The Utopia region is located 240 kilometres north east of Alice Springs. It is home to around 2000 people, mainly Alyawarre speakers, who live in twenty-five outstations.
Utopia Station was a small pastoral lease, which was handed back to its traditional owners in the late 1970s.
The Utopia artists, primarily women, combined traditional designs with western craft practices beginning with batik. The batik project started in 1978 to help the women find a source of income in preparation for the land claim hearing. By being able to demonstrate the economic viability of the outstations through their artwork, the women were justifying their legal and moral right to their land.
The use of acrylic paint on canvas was introduced to the artists in 1988 and today the community has come to be associated with some of Australia's most exciting art.
The artists of Utopia have mainly made their own independent arrangements to sell their work through a network of dealers and representatives.