Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative is one of Australia's longest running Aboriginal owned and operated art galleries. Established in Chippendale Sydney in 1987, Boomalli, a word derived from three different NSW language groups, is translated as: “To strike; to make a mark”. After almost twenty years it is now increasingly apparent that the distinctive and innovative urban art produced by our indigenous members has indeed made a mark on both the national and international art worlds.The 10 founding members of Boomalli as urban Indigenous artists finding it difficult to have their own work shown as authentic Aboriginal art in the mainstream, established a Co-operative to provide a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander artists to exhibit and promote urban Indigenous art on their own terms. One of the primary aims has been to redress some of the social inequities experienced historically by indigenous artists and provide an authentically strong cultural voice within a contemporary Australian context. This has been achieved by making it possible for artists to take direct curatorial control of their individual exhibitions as well as devising their own marketing and sales strategies, thereby reclaiming processes which have been traditionally controlled by non-indigenous stakeholders. It is our goal to promote the original objectives of the founding members by providing continuous support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists so that they can exhibit and promote aboriginal art on their own terms and to endorse self-determination and self-management for artist members as well as the wider indigenous community. In doing so, we will continue to provide a strong and distinctive cultural voice for urban aboriginal art.Boomalli’s aim is to be a premium exhibition space and cultural resource centre which facilitates greater artistic profiles for our members as well as generating financial incentives and promoting higher levels of professionalism in our artist member’s careers.
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