Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA)
In 2008 the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory celebrates twenty five years of the Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Regarded as the premier national event in the Australian Indigenous art calendar, the Award will open with a Presentation Ceremony at 6:00pm on Friday 15 August 2008 at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. View the 25th Telstra NATSIAA webpage.
NATSIAA Background
The Award was established in 1984 as the National Aboriginal Art Award by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The aim of the Award is to recognise the important contribution made by Indigenous artists and to promote appreciation and understanding of the quality and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from regional and urban based Indigenous artists throughout Australia, working in traditional and contemporary media. The Award is an important showcase for both established and emerging artists and has come to be regarded as one of the premier national events in the Australian Indigenous art calendar.
The Award attracts a range of Indigenous artists from all parts of the country and about 100 works are selected each year from around 300 entries. The diversity and style of work submitted each year reflects the changing face of contemporary Aboriginal art practice.
Telstra has sponsored the Award since 1992 and has continued to further enhance its profile and prestige. In 2000, Telstra doubled the First Prize money from $20,000 to $40,000 and in 2005 Telstra announced its ongoing support for the Award amounting to a total of over $1 million in sponsorship over the next five years.
In 2006, the Telstra First Prize was re-named the Telstra Award and all prizes became non-acquisitive.
The four categories in which prizes are awarded are:
- the Telstra General Painting Award
- the Telstra Bark Painting Award
- the Telstra Work on Paper Award
- the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award (sponsored by Telstra)
The Northern Territory of Australia is not endorsing any provider of products or services by facilitating access to information about these providers from its web pages, nor does it accept responsibility for the quality of goods and services provided by third parties accessed through these pages.
NATSIAA Contact
The Award Coordinator
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory(MAGNT)
GPO Box 4646
Darwin NT 0801
Australia
Phone: +61 8 8999 8203 or +61 8 8999 8264
Facsimile: +61 8 8999 8148
Email: natsiaa@nt.gov.au
