Award Programs

The Awards are held each year on 27 May the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and the opening of National Reconciliation Week, to honour First Nations excellence and the outstanding contributions of First Nations artists, arts workers and entrepreneurs to their practice, culture, and community. 

The Awards are assessed by an independent panel of First Nations Industry Advisors, with the Red Ochre Awards determined by the Creative Australia’s First Nations Board.   

• The prestigious Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Artistic Excellence, to recognise the outstanding contribution of senior First Nations artists to their arts practice. Two recipients of the award will receive $60,000 each.
• The Established Artist of the Year Award, to recognise outstanding achievement in artistic practice of established Australian First Nations artists. The recipient of this award will receive $25,000.
• The Youth Award for Achievement in the Arts, to recognise the achievement of Australian First Nations artists or arts workers between the age of 18 and 35. The recipient of this award will receive $25,000.
• The First Nations Arts and Culture Business Innovation Award, to recognise innovation and excellence in entrepreneurship among Australian First Nations small to medium arts and culture businesses and community organisations (including Art Centres) nationwide. The recipient of this award will receive $25,000.
• The First Nations Arts Fellowships, supporting the creation of major works by two artists.

The Multicultural Community Medals and Honour Roll celebrate people and organisations from across NSW who are making outstanding contributions to NSW’s multicultural society.

The Multicultural Community Medals recognise individuals and organisations creating positive change through community leadership, volunteering, advocacy, service delivery and initiatives that foster belonging, inclusion and understanding between cultures.

The Multicultural Honour Roll is special recognition given to someone who has passed away. It honours the important work they did to build a more inclusive, strong and connected community for everyone.

Open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, Telstra NATSIAA is a non-acquisitive Award that is free to enter and encourages artists to submit an artwork of their choice in one of the Award Categories. Telstra NATSIAA has no set theme; these Awards celebrate the validity and cultural diversity of contemporary Indigenous artistic expression in all its forms.

Telstra NATSIAA awards a total of $190,000 in prize money each year. The overall Telstra Art Award offers prize money of $100,000 (excl. GST) and is awarded to the Artwork considered by the judges to be the most outstanding Artwork in the Exhibition.

The following Award Categories offer each Award Recipient prize money of $15,000 (excl. GST):

• Telstra General Painting Award

• Telstra Bark Painting Award

• Telstra Work on Paper Award

• Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award (sponsored by Telstra)

• Telstra Multimedia Award

• Telstra Emerging Artist Award

In addition to the above Award Categories is the Telstra People’s Choice Award, which is a non-monetary Award chosen by popular vote. The People’s Choice Award will be open to the public for voting for the duration of the Exhibition.

The Ethnic Business Awards (EBA’s) recognise the outstanding accomplishments of Migrant and Indigenous entrepreneurs. They highlight the contribution made to Australia by these people. As Australia’s longest running business awards, these awards are the most prestigious of their kind.

Indigenous Award
The first of it’s kind. Launched in 2010 the EBA recognises excellence in business endeavours by Indigenous entrepreneurs. The award is open to businesses of all sizes and in the last decade has brought much attention to the growing number of creative, diverse and inspiring Indigenous business men and women.

Migrant Awards
The Migrant awards are open anyone born outside of Australia. There are two categories for the Migrant awards.

• Medium to Large Migrant Business Category (turnover greater than $10 million per annum)

• Small Migrant Business Category (turnover less than $10 million per annum)

Our communities are full of upstanding individuals from volunteers to local sporting heroes to community legends, future leaders and eco-warriors who merit the recognition for their work in our communities and regions.

Residents of NSW are encouraged to keep a look out and nominate remarkable community members of all ages for a NSW Local Citizen of the Year Award in the following categories:

• Citizen of the Year
• Young Citizen of the Year
• Sportsperson of the Year
• Environmental Citizen of the Year
• Young Environmental Citizen of the Year
• Australia Day Award

The NSW Local Citizen of the Year Awards have been a part of the Australia Day in NSW program since 2005, with many Local Government Areas (LGAs) embracing the program to celebrate outstanding citizens and unsung heroes across the state.

Each year award presentations are incorporated into the local council's Australia Day Program with certificates presented by Mayor's and Australia Day Ambassadors.