Temporary closure

Following advice from the Federal Government on the temporary closure of non-essential social venues, we advise that Bulmba-ja is temporarily closed to the public until further notice. Bulmba-ja and Arts Queensland remain committed to public safety and to working with Queensland’s arts and cultural sector to manage the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions.

About Us

Bulmba-ja (formerly Cairns Centre of Contemporary Arts) is a theatre, gallery and creative development space that plays a vital role in the thriving Cairns arts scene, supporting Far North Queensland arts and culture with a focus on showcasing the unique stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Pronounced “BULL-im-baa-jar”, the name has a shared meaning of house or place in Yidinji and Yirrganydji languages.

Bulmba-ja, the redeveloped Centre of Contemporary Arts, is managed by Arts Queensland and is part of our vision to support Far North Queensland arts and culture with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts. Pronounced “BULL-im-baa-jar”, the name has a shared meaning of house or place in Yidinji and Yirrganydji languages.

The refurbished centre is a theatre, gallery and creative development space that plays a vital role in the thriving Cairns arts scene, providing a distinctive cultural destination for locals, visitors and tourists, and strengthening the business of its partners, tenants and participants. Bulmba-ja aims to support the development and presentation of diverse arts practice with a strong focus on Indigenous performing arts, showcasing the unique stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.