NAIDOC Week 2-9 July 2023
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday 2 July to Sunday 9 July), to celebrate and recognise the oldest continuous living cultures and history, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The theme for the 2023 National NAIDOC Week is For Our Elders. Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play an important role in our communities. They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers, and our loved ones.
Each year NAIDOC will hold Awards Ceremony to recognise the contribution of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as the Poster Competition for artists aged 13 and above to express their creativities to reflect the theme from the current NAIDOC Week.
2023 NAIDOC Week Poster Winner
Bobbi Lockyer, a proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru artist, born and based on Kariyarra Country in Port Hedland, is the winner of the prestigious National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition for 2023 with her entry, For Our Elders.
“Where there is knowledge there are our Elders. Our Elders paved the pathways for us, taught us our knowledge, our history, they passed down their art, stories, and wisdom. Our Elders are the foundation of our communities and role models for our children. With this poster I wanted to showcase how important our Elders are in passing down traditions and culture to our children and future,” said Bobbi.
National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony
The annual National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony recognises the outstanding contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to improve the lives of people in their communities and beyond, and to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues in the wider community.
Each year winners are awarded in each of the following categories:
- National NAIDOC Person Award
- National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement
- National NAIDOC Female Elder Award
- National NAIDOC Male Elder
- National NAIDOC Sportsperson
- National NAIDOC Youth Award
- National NAIDOC Creative Talent Award
- National NAIDCO Caring for Country and Culture Award
- National NAIDOC Education Award
- National NAIDOC Innovation Award
National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition
The National NAIDOC poster competition has become an iconic feature of National NAIDOC Week and has a rich and significant history beginning in 1967 when the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) first began producing posters. NAIDOC posters have been exhibited by various Australian cultural institutions such as the National Museum of Australia and reflect not only the many significant social changes that have occurred since 1967, but also evolution of art over the last 54 years.
This competition encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists aged 13 years and over to submit their artwork which reflects that year’s National NAIDOC Week Theme.
In recent years, the National NAIDOC Week Poster competition winning artists have been afforded numerous opportunities to work with organisations such as the Australia Open, Microsoft, The Project tv show and various state level authorities that have wrapped public transport vehicles in the winning artwork.
Download NAIDOC logos and other resources below to help you celebrate NAIDOC Week!
2023 Theme: For Our Elders.
Poster & Artist: Bobbi Lockyer, a proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru artist.
Past Posters Gallery: NAIDOC Week posters from 1972 to the present.
NAIDOC Branding: Branding for events, social media, marketing and other activities.
National Awards Ceremony: Introducing 2023 National NAIDOC Week Award finalists.
Local NAIDOC Week Events: Find out what NAIDOC Week events are happening across the country and don’t forget to share your own!
In 2023, how will you celebrate For Our Elders?
SOURCE: NAIDOC
