The Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award was launched at Lismore Regional Gallery (LRG) in 2021. This second iteration reflects the tenacity of LRG, following Covid-related closures and a multi-faceted restoration after the 2022 floods. The award celebrates the vibrancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art across Australia, presenting diverse artists and echoing LRG’s prioritisation of First Nations-led programming. “The prize provides a reflection of the high calibre of work being produced,” says curator Ineke Dane.
This year’s award received over 80 entries and 25 finalists were selected. LRG director Ashleigh Ralph says that the award will showcase “diverse practices, conceptual-drives, and age groups. We’ve got artists like Karla Dickens alongside Jenna Lee. It’s a beautiful way to collapse hierarchies between artists and arts organisations.”
Entries include submissions from capital cities such as Peppimenarti (Daly River Region); Mer (Thursday Island) on the Torres Strait; and Bundjalung Country, where LRG and the Koori Mail are based. Many entries were received from students from Gooniyandi Country (Fitzroy Crossing) thanks to a particularly enthusiastic teacher. This shows the importance of good teachers and the ability of prizes to catapult early-stage careers. Rebecca Ray, the curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections and exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, judged this year’s prize. As Dane reflects, Ray’s contribution allows her and like-minded peers a “chance to discover new artists and synergies between practices. There will be ripple effects for the emerging artists.”
Aware of the strength of partnering with the Koori Mail, LRG notes the pride felt by award winners receiving “money from First Nations enterprise.” The deep respect this prize carries reflects the reputation of the 100% Aboriginal- owned Koori Mail.
Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award
Lismore Regional Art Gallery
On now—2 February
This article was originally published in the January/February 2025 print issue of Art Guide Australia.
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