Garma is a nationally significant, intimate, spectacular celebration of cultural traditions and practices – dance, song, music, and art (including presentations, collaborations, sales) – and the annual venue for a major Key Forum on Indigenous issues.

At Garma 2009, the theme of the Key Forum will be Creative Industries. It will include important and practical discussions on issues and practices surrounding cultural outputs and inputs and commercial opportunities afforded Indigenous Australians through training, development and practice in many forms of Creative Industry, including design, music, graphic art, multimedia, film and photography, performance arts, visual arts, broadcasting and electronic media, new media and professional writing and editing. One of the central issues to be discussed will be the extent and nature of the Creative Industries interface with Indigenous Australians, including cultural and commercial rights, and the place of traditional art.

As well as the Key Forum and integrated academic presentations on language and culture, Key Forum participants also have the opportunity to watch the daily bunggul and music performances, enjoy Garma art exhibitions and projects, and participate in evening and night activities.

Garma is a unique combination of education, entertainment and real cultural interaction, exchange and immersion. It is indeed a privilege to experience Garma, and there are several categories of registration available for visitors.

Furthermore, all attendance fees and other revenues received for Garma go to the operation of the cultural and economic programs – which have real social, cultural and economic outcomes – of the Yothu Yindi Foundation, a not-for-profit Aboriginal organisation with charitable status and with the three primary aims of sharing knowledge and culture; creating economic opportunities for Yolngu; and nurturing, celebrating and presenting cultural traditions and practices.