Opening Night: The 2026 NAIDOC Exhibition

Creative Edge Art Collective is proud to host this NAIDOC Week Exhibition and we are grateful for the opportunity to share our First Nations artists work and stories with our local community. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.

Join us for the open night of 'The 2026 NAIDOC Exhibition', the exhibition will feature a selection of artworks, sculptures, homewares and more by our indigenous artists from the collective! Meet the artists and hear their stories behind their work.

This year marks 50 years of NAIDOC Week, recognising the strength, resilience, and cultural leadership of First Nations communities across generations. This exhibition is grounded in the belief that art is a powerful vehicle for storytelling, cultural preservation, and truth-telling. In aligning with the 2026 NAIDOC theme and our values at CEAC, the curatorial approach centers First Nations voices, prioritising authenticity, diversity of experience, and the connection to culture and community.

The exhibition seeks to:

• Honour the contributions of past generations while amplifying contemporary voices

• Provide a platform for both emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists

• Create a meaningful engagement between artists and the wider community

• Showcase a range of artistic styles, from traditional to contemporary practices

Through this exhibition, Creative Edge Art Collective continues it's commitment to supporting and elevating First Nations artists, ensuring their stories are shared on their own terms.

The opening night event will be held on Friday 10th July from 6:30-8:30pm.

Come celebrate and appreciate all this beautiful art with the CEAC team and the artists in the gallery with your friends and family! This event promises to be an unforgettable experience with refreshments available and nibbles served throughout the night, provided by our sponsor Lizard Dragon Distillers.

Mark your calendars and secure your ticket!

This year's exhibition features 15 First Nations artists from across Western Australia, each bringing unique perspectives, stories and artists practices.

The NAIDOC Exhibition:

The exhibition will be running from the 10th July until 31st July 2026 with a variety of events;

Friday 10th July: Exhibition Opening Night

Friday 17th July: Paint, Yarn & Learn with Richo: Ages 5-8

Friday 17th July: Paint, Yarn & Learn with Richo: Ages 9-15

Friday 24th July: Paint, Sip & Yarn: Aboriginal Art Symbols workshop with Buffie Creative

All events in 'The 2026 NAIDOC Exhibition' will be limited numbers so we recommend booking as soon as possible so you don't miss out. 

Proudly sponsored and supported by; Arts Edge Gallery, The City of Joondalup and Lizard Dragon Distillers.

NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. This year's theme focuses on the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC. Please read below an expert from the NAIDOC organisation about this year's events and what it means to the community.

‘For five decades, NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of our communities — steady, unapologetic, and proud. Each year, its themes have called for truth, celebrated culture, honoured resistance, and reminded the nation of who we are.

Fifty Years of Deadly marks a milestone. It’s a tribute to the people who built this movement. the Elders who stood firm, the organisers who made space, the artists who turned resistance into expression, and the communities who keep showing up, year after year.

NAIDOC has always been more than a week — it’s a platform, a protest, a celebration, and a statement of survival.

This moment is about looking back at the stories, the marches, the languages, the art, the leadership. At the strength it took to get here. It’s about recognising how far we’ve come, not by chance, but because generations of people refused to be silenced.

It’s also about the here and now, who we are today. Grounded in culture. Strong in our identity. Leading change across every field, from health and education to media, business, and the arts. We’re telling our own stories, in our own way, on our own terms.

And it’s about the future. The next 50 years. The young ones growing up proud. The return of language. The return to Country. The fight for justice continuing with new tools, new voices, and the same fire.

Fifty Years of Deadly is a marker, not just of time passed, but of the momentum still building. It’s proof of what our people build when culture leads and community comes first. NAIDOC belongs to mob. It always has.

We honour what came before by continuing the work.

This is our story. This is our celebration. This is our future.

Still deadly. Always.’

About Creative Edge Art Collective:
Creative Edge Art Collective is a not-for-profit art’s hub in Perth’s northern suburb of Joondalup. The collective develops artists through education, exhibition and engagement to inspire and develop artists while supporting disadvantaged communities through the arts.
Creative Edge showcases established and emerging Western Australian artists in our gallery space. We host exhibitions, workshops and mentoring programs that engage artists and support our community.

Our Vision: Creative Edge Art Collective inspires, engages and nurtures artists and contributes sustainably to the local community, providing an inclusive and vibrant hub that supports all people to have access to the arts.
Our Mission: Creative Edge Art Collective develops and promotes WA artists and makes their work and expertise accessible to the local community. Creative Edge Art Collective enriches the community by making art and its intrinsic benefits accessible.
Our Purpose: The Creative Edge Art Collective exists to enrich cultural life, foster artistic expression, and support the development of creative industries. Our projects and initiatives focus on promoting and nurturing the talents of artists, providing educational opportunities, and enhancing community engagement with the arts.