List of NATSIAA award winners explained

the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards featured a main prize plus six category prizes, with a total prize pool of .^{[1] [2]}

Telstra Art Award

The award was named the Telecom Australia First Prize from 1991 until 1995.. From 2022, the prize money was doubled from to .^[1]

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1984		Three ceremonies	Northern Territory
1985		Pitjantjatjara Batik	Northern Territory	Joint winner
1985		Tjanangkamurramurra	Northern Territory	Joint winner
1985		Djawida Nadjongorle	Northern Territory	Joint winner
1986		Living together, Working together	Northern Territory
1987		Blue-tongue Lizard	Northern Territory
1988		Yarla Dreaming	Northern Territory
1989		Yipala Bush Banana Dreaming	Northern Territory
1990		Djang’kawu	Northern Territory
1991		Bandicoot Dreaming	Western Australia
1992		Borlong	Northern Territory
1993		Eagle, Hawk & Crow	Northern Territory
1994		Lumpu Lumpu (Wet Time)	Western Australia
1995		Ngura Palya Walkumunu (Being in a Good Camp)	Northern Territory
1996		Storm in Atnangkere Country II	Northern Territory
1997		Gangan	Northern Territory
1998		White Fellas Come to Talk Bout Land	Western Australia
1999		Ulampuwarru (Haasts Bluff)	Northern Territory
2000		Snake Tjukurrpa
2001		Salt in Mina Mina	Northern Territory
2002		Birrkuda Ringgitj Hollow log	Northern Territory
2003		Scientia E Metaphysica (Bell’s Theorem)	Queensland
2004	Gulumbu Yunupingu	Garak, the Universe	Northern Territory
2005	Blackstone Tjanpi Weavers Western Australia,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,	Tjanpi Grass Toyota	Western Australia
2006		Swamps West of Nyirripi	Northern Territory
2007		Ubirikubiri	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2008		Untitled	Northern Territory
2009		From Rite to Ritual	Queensland
2010		Papa Tjukurpa and Pukara	South Australia
2011		Kanyalakutjina (Euro tracks)	Western Australia
2012		Kulama	Northern Territory
2013		Golden Brown Reeds Fish Trap	Australian Capital Territory
2014		We Can Be Heroes	Queensland
2015		Kurtal	Kurtal, Western Australia	^[3]
2016		Tribal abduction	Northern Territory
2017	,,	Kulata Tjuta - Wati kulunypa tjukurpa (Many spears - Young fella story)	Amata, South Australia	^[4] ^[5]
2018		Buyku	Northern Territory	^[6] ^[7]
2019		Journey to America	Northern Territory	^[8] ^[9] ^[10]
2020		Wirrkanja	Northern Territory	^[11] ^[12]
2021	Timo Hogan	Lake Baker	Western Australia	^[13] ^[14]
2022	Margaret Rarru Garrawurra	Dhomala (pandanus sail)	Northern Territory
2023	Keith Wikmunea	Ku', Theewith & Kalampang: The White Cockatoo, Galah and the Wandering Dog	Queensland	^[15]
2024	Noli Rictor	Kamanti	Western Australia	^[16] ^[17]

1984 Second and third prizes

Telstra General Painting Award

First awarded in 1985, then not awarded again until 1995 when it was called the Telstra Open Painting until 2000, when the name was changed to the Telstra General Painting Award.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1985		Tjanangkamurramurra	Northern Territory
1995		Last of the Spiritual Black Trackers	Queensland
1996		Memories of Fishing with the Family	South Australia
1997		Ration Day, Burnt Bridge	New South Wales
1998		Tarrajayan Country	Western Australia
1999		Wild Black Plum Dreaming	Northern Territory
2000		Tickelara Country	Western Australia
2001		Water Birds	Northern Territory
2002		Suppertime	New South Wales
2003		Syaw- Fish Net	Northern Territory
2004		Kurtal Jila	Western Australia
2005		Yam Dreaming	Northern Territory
2006		The Witch Doctor and the Windmill	Western Australia
2007		Near Ruined City	Northern Territory
2008
2009		Untitled	Western Australia
2010		Papa Tjukurpa and Pukara	South Australia
2011		Untitled	Northern Territory
2012		Untitled	South Australia
2013		Yalgumunken	Queensland
2014		Wirnpa and Sons	Western Australia
2015		Antara (Maku Dreaming)	Northern Territory
2016		Antara	South Australia
2017		Ngura Pilti	South Australia
2018		Ngura (Country)	South Australia
2021	Bugai Whyoulter	Wantili (Warntili, Canning Stock Route Well 25)	Western Australia
2022	Betty Muffler	Ngangkari Ngura (Healing Country)	South Australia
2023	Julie Nangala Robertson	Mina Mina	Northern Territory
2024	Lydia Balbal	Keeping up with the Balbals	Western Australia	^[18]

Telstra Works on Paper Award

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1995		Wanurr	South Australia
1996		Nyapalingu	Northern Territory
1997		Tapu	Western Australia
1998		Greg Harold	New South Wales
1999		Ngalyanhdoh	Northern Territory
2000		Mako Djang	Northern Territory
2001	,	Yuendumu Doors	Yuendumu, Northern Territory
2002		Pumpuni Jilamara	Northern Territory
2003		Kuiyk ar mari - Head and Spirit (Reincarnation)	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2004		Tensio	Victoria
2005		Remembered Ritual	Victoria
2006		A preponderance of aboriginal blood	Northern Territory
2007		Gubau Aimai Mabaigal	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2008		Dugam	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2009		Likkanaya and Marrayka	Northern Territory
2010		Saulal	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2011		Zuga Zug	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2012		Racebook	Western Australia
2013		Apudthama	Queensland
2014		Scar Tree Barkindji Country	South Australia
2015		Milkali Kutju	South Australia
2016		Battle of Bikar	Queensland
2017		Milkali Kutju – One Blood	South Australia
2018		Mount Gillen, Western MacDonnell Ranges	Northern Territory
2019		Our Old People	Western Australia
2021	Ms M Wirrpanda	Untitled	Northern Territory	^[19] ^[20]
2022	Gary Lee	Nagi	Northern Territory
2023	Brenda Croft	blood/memory: Brenda & Christopher II	Northern Territory
2024	Shannon Brett	An Australian Landscape	Queensland

Telstra Bark Painting Award

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1995		Djang’kawu at Balana	Northern Territory
1996		Madarrpa Miny’tji	Northern Territory
1997		Bol’ngu	Northern Territory
1998		Bamurrungu	Western Australia
1999		Mardayin at Mukkamukka	Northern Territory
2000		Untitled	Northern Territory
2001		Magpie Geese	Northern Territory
2002		Buluwana	Northern Territory
2003		Guwak	Northern Territory
2004		Buluwana at Dilebang	Northern Territory
2005	, assisted by and	Yalangbara	Northern Territory
2006		Gungura (Wind Dreaming with Goanna Track)	Northern Territory
2007		Ngarra Body Paint Design	Northern Territory
2008		Spike Rush	Northern Territory
2009		Gumatj Gurtha	Northern Territory
2010		Kunabibbe Ceremony at Manmoyi	Northern Territory
2011		Kayimwagakimi Jilamara	Northern Territory
2012		Yukuwa	Northern Territory
2013		Apudthama	Northern Territory
2014		Marrangu.	Northern Territory
2015	Nonggirrnga Marawili	Lightning in the Rock	Northern Territory
2016		Lightning in the Rock	Northern Territory
2017		Lines	Northern Territory
2018		Baraltja Dugong Yathikpa	Northern Territory
2019	Nonggirrnga Marawili	Lightning strikes	Northern Territory
2021	Dhambit Munuŋgurr	Bees at Gäṉgän	Northern Territory
2022	D. Yunupingu	Yunupingu (the rock)	Northern Territory
2023	Owen Yalandja	Ngalkodjek Yawkyawk	Northern Territory
2024	Wurrandan Marawili	Rumbal, the body / the truth	Northern Territory

Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award (sponsored by Telstra)

This award is named after notable bark painter Wandjuk Marika. It was previously known as the Memorial Award for Mawalan’s Eldest Son from until 1993.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1987		Milky Way (Milnguya) and Crocodile	Northern Territory
1988		Watching	Queensland
1989		Balangjalngalan Spirit	Northern Territory
1990		Tweret Spirits, Dingo Spirits, Njoorlum Spirits and Anthropomorphs of Aboriginal Life	Western Australia
1991		Pitjantjatjara Batik	South Australia
1992		Gurrmirringu and His Wife	Northern Territory
1993		Turtle & Fish	Northern Territory
1994		Family Drama)	Western Australia
1995		Path of Destruction from the Indigenous Archives	Northern Territory
1996		Hollow-log Bone-coffin with Gulach, Spike Rush Design	Northern Territory
1997		Family of Yawkyawk Mermaid	Northern Territory
1998		Rainforest Swords and Shields	Western Australia
1999		Hunting Party	Northern Territory
2000		Jewel of the Sea	Tasmania
2001		Saltwater Crocodile	Queensland
2002		Eeranda Pmara Nukanala	Northern Territory
2003		Conical Fishtrap	Northern Territory
2004		Lorrkon Hollow Log	Northern Territory
2005		Milngiyawuy	Northern Territory
2006		Dhakandjali	Northern Territory
2007		Goolburris on the Bungil Creek	Queensland
2008		Incident at Mutpi (1975)	Yirrkala, Northern Territory
2009		Dhalktj - Bilby	Western Australia
2010		Bamurrungu	Yirrkala, Northern Territory
2011		Banumbirr (Morning Star poles)	Western Australia
2012		Namorroddo.	Northern Territory
2013		They come from nowhere.	Alice Springs, Northern Territory
2014		Kaygasiw Usul (Shovel nose shark dust trail reflected in the heavens as the Milky Way)	Torres Strait Islands, Queensland
2015		Rhonda	Alice Springs, Northern Territory
2016		We are all animals	New South Wales
2017		Nyurruga Muulawaddi	Queensland
2018		Destiny	Northern Territory
2019		Rainbows in the lilies	Northern Territory
2021	Hubert Pareroultja and Mervyn Rubuntja	Through the veil of time	Western Australia / Northern Territory
2022	Bonnie Burangarra and Freda Ali Wayartja	An-gujechiya	Northern Territory
2023	Anne Nginyangka Thompson	Anangu History	South Australia
2024	Obed Namirrkki	Kunkurra	Northern Territory

Telstra Emerging Artist Award

The Telstra Youth Award was established in 2014 and was redeveloped into the Telstra Emerging Artist Award in 2017.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
2014		Yerrgi	Northern Territory
2015		Buninyong	Victoria
2016		Sunlight energy II	Northern Territory
2017		Ngangkari Ngura	South Australia
2018		Banumbirr (Morning Star Poles)	Northern Territory
2019		Queen Elizabeth	Northern Territory
2021	Kyra Mancktelow	Moongalba 11	Queensland
2022	Louise Malarvie	Pamarr Yara	Western Australia
2023	Dhalmula Burarrwaŋa	wanha, dhika, nhawi?	Northern Territory
2024	Josina Pumani	Maralinga	South Australia

Telstra People's Choice Award

This prize was established in 2007.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
2007		Tyemeny Liman’s Wutinggi - Grandpa Harry’s Canoe	Northern Territory
2008		Adhikuyam	Torres Strait Island, Queensland
2009		Wave Bust...Windy Night	Northern Territory
2010		Mokuy	Northern Territory
2011		Seven sisters	South Australia
2012		Yukuwa	Northern Territory
2013		My Country	Northern Territory
2014		The Eddie Mabo Stamps	Torres Strait Island, Queensland
2016		Trophy wife	New South Wales
2017		Pregnant yawkyawk	Northern Territory
2018	,,,,	Seven sisters	South Australia
2019		Garnkin	Western Australia
2020	Nyunmiti Burton	Ngayuku Ngura	South Australia	^[21]
2021	Sally Scales	Wati Tjakura	South Australia	^[22]
2022	Juanella McKenzie	Hold me	South Australia	^[23]
2023	Emma Singer	Ngayuku Ngura		^[24]

Telstra Multimedia Award

This award was established in 2018.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
2018	Patrina Liyadurrkitj Mununggurr	Dhunupa'kum nhuna wanda (Straightening your mind)	Northern Territory	^[25]
2019	Gutiŋarra Yunupiŋu	Yolŋu sign language (Clan language – Dhuwalandja)	Northern Territory
2020	Siena Mayutu Wurmarri Stubbs	Shinkansen	Northern Territory	^[26]
2021	Pedro Wonaeamirri	Jilarti	Northern Territory
2022	Jimmy John Thaiday	Beyond the Lines (a video work)	Erub, Torres Strait Islands
2023	Jimmy John Thaiday	Just Beneath the Surface	Erub, Torres Strait Islands
2024	Natalie Davey	River Report	Western Australia

Discontinued awards

Museums & Art Galleries Award

This prize was first awarded in 1986 and was discontinued in 1995.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1986		Three faces of the sun	Western Australia
1987		Namarrodo Spirit	Northern Territory
1988		Night Sky at Garmedi	Victoria
1989		Ration Day, Burnt Bridge	New South Wales
1990		Tarrajayan Country	Western Australia
1991		Wild Black Plum Dreaming	Northern Territory
1992		Tickelara Country	Western Australia
1993		Water Birds	Northern Territory
1994		Suppertime	New South Wales

Rothmans Foundation Award

The Rothmans Foundation Award was established in 1987 and discontinued in 1994.

Year	Artist	Title	Origin	Notes
1987		Young Men’s Dreaming	Northern Territory
1988		Ngalyod	Northern Territory
1989		Niwuda and Naraka Design	Northern Territory
1990		Nawalabik	Northern Territory
1991		Borlkjam	Northern Territory
1992		Jilamara, Design	Northern Territory
1993		Namorrodoh	Northern Territory
1994		Wuyal	Northern Territory

Open Media Award

Further reading

• Web site: Natsiaa 2020: the winners and finalists of Australia's Indigenous art prize – in pictures . The Guardian . 10 August 2020 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Breen . Jacqueline . Master Arnhem Land artist Margaret Rarru Garrawurra wins top prize in 2022 NATSIAA's with sweeping woven sail . ABC News . . 5 August 2022 . 5 August 2022.
2. Web site: Telstra NATSIAA . . 7 August 2022.
3. News: Western Australian artist Jukuja Dolly Snell wins national Indigenous art prize. Spring. Alexandra. 2015-08-07. The Guardian. 2020-01-18. en-GB. 0261-3077.
4. Web site: Spinifex and spears: here are the winning works of the 2017 Telstra NATSIAA Awards. NITV. en. 2020-01-18.
5. News: Natsiaa 2017: the ever-changing face of Indigenous Australian art. Harmon. Steph. 2017-08-11. The Guardian. 2020-01-18. en-GB. 0261-3077.
6. Web site: Gunybi Ganambarr takes top prize at national art awards. NITV. en. 2020-01-18.
7. News: Natsiaa 2018: young guns breathe new life into Indigenous art traditions. Davidson. Helen. 2018-08-10. The Guardian. 2020-01-18. en-GB. 0261-3077.
8. Web site: Telstra NATSIAA Winners. MAGNT. en. 2020-01-17.
9. Web site: Diversity draws attention. 2019-08-12. The West Australian. en. 2020-01-17.
10. Web site: Djambawa Marawili wins prestigious Telstra Art Award. Limelight. en-AU. 2020-01-17.
11. Web site: Surprised Arnhem Land teenager, veteran Indigenous artist claim wins at 2020 NATSIAAs . Cameron. Gooley . ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 7 August 2020 . 9 August 2020.
12. Web site: Allam . Lorena . Natsiaa 2020: Ngarralja Tommy May wins major Indigenous art award in 'far from normal' year . The Guardian . 7 August 2020 . 12 August 2020.
13. Web site: Perera. Alicia. 2021-08-06. Remote WA artist wins top prize in national Indigenous art awards. 2021-08-06. ABC News. en-AU.
14. Web site: Fairley. Gina. 2021-08-06. My heart has been opened, says NATSIAA winner Timo Hogan. 2021-08-06. ArtsHub Australia. en-AU.
15. News: Spina-Matthews . Sarah . 2023-08-11 . Queenland 'master of carving' takes out Australia's top Indigenous art prize . en-AU . ABC News . 2023-08-12.
16. News: Parkinson . Amanda . 2024-08-09 . Natsiaa 2024: Noli Rictor wins $100,000 award for ‘truly majestic’ painting . 2024-08-09 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
17. Web site: Woodley . Melissa . 2024-08-09 . First look: Australia’s longest-running Indigenous art award has crowned its 2024 winners . 2024-08-09 . Time Out Australia . en-AU.
18. News: Story . Hannah . Bremer . Rudi . 2024-08-09 . Indigenous Elder wins $100,000 art prize for 3 metre-tall painting of the Spinifex Lands . 2024-08-09 . ABC News . en-AU.
19. Web site: Stubbs . Will . Artists . The National . 15 November 2020 . 7 August 2022.
20. Web site: Ms. M. Wirrpanda . MCA Australia . 26 March 2021 . 7 August 2022.
21. Web site: 2021-01-28 . 2020 NATSIAA Telstra People's Choice Award winner announced . 2024-08-11 . Art Almanac . en-AU.
22. Web site: 2022-03-02 . Green Room: Winning art, dancing at WOMAD . 2024-08-11 . InDaily . en.
23. Web site: Madigan . Mary . 2022-12-14 . SA Artist Wins The 2022 Telstra People's Choice Award . 2024-08-11 . B&T . en-US.
24. Web site: Telstra NATSIAA Award Winners 2023 Australia's Longest Running and Most Prestigious Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award . 2024-08-11 . MAGNT . en.
25. News: Davidson . Helen . 2018-08-10 . Natsiaa 2018: young guns breathe new life into Indigenous art traditions . 2024-08-09 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
26. News: 2020-08-10 . Natsiaa 2020: the winners and finalists of Australia's Indigenous art prize – in pictures . 2024-08-09 . the Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.