The Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal proved to be a successful venue for this year’s Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair, with a record 13,000 people attending the event and more than half a million dollars raised.

The event has been rated as such a success that the terminal has again been announced as the venue for the 2012 festival, to be held August 17-19.

After attracting 10,500 to the 2010 CIAF, organisers say the newly-refurbished terminal proved a central location for this year’s fair, allowing attendees to wander through a host of events during the first weekend of Festival Cairns.

The fair comprised of the art exhibition, presentations, film shows, workshops and almost non-stop dance and music from Cape York, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Torres Strait, Cairns and the famous Mornington Island Dancers, kicked off by a gala opening on Thursday, August 18.

“The feedback from this year’s fair has been astounding and everybody I have spoken with has remarked on what a great venue the Terminal was,” Arts Minister Rachel Nolan said.

“People travelled far and wide to celebrate our state's unique feature - the presence of not one but two extraordinary indigenous cultures.

“I am delighted to be announcing the return of this festival to the Terminal and Avril Quaill as Artistic Director next year and again in 2013.”

Minister Nolan said this year’s CIAF resulted in more than $580,000 worth of work being sold in just three days.

“Everyone understands that a high Australian dollar means that times for the tourism sector are tough, but Cairns was abuzz through this year’s fair and the thing that was drawing visitors from around the country and the world was indigenous art,” she said.

Ms Nolan said CIAF provided indigenous artists with a chance to show their work in a professional context, some for the first time, and also for others to win national recognition and in some cases international sales.

“The event offers an ethical environment for indigenous artists to sell their work and in the past two years has proven its worth as a driver of economic and social reform in the arts industry,” she said.

“CIAF presents economic prospects for indigenous people through art and the Bligh Government is committed to supporting these opportunities,” Minister Nolan said.

Under an Indigenous Arts funding program, $13.2 million will be provided over the next four years (2011 – 2014) to strengthen and support Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.

“CIAF has a secure future through this funding program, with up to $2.5 million from this program going toward staging CIAF for 2011 – 2014," she said.