About IOTA
The Indian Ocean Triennial Australia (IOTA) is a not-for-profit arts organisation based in Perth, Western Australia, that presents the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial every three years.
IOTA usually presents a major international exhibition, a conference, and a large satellite festival, and other events and activities, tailored to each Triennial.
Creative adaptability is the key to successful practice.
While societies globally experience rapid and vast transformations based on technology, innovation, and mass communication, the emotional value of craft and the hand-made is increasing. As studio artists and traditional artisans respond to new circumstances, we witness a re-engagement of contemporary craft by makers willing to sustain the value and benefit of the hand-made in contemporary life.
IOTA presents the extraordinary work of contemporary artists and artisans from around the region; particularly those who build on the traditional skills and mediums of craft practices.
Curating Across the Indian Ocean Rim
The Triennial fosters innovative cultural collaboration, dialogue and partnerships that build influence internationally. Through the promotion of the craft sector’s economic, artistic and cultural assets within an international landscape, it builds people-to-people links internationally, and in particular, enhances and establishes networks and exchanges between artisans and arts organisations around the Indian Ocean. Fostering a renewed appreciation of the hand-made, collaboration, and increasing the capacity of artists and artisans informs our curatorial practice.
The Indian Ocean Rim Group of Countries
AUSTRALIA — BANGLADESH — COMOROS — INDIA — INDONESIA — IRAN — KENYA — MADAGASCAR — MALAYSIA — MAURITIUS — MOZAMBIQUE — OMAN — SEYCHELLES — SINGAPORE — SOMALIA — SOUTH AFRICA — SRI LANKA — TANZANIA — THAILAND — UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — YEMEN
Where does the Triennial take place?
Perth and regional centres, Western Australia (WA)
Major Exhibition Partners
In 2021 John Curtin Gallery and Fremantle Arts Centre came on board as our inaugural major exhibition partners. In 2024 they were joined by Holmes à Court Gallery and Bunbury Regional Art Gallery. For 2027, PICA and Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery have also pledged to join major partners.
Supporting venue partners across Perth Metro & Regional Western Australia
The major partners are supported by a network of galleries, art spaces, venues and organisations who deliver exhibitions and activities in complement to the Triennial's theme. In 2021 and 2024 these have included the majority of art spaces in WA, such as:
Art Gallery of Western Australia; Art Collective WA; Artitja Fine Art; Arts Margaret River; Artsource; CASM: Contemporary Art Space Mandurah; City of Melville; City of Wanneroo; Denmark Arts; Ellenbrook Arts; Gallery Central / North Metro TAFE; Gallery East; Geraldton Project / Geraldton Regional Gallery; Gwoonwardu Mia – Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre; Goolugatup Heathcote; Holmes à Court Gallery – Vasse Felix; Jewellers & Metalsmiths Group (WA) / Old Customs House; Kidogo ArtHouse; Kimberley Arts Network; Lost Eden Gallery – Dwellingup; Moores' Building; Midland Junction Arts Centre; Mundaring Arts Centre; Perth Studio Potters / Burt St Gallery; Spare Parts Puppet Theatre; Stirling St Arts Centre, Bunbury; Southern Forest Arts & Painted Tree Gallery; The Junction Co / Courthouse Gallery, Port Hedland; WA Museums – Boola Bardip, Geraldton, Goldfields & Great Southern; WAFTA; York Museum; York Festival & Gallery 152, Zig-Zag Gallery.
Founding Partners and Curators
Jude van der Merwe, Maggie Baxter, Chad Creighton, Qassim Saad, Gerald Sanyangore, Carola Akindele-Obe.
The founding partnership who presented IOTA21 is now dissolved and future Triennials will be presented by the not-for-profit association of Indian Ocean Craft Triennial Inc.
Read more about the association's Committee, Mission and Values.
Naming IOTA
The Indian Ocean Craft Triennial is a bit of a mouthful; and during its early development we frequently used the acronym IOCT – which is not easy to say, so in an effort to make it more so, we struck upon IOTA: which represents Indian Ocean Triennial Australia.
‘Kaya’ means ‘hello’ in the Noongar language.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the country where we operate, in particular the Noongar peoples, the first nations of the south-west of Australia. We recognise their connection to land and waters, their continuing contribution to culture and care of our environment, and respect their Elders, past, present and emerging.