The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) is Australia’s longest running and most prestigious Indigenous art award. The aim is to recognise the important contribution made by Indigenous artists from regional and urban areas throughout Australia, working in both traditional and contemporary media. In partnership with Telstra, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) delivers this unique event that showcases the best in Indigenous art from across Australia.

 

Since its genesis in 1984, NATSIAA has provided a platform for the diverse practices of Indigenous artists and is now firmly established as a critical event on Australia’s cultural calendar. Such is the success and longevity of this award, it can now lay claim to having schooled a generation of observers who annually flock to MAGNT to immerse themselves

in the best contemporary Indigenous art of the previous twelve months.

 

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CATEGORIES

 

Now awarding $80 000 in prizes

 

The 35th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards aims to showcase the very best Australian Indigenous art from around the country. The Awards were founded by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in 1984, and remain the nation’s first and longest-running awards dedicated to Indigenous art and artists, now awarding

$80 000 in prizes to artists each year. Telstra have been the principal partner since 1992. The Awards are open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists over the age of 18. There is no particular theme or restriction regarding work that can be entered.

 

The non-acquisitive Telstra Award of $50,000 cash is awarded to the work considered by judges to be the most outstanding work in the exhibition.

 

Prizes are also awarded in each of the following categories:

 

• Telstra Bark Painting Award - $5000

• Telstra General Painting Award - $5000

• Telstra Works on Paper Award (includes photography, print making, drawing etc.) - $5000

• Wandjuk Marika Memorial Three-Dimensional Award (sponsored by Telstra) - $5000

• Telstra Multimedia Award (for multidisciplinary and digital works) - $5000

• Telstra Emerging Artist Award (awarded from any medium and for artists working within their first five years of practice who have not been displayed in a major gallery) - $5000

• Telstra People’s Choice Award

 

Anouncements of winners are made at the opening ceremony for the exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in Darwin on 10 August 2018.

 

A People’s Choice Award will be presented later to the artist whose artwork receives the highest number of votes from visitors to the Award exhibition. There is no prize money for this award.

 

All awards are non acquisitive.