Aboriginal artists should share in the benefits and receive proper returns and royalties for the use of their cultural heritage material. As copyright owners of artistic work, artists are entitled to receive payment for authorized uses of their works. A royalty is the name given to payments that copyright owners receive for authorizing the use of their works. Once an artwork has been created and sold, the artist can still control the copyright and receive income from it

Not everyone can afford an original piece of Indigenous art or craft however there is an affordable alternative.

Licensed products are reproductions of the original work of art whereby the artist receives royalties on each sale. The purchase of any licensed product eg coaster, scarf, tie - will benefit the artists and gives the consumer the joy of owning a lovely Indigenous product.

There are various products which Australia does not have the raw materials or industry to produce in a cost-effective way for example – porcelain coffee mugs. Therefore, such products are made overseas under a royalty-based license.

To promote and protect aspects of Indigenous Arts and Crafts there are licensing Agreements. Certificates, Labels of Authenticity and Collaboration Marks which are designed to assist consumers in ensuring that the Aboriginal products they purchase are created by Aboriginal artist.

The labels are an indication of whether the product is authentic or ‘copycat’. They are a secure way for consumers to know that the art, craft, souvenirs and other work is the authentic product of an Indigenous creator. The label on the product should clearly state- A description of the work, Identify the Artists/s or Art Centres, identify their tribe or location, Identify the full royalty statement for licensed products and look for Consumer Trust Marks – AAAA or IAC logo.

Aboriginal Art is part of a living tradition, perhaps the oldest continuous art tradition in the world. It is the visual expression of a religion, which has its origins in antiquity. Serious practitioners of the ceremonies have maintained the traditional art forms throughout the deserts of Australia and in the far northern areas. Like all forms of cultural expression, Aboriginal art is constantly adapting and changing with time. Even the traditional arts, those that express the religion, land and dreaming, reveal the individuality of each artist, and constantly incorporate new ideas patterns and materials, men and women have their own parallel expressive arts.

The spiritual life of Aboriginal people centers on the Dreaming which provides the great themes of art. The Dreaming, known as Jukurrpa, describes the natural and moral order of the universe.

It relates to the period from the genesis of the universe to a time beyond living memory. The word Dreaming refers to a state of reality beyond the ordinary. The Dreaming focuses on the activities and epic deeds of the supernatural beings and creator ancestors who, in both human and non-human form, traveled across the unshaped world creating everything in it and laying down the laws of social and religious behaviour. The dreaming provides the framework by which human beings live and the powers, which permit life to continue. The entire continent of Australia is covered by an intricate web of Dreamings. Some Dreamings relate to a particular place or region and belong to those who live there. Among the major Dreamings are Ancestral beings such as the Rainbow Serpent which figure in major ceremonial cycles.

Signing is a ‘white man’s thing’ that was introduced to Indigenous artist back in the 1960’s. Some artists do not sign for various reasons; others believe the portrayal of their dreamtime stories is their claim to ownership.

Traditional Aboriginal artists can only paint what they are permitted as determined by their elders. These stories are given to them at a young age in which they become the custodians of these stories. They undertake the responsibility of passing the stories onto the next generation, ensuring that culture is not lost in time and to outside influences. Although the subject matter remains the same – variations in scale, colour, size and detail occur and no two are ever alike.