{{short description|Annual Australian Indigenous art award established in 1984, awarded in Darwin, NT}} {{distinguish|text=the National Indigenous Arts Awards (NIAA), awarded by the Australia Council, or the National Indigenous Heritage Art Award, awarded by the Australian Heritage Commission from 1993 until 2000}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} The '''National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award''' ('''NATSIAA''') is Australia's longest running Indigenous art award. Established in 1984 as the '''National Aboriginal Art Award''' by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, and also referred to as the '''Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award''', the '''Telstra Award''', or '''Telstra Prize''', it is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists working in all media.
{{as of|2022}} the top prize was worth {{AUD|100,000}}, and the total prize pool {{AUD|190,000}}, making it as of August 2022 the richest art prize in the country.
==History== The awards were established in 1984 as the National Aboriginal Art Award. Telstra has sponsored the awards since 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.magnt.net.au/natsiaahistory|title=Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards NATSIAA|website=MAGNT|language=en|access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref>
The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair began as a complement to NATSIAA, but is now a separate event under the umbrella of the Darwin Festival.<ref name=ifp>{{cite web | title=Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair | website=Indigenous Fashion Projects | date=27 June 2022 | url=https://www.ifp.org.au/events/daaf/ | access-date=28 August 2022}}</ref>
In 2000, the prize money for the main award was doubled from {{AUD|20,000}} to {{AUD|40,000}}. It was increased to {{AUD|50,000}} in 2014, making it the largest prize for any Indigenous art award.<ref>{{cite news|title=Biggest prize pool ever for Telstra Art Awards|url=http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/mediaRelease/9031|access-date=6 August 2016|agency=Matt Conlan MLA|publisher=Northern Territory Government|date=12 February 2014}}</ref> In 2022, the main prize was doubled to {{AUD|100,000}}, making it equivalent to Australia's richest art prize, the Archibald Prize for portraiture. The total prize pool, at {{AUD|190,000}}, makes it as of August 2022 the richest art prize in the country.<ref name=breen2022>{{cite web | last=Breen | first=Jacqueline | title=Prize money doubles for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, making it Australia's richest art prize | website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=5 August 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-05/nt-natsiaa-aboriginal-art-award-richest-prize-money/101297980 | access-date=5 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Jacqueline|last=Breen|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-05/nt-natsiaa-aboriginal-art-award-richest-prize-money/101297980 |title=Prize money doubles for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, making it Australia's richest art prize |publisher=ABC News |date=2022-08-05 |access-date=2022-08-05}}</ref> Each of the category awards tripled from {{AUD|5,000}} to {{AUD|15,000}} at the same time.<ref>{{cite web | title=Telstra NATSIAA | website=MAGNT | url=https://www.magnt.net.au/2021 | access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref>
==Categories==
{{as of |2022}} there are six categories of awards as well as the main prize:<ref>{{cite web | last=Breen | first=Jacqueline | title=Master Arnhem Land artist Margaret Rarru Garrawurra wins top prize in 2022 NATSIAA's with sweeping woven sail | website=ABC News |publisher =Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=5 August 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-05/nt-in-pictures-winners-2022-natsiaas-aboriginal-art-award/101298496 | access-date=5 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Telstra NATSIAA | website=MAGNT | url=https://www.magnt.net.au/natsiaa-entries | access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref> * Telstra Art Award ("The Big One") – {{AUD|100,000}} * Telstra General Painting Award * Telstra Bark Painting Award * Telstra Works on Paper Award * Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award * Telstra Multimedia Award * Telstra Emerging Artist Award
== List of winners == *List of NATSIAA award winners
==References== {{Reflist|3}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.magnt.net.au/| Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory}}
{{Indigenous Australians}}
{{Australianartawards}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award}} Category:Australian Aboriginal art Category:Australian visual arts awards Category:Organisations serving Indigenous Australians Category:Australian awards honoring indigenous people Category:Awards established in 1984 Category:1984 establishments in Australia