Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Federal Arts Ministers Simon Crean this week committed $10.5 million over four years to Queensland's visual arts, craft and design sectors.

Ms Bligh said the funding, which provides support to galleries, Indigenous Art Centres, the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, individual artists and a range of arts companies, will help grow the state's thriving arts and cultural sector.

"Queensland's arts scene is increasingly being recognised as one of the most dynamic not just nationally, but internationally," Ms Bligh said.

"This funding will specifically support small to medium sized companies including Artisan, Kickarts Contemporary Arts, Queensland Centre of Photography Publishing, Eyeline, Institute of Modern Art,

Multimedia Art Asia Pacific, Museum and Gallery Services Queensland and Umbrella Studio, which are the engine rooms of creativity and innovation within the arts.

"VACS will support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in demonstrating their culture to the world, contributing to the state's growing network of Indigenous Art Centres (IACs) and the annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).

"Since CIAF opened in 2009 it has sold more than $1.8 million in Queensland artwork and attracted more than 33,500 people, so this is not just great news for the arts sector, but for tourism and the Queensland economy also," Ms Bligh said. 

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