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A painting, print, scarf or set of placemats by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist can be one of the most meaningful gifts you’ll ever give, whether it’s for someone at home or a friend overseas. It can also be one of the easiest to get wrong. Some “Aboriginal art” souvenirs have no artist behind them at all, and some sales leave the artist with very little.
This guide is about how to buy well. It’s built on advice from the Indigenous Art Code and the Arts Law Centre of Australia, and it doesn’t push any particular shop.
How we put this together
- We follow the experts. The advice here comes from the Indigenous Art Code (a voluntary code of conduct for dealers) and the Arts Law Centre of Australia. We quote them and link them.
- No products named. We haven’t independently verified any specific product’s licensing or ownership, so we don’t recommend particular items. When we do, it’ll be because the seller’s Code membership or licence is confirmed.
- No “Aboriginal-style”. We never feature art or merchandise that doesn’t name a real artist.
- Respect over shopping. Art carries culture and story. Buying it fairly is about the artist, not just the purchase.
Start with the Indigenous Art Code
The Indigenous Art Code (IartC) works with its members “to support fair, transparent and ethical trade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual artists”. The Arts Law Centre describes it as “a voluntary code of ethical behaviour for art dealers, galleries and art centres selling Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander art.”
The Code’s buying advice starts simply: look for and buy from members. It says Code Signatory members “must adhere to, and demonstrate a commitment to, upholding the ethical standards laid out in the Code.”
How to check: the Code’s website has a member search, so you can look up a gallery, shop or art centre before you buy. It’s worth knowing that many artists are members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned art centres, and many others work independently, according to the Code. The Code itself says it “does not suggest that purchasing from any single source is superior to another”. Instead, it encourages you to learn about each dealer’s business model and how that shapes its relationship with the artist.
Ask three questions
The Indigenous Art Code suggests three questions to start with, wherever and however you buy (in person or online):
- Who is the artist?
- Where is the artist from?
- How does the artist get paid?
It suggests a few more, which are especially useful for gifts:
- If it’s a reproduction (homewares and textiles, for example), how are royalties or licensing fees paid to the artist?
- Is there a licensing agreement in place with the artist?
- Is the business a member of the Indigenous Art Code?
- Is the work on consignment, or does the seller own it outright?
That last one matters more than it sounds. The Code explains that under consignment, the artist still owns the work, and the dealer pays them an agreed percentage of the retail price once it sells. If the dealer owns the artwork, the artist has less control, or often none, over the price it’s sold for.
The Code says ethical dealers are usually open about their business models and happy to answer questions about the artist and their community, how the dealer sources art and pays artists, and how much of the sale price goes to the artist.
Certificates of authenticity: useful, but not proof
A certificate is something you’ll often be offered, especially for an original work.
According to the Arts Law Centre, a Certificate of Authenticity is “a record of an artwork and its creator to ensure that it is an authentic artwork made by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.” Certificates usually include the artist’s name, year of birth, artwork name, size, medium, and a photograph of the artist and of the artwork. Most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art centres supply certificates for their members’ works.
But Arts Law is clear about the limits. It says there’s currently no mandatory system regulating how works by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artists are authenticated, and lists these problems with certificates:
- They do not guarantee that the work is authentic.
- Some commercial galleries have attached inaccurate certificates.
- They can be created by anyone.
Look for a Code Certificate
A stronger option is the Indigenous Art Code Certificate. Arts Law explains that any Code member acting as an agent for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist must provide a signed Code Certificate with the sale of an artwork, for sales over $250. It must include:
- that it’s an “Indigenous Art Code Certificate”
- the artist’s name
- where and when the work was made
- the work’s size, medium and title (as given by the artist)
- the dealer’s identity and confirmation that they’re a Signatory to the Code
- the dealer’s signed declaration that the information is accurate.
Arts Law says it’s a breach of the Code for a dealer to supply a certificate that isn’t legitimate. The certificate can also go with the work each time it’s resold.
Gifts and merchandise: licensed reproductions
Not every gift needs to be an original painting. Tea towels, scarves, cushions, mugs, jewellery and stationery can carry an artist’s design, and a fairly licensed product can be a lovely, postable gift.
The key is the licence. The Indigenous Art Code suggests asking how royalties or licensing fees are paid to the artist, and whether a licensing agreement is in place. A good seller should be able to tell you:
- the artist’s name and, ideally, their community or Country
- that the design is licensed from the artist (or their art centre)
- how the artist is paid, such as a royalty on each sale or a licence fee.
The Code specifically warns about merchandise “such as bags, scarves, jewellery, homewares and artefacts” that’s manufactured overseas and doesn’t attribute an artist. It says these items “are cause for concern”.
Red flags
The Indigenous Art Code lists these signs of possible unethical dealing:
- No artist named. It says an artwork “should always be accompanied by clear acknowledgement of the artist/s who created it”, whether it’s an original or a reproduction.
- Photos as proof. A dealer trying to prove provenance with photos of artists holding the work, rather than official certificates of authenticity.
- A big discount to close the sale. The Code says ethical galleries usually return a consistent percentage to the art centre and the artist, and a significant discount raises the question of who bears the price cut: the dealer or the artist.
- Evasive answers. If a dealer won’t be open with you about how they source art or their relationship with the artist, the Code says “it may be a signal to walk away.”
To these we’d add one of our own: anything sold as “Aboriginal-style” or “Aboriginal-inspired” with no named artist. Arts Law notes that when fake Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander art is sold, the profits don’t go to an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist or community.
If you think you’ve bought a fake
Arts Law says that if you bought a work with a certificate or statement of authenticity and later found it was fake, you can take legal action against whoever supplied the certificate, for example under the Australian Consumer Law for misleading and deceptive conduct. If the false certificate claims to be a Code Certificate, the dealer can also be reported to the Code. Read Arts Law’s full information sheet, and get proper legal advice if you need it.
Buying for someone overseas
- Prints and works on paper usually post flat or in a tube, so they’re easier to send than stretched canvas.
- Keep the paperwork. Post the certificate, or a copy, with the work so the recipient has the provenance.
- Check customs at the other end for any work made with natural materials such as wood, seeds or feathers. Our sending food overseas guide explains how to check another country’s rules, and the same official agencies cover plant and animal products.
- Post early. See our Australia Post Christmas cut-off dates 2026.
More from Gumnutly
- Australian souvenirs that aren’t tacky
- Native-flavour food gifts: lemon myrtle, wattleseed, finger lime and Kakadu plum
- Best Australian-made gifts to send overseas
- All our gift guides
Written by our editors. This is general information, not legal advice. Guidance is the Indigenous Art Code’s and Arts Law Centre of Australia’s own, linked above. Last checked: 31 October 2026.
