Wet roads, dry town expected to affect Tiwi art sales

Every year hundreds of Indigenous carvings, paintings and fabric go on sale before the Tiwi Islands football grand final kicks off.

Christine Miezis from the Tiwi Art Network says it's been a huge task getting the art from surrounding communities to Nguiu, where the sale is being held.

"The road is closed down to our crossing from Melville Island to Bathurst so there's no access at all by road which means people will have to charter planes and fly in or boat down the channel which is really quite treacherous at times."

Ms Miezis is also upset at the Licensing Commission's decision to ban alcohol in the community for the weekend's events. She says the ban will effect attendance for the final, and says that is not good news for local artists.