Dark Mofo to work with Aboriginal artists in the future following First Nations blood backlash

Hobart winter festival Dark Mofo has pledged to work to include Indigenous artists at future events and has appointed two cultural advisors for this year.

Last year's Dark Mofo in Tasmania. Source: Facebook - Dark Mofo

Hobart winter festival Dark Mofo will work to include Aboriginal artists at future events after copping a backlash over a piece that proposed soaking a British flag in the blood of Indigenous people.

The popular event was in March forced to pull the pin on the project by controversial Spanish artist Santiago Sierra.

Mr Sierra had asked for Indigenous people to donate their blood for an artwork he dubbed an anti-colonisation statement.

Dark Mofo creative director Leigh Carmichael says a $60,000 seed fund will be set up for Tasmanian Aboriginal artists to develop proposals for future festivals.

The fund will be managed by a yet-to-be-appointed First Nations cultural advisory group.

"This is just our first step, and we hope this announcement demonstrates our commitment to Tasmanian Aboriginal people," Mr Carmichael said in a statement on Friday.

"We want to present more local content, and believe this program will provide Tasmanian Aboriginal artists with support to develop their projects, and ensure they will be well represented going forward."

Indigenous singers, writers and members of the island's Aboriginal community were among those to voice disapproval over the planned Sierra piece.

Mr Carmichael previously issued an apology and admitted Dark Mofo made a mistake in green-lighting the work.

The festival also announced it has appointed two cultural advisors for the 2021 event, palawa man and visual artist Caleb Nichols-Mansell and Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti man Dylan Hoskins.

Mr Nichols-Mansell hopes damaged relationships between the festival and broader community can be repaired.

"My hopes are that through this process we are able to continue raising the profile and platform of our artists and their deep-time connections to culture, country and community," he said.

After being cancelled last year due to coronavirus, Dark Mofo will hold its eighth iteration in June.

Program details will be revealed in May, with most of the events over the shortened festival to be free.

Organisers are planning to turn the lights off in Hobart's CBD and create a "dark downtown" district, while the annual nude solstice swim is expected to go ahead.