National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.
National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony
National NAIDOC Week's premiere event is the National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony which showcases Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence. Every year, a different focus city is chosen to host the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony.
Previous National NAIDOC Week Award Winners come from many different communities within Australia and have different backgrounds, however they are all part of NAIDOC history and share remarkable achievements. We encourage you to read more about previous NAIDOC Week Award Winners and learn more about their excellence.
Each year you can get involved in the National NAIDOC Week Awards by nominating someone you know who has excelled in one or more of the Award categories. Find out more about the nominations process.
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.
Each year the National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists aged 16 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 Australian Open, Microsoft, The Project television show and various state travel authorities that have wrapped public transport vehicles in the winning artwork.
For many years the Australian Government has supported National NAIDOC Week celebrations as well as providing funding via NAIDOC Local Grants through the Regional Network to assist communities to hold their own NAIDOC events.
Wherever you live, you can take part in NAIDOC Week celebrations. To find out about NAIDOC Week activities in your area, contact your nearest Regional Office.