Share the Mic: Indigenous Knowledge–Aboriginal Artists & Law

To complement our current exhibition, Aboriginal Screen-Printed Textiles from Australia’s Top End, the Fowler is honored to bring together a group of cultural ownership experts in the fields of law, education, copyright, and the art market to discuss the biggest challenges indigenous Australians face in their attempts to maintain control over their intellectual property.

Case studies shared by three Australian panelists will illuminate the work they do to protect Indigenous art, and the ways in which they rely on one another. Their presentations will be followed by a conversation moderated by Lauren van Schilfgaarde, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Director, Tribal Legal Development Clinic, Native Nations Law and Policy Center, UCLA School of Law. The speakers will discuss what, if any, cultural knowledge should remain internal and confidential, how the history of Australian-Aboriginal relations impacts the policies in place today, and what immediate and longer-term solutions are being applied to a variety of concerns in this field.