and Wiradjuri. The cooperative's founders came from diverse art practices and sought acceptance in mainstream art while supporting artists from New South Wales language groups.
The gallery is in Leichhardt, where the cooperative has been based since moving four times from its 1987 Redfern origins. Small front galleries let individual artists self-curate shows, and work is sold in-gallery and online. The cooperative receives no state or federal government funding, though Leichhardt council supports it.
The cooperative operates as a member-run space with around 50 Aboriginal artists who decide what gets shown and handle the sale of their own work. This hands-on approach means the artists themselves shape every exhibition and have direct control over how their pieces are presented to visitors.
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