First Nations practitioners working across textile, customary adornment and fashion have come together from across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Turtle Island Canada through the Tri Nations Exchange Program, a three-year Creative Australia initiative supporting cultural exchange, collaboration, capacity building and First Nations-led sector development.
The program brings together First Nations fashion and textile creatives, designers, models and industry specialists and advocates to develop leadership, strengthen sector connections and support a fashion and textiles ecosystem across three continents, grounded in respect, reciprocity and custodianship.
The first gathering will be hosted by Creative Australia in Garramilla Darwin on Larrakia Country from 2–10 August 2026, followed by subsequent immersive visits to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2027 and Turtle Island Canada in 2028.
The selected Australian participants are Lucy Simpson, Lillardia Briggs-Houston, Michelle Maynard, Nicole Chatfield, Cassie Puruntatameri, Bianca Long, Marley Morgan and Juanita Page.
Creative Australia Executive Director First Nations Arts and Culture Franchesca Cubillo said the program reflected the strength and ambition of First Nations fashion, textile and customary adornment practices from the past including more contemporary innovative practices today.
“The Tri Nations Exchange is an important opportunity to make space and support First Nations creatives and industry leaders to connect, share knowledge and build lasting relationships across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Turtle Island Canada,” Franchesca Cubillo said.
“This remarkable group represents a small selection of some of the innovation and cultural leadership that is currently shaping First Nations fashion and textile practice today, and we are proud to support their participation in this international exchange.”
Initiated in 2015, the Tri Nations partnership between Creative Australia, Creative New Zealand and the Canada Council for the Arts has supported several iterations of international exchange, including programs focused on Storytelling, Visual Arts/Curatorship and the Performing Arts.