Gather & Trade Aboriginal Arts Market
Event organiser
About this event
As part of the Creative Streets Festival 2026, Arts North West presents the Gather & Trade Aboriginal Arts Market — a vibrant celebration of First Nations creativity in the heart of Armidale. Creative Streets transforms the Armidale CBD into a place where art, performance, music, light, ideas and community come together, celebrating creativity as part of everyday life. Main roads close and Armidale's main streets overflow with free live music, theatre, dance and art. Within this festival, Gather & Trade creates a dedicated space for Aboriginal artists, makers and cultural practitioners to share their work, stories and culture directly with the community. More than a marketplace, Gather & Trade celebrates living culture, supports Aboriginal creative enterprise and strengthens opportunities for First Nations artists to connect with new audiences. Every purchase directly supports Aboriginal artists and contributes to the continued growth of the region's creative economy. The Opening Night program also includes a Welcome to Country from the Aboriginal Keeping Place & Cultural Centre on the Main Stage at 4pm and a performance by Armidale Secondary College's Lyambay Aboriginal Dance Group in the Culture Precinct. Gather & Trade is part of the Arts North West First Stories: Moving Forward Together program and is supported through the Australian Government's Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program.
Good to know
Free public entry to the market and to the whole Creative Streets Opening Night program — no ticket or booking is required. Held outdoors in the Beardy Street Mall while Armidale's main roads are closed to traffic. Free activities for children, food vendors, live music and installations run across the CBD. Stallholder applications for Aboriginal artists and makers are handled separately by Arts North West. Market artwork in the listing image by Waabii Chapman-Burgess.
Location & Details
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Tickets
Free entry. The Gather & Trade market and the Creative Streets Opening Night program are free to attend; purchases from stallholders go directly to the artists.
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