Blak Dot Gallery is a contemporary First Nations artist-run space that showcases creative practises from world Indigenous cultures and communities. 

Blak Dot Gallery was established in 2011, which marks 10 years since the creation of the gallery and its aim to uphold the autonomy of First Nations creatives from all over Australia. The gallery has an ongoing commitment to ensuring First Nations artists have opportunities and access to a professional gallery environment. Our exhibitions run for three weeks, which means we exhibit up to sixteen shows a year.

Blak Dot is a partner gallery to many festivals including Melbourne Fringe Festival, YIRRAMBOI Festival, Midsumma Festival, Next Wave Festival and Channels Festival. These partnerships enable our own storytelling, mentoring and support to emerging Indigenous curators and arts practitioners, as well as providing our established and emerging artists opportunities to showcase their work through wider platforms.

Blak Dot is a highly respected community space which evolves with every cultural group through innovative exhibitions, programs, workshops, artist markets and partner projects. Every year, Blak Dot holds an Artist Market displaying the talent, arts businesses and creativity of our First Nations community collectives. We see over 7000 people attending this event each year.

Blak Dot’s supports Blakademy, which is a dedicated critical learning space for First Nations community members. Blakademy holds a growing library of Indigenous authored texts. This is a unique space that is run by community collectives for themselves, giving a space to create and collaborate freely within a safe cultural atmosphere. These sorts of meeting places are important to provide community members with the tools for self determination and creative license.

Blak Dot is the only First Nations-led gallery space in Naarm (Melbourne), and as such we aim to uplift First Nations voices and creativity from the grassroots. While you are in the Bulluke-bek area (Brunswick, Victoria), drop in and support the excellence of our ever-growing artists. Blak Dot continues to champion the contemporary practises of our community groups with respect, reciprocity, leadership, vibrancy and, at the forefront, Sovereignty of First Peoples.

Maya Hodge
Curator, Blak Dot Gallery
Photography by Jalaru Photography