Badu Art Centre – Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh

A: 274 Ahmat St, Badu Island, QLD

P: +61 7 4090 0956

E: info@baduartcentre.com.au

W: baduartcentre.com.au

Facebook: Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh

Badu Island is located in the Western Cluster of islands. The Badu Community has approximately 850 to 900 residents, making it one of the largest island communities in the Torres Strait.

With a number of well-known and emerging artists, Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (BKM) – trading as Badu Art Centre – produces high quality, culturally distinctive works and is competitive in the national and international arts industry. The work that comes from Badu artists underpins their vibrant cultural expression and traditions, widely practiced within the island community. Their work reveals their dedication to and reverence for the ocean, the island and the animals.

The Art Centre uses a range of visual and creative mediums including printmaking, bronze and aluminium casting, etching, painting, jewellery, textiles and carving. It is home to the only Indigenous-owned bronze casting foundry in Australia.

The last four years has seen considerable investment into arts development on Badu Island. This has been supported by the Gab Titui Cultural Centre on Thursday Island, as well as through the Arts Development Officer and past Art Centre Managers, with the ongoing support of the Federal Government through their IVAIS and National Jobs Package programs, the Queensland Governments Indigenous Arts Centre Strategy Backing Indigenous Arts (BIA) and the Torres Strait Regional Authority’s funding programs. In response to the growing development and recognition of the Badu Arts Centre, BKM moving forward has developed a strategic position that will help underpin the maintenance promotion of Badu Island Culture as well as grow the development of new opportunities such as cultural tourism.

Visitors are welcome to visit the Badu Art Centre and Badu Island but it is important to first receive permission from both the Art Centre chair and the chair of the Native Title Body (Mura Badhulgal) on Badu.

Image: Laurie Nona, Saran Ay Iman. 57.5 x 65cm.