Arts boss Felicity Wright shuts down her successful Stuart Park gallery and events space, Songlines

Shaky economic conditions and the all-consuming nature of small business have combined to spell the end of a popular Darwin gallery and events space. Here’s what comes next for its owner.

Songlines, a shop and gallery at Stuart Park that champions Aboriginal arts, crafts, cultures and events, has closed down. Picture: Songlines

A respected creative industries figure has closed down her Aboriginal arts shop, gallery and events space in Darwin, citing economic pressures and the all-consuming nature of small business as the reason for the decision.

Songlines, located on the Stuart Highway at Stuart Park (the former site of Provenance Arts and, before that, Framed Gallery), opened in April 2021 after Provenance, operated by Injalak Arts, withdrew to focus on its Gunbalanya operations.

Its last day of trade was on Christmas Eve.

Founder Felicity Wright, who has worked with Aboriginal arts organisations across Australia in a successful career lasting nearly four decades, told this masthead she was moved by the outpouring of love the gallery received in its final weeks of trade.

Songlines Australia founder Felicity Wright. Picture: Songlines Australia

“I was a bit shocked in the last few weeks by how many people came in and said fantastic things like how much Darwin will miss this place,” she said.

“It was like having a wake before you die.”

Ms Wright said her decision to close was driven by “economic downturn” coupled with the monopoly Songlines came to hold over her time, leaving her unable to focus on other projects and collaborations.

There was a succession plan for the business, but shaky business conditions left the prospective successor without the “confidence to take it on”.

“It’s a very big space with different elements, audiovisual, events, they felt it was going to be too hard to take it on,” Ms Wright said.

“It’s really sad all around.

“The economic downturn has been really difficult, but our landlord, John Clark [former co-owner of Framed Gallery] made it that much better.

“He’s been so supportive of us in the ways that matter. He was very flexible.”

Songlines, a shop and gallery at Stuart Park that champions Aboriginal arts, crafts, cultures and events, has closed down. Picture: Songlines

Separately, Ms Wright felt she was unable to devote time to her other business and creative pursuits due to the time needed to give Songlines a fighting chance.

“I’m really interested in being able to do other projects, but trying to keep the retail going took over the possibility of doing events,” she said.

Ms Wright said Songlines’ online store would likely continue into the future, while a short return to the 55 Stuart Hwy premises for an additional clearance sale in February is also on the cards.

Inside Songlines at Stuart Park. Picture: Songlines

She is also likely to continue collaborating with pandanus weavers from Arnhem Land, who hosted a series of successful workshops at Songlines over the years.

Ms Wright’s other business, Flying Fox Fabrics, which makes things like bags, purses, accessories, and cushion covers by sourcing fabrics from Aboriginal arts organisations like Bula’Bula (Ramininging), Ikuntji (Haasts Bluff), and Erub (Torres Strait Islands), and sending them to Cambodia, where fair-trade organisations employing disabled and disadvantaged Cambodians craft the fabric into the finished goods, will continue.

Songlines is the second Darwin gallery to announce its closure in recent weeks, with Art Warehouse at Daly St also finishing operations.

Originally published as Arts boss Felicity Wright shuts down her successful Stuart Park gallery and events space, Songlines