On October 14, 2023 Australians rejected a proposal to amend their Constitution to provide recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, via an advisory body to Parliament called The Voice. The campaign was extremely divisive, replete with misinformation and fear-mongering. It was also controversial within some indigenous communities which perceived the measure as toothless and far short of true recognition. To what extent the Voice would have led to more meaningful protection for indigenous cultural property is a matter of speculation, but it could have provided an avenue to address some of the gaps in current laws. The referendum was punctuated on both ends by major exhibitions of indigenous art. Just prior to the referendum the annual Desert Mob festival of indigenous art was held in remote Alice Springs. Following the referendum, the 2023 Tarnanthi festival of indigenous art took place in Adelaide, with a corresponding exhibit at the Art Gallery of South Australia. According to Tarnanthi's artistic director, the coming together of the artists “gives us strength.” Finally, the National Library of Australia has issued a call for campaign materials from all perspectives so it can preserve information about the referendum and make it publicly available.