ALPEYT MWERRANGKER | GOOD BLOSSOMS

The Barkly Tableland stretches over 320,000 square km of the Northern Territory, surrounding its largest town and cultural centre, Tennant Creek, located approximately 1000km south of Darwin and 500km north of Alice Springs. Here, Barkly Regional Arts is the area’s main hub for visual artists and musicians, each inspired by the Country under the canopy of vivid blue sky and red dust.

From their visual arts and music studios in the heart of Tennant Creek, Barkly Regional Arts does outreach with the area’s remote communities, producing ar t and music that tells the stories of the Barkly, fostering access, development, and recognition of arts in the Barkly.

Art made in the Barkly is significant not just as a way of preserving culture, but also as a means by which the community can come together, celebrating culture and Country and, not least, earning an income.The work of the Artists of the Barkly reflects the remote, unforgiving desert landscape and harsh conditions, yet also portrays the charm and magical beauty of the region.

The Artists of the Barkly collective represents over fifty artists, living in four remote communities across the Barkly region:Tennant Creek,Wutunugurra (Epenarra), Owairtilla (Canteen Creek) and Kulumindini (Elliott). Alpeyt Mwerrangker meaning Good Flowers or Good Blossoms in Alyawarr, features eleven of the regions most well renowned painters, sharing a remote, rugged landscape and an interest in Country, modern history and life in the Barkly.The artists from each community exhibit a distinctive style, demonstrating the profound influence of the art centre setting.