SELF NOMINATION TERMS & CONDITIONS

• I understand that the 4th National Indigenous Fashion Awards will be held on 9 August 2023 at the Deckchair Cinema, Darwin.
• I understand that the 4th National Indigenous Fashion Awards will be broadcasted via NITV’s social media channels and television, and will live on SBS On Demand.
• If applying for the  “Community Collaborations Award” all names, contact details and branding information for each party must be provided and acknowledged by the nominator.
• The images provided in your application will be used by DAAFF for marketing purposes to promote your involvement in the National Indigenous Fashion Awards, this includes being shared with event partners and media, and will be used in perpetuity unless DAAFF is otherwise notified in writing. 
• All images provided by designers will be attributed correctly in the application form.
• The information DAAFF collects in this application form will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988
• Designs or collections that have been seen in previous National Indigenous Fashion Awards will not be accepted. 
• Each nominee will be provided four complimentary tickets to attend the 2023 NIFA Award Ceremony, 9 August 2023 at Deckchair Cinema, Darwin.
• Travel expenses to attend the National Indigenous Fashion Awards are the responsibility of the nominee.
• Shortlisted nominees in the National Indigenous Fashion Awards must include reference to National Indigenous Fashion Awards and Indigenous Fashion Projects in their social media posts referencing their nomination, using hashtag #nifa2023  and tagging @indigenousfashionprojects on both Instagram and Facebook. For Twitter please use #nifa2023 and tag @darwinartfair.

 NOMINATOR TERMS & CONDITIONS

• I am responsible for providing contact details for the nominee in order for the nominee to be able to accept the nomination and provide all additional information.
• I understand that Nominees must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage. In the case of the “Community Collaborations Award” an Indigenous/non-Indigenous collaboration may be nominated.
• If nominating for the  “Community Collaborations Award” all names, contact details and branding information for each party must be provided and acknowledged by the nominator.
• The information DAAFF collects in this application form will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988
• Designs or collections that have been seen in previous National Indigenous Fashion Awards will not be accepted. 
• Shortlisted nominees will be provided four complimentary tickets to attend the 2023 NIFA Award Ceremony, 9 August 2023 at Deckchair Cinema, Darwin.
• Travel expenses to attend the National Indigenous Fashion Awards are the responsibility of the nominee.

Self Nomination Details

TRADITIONAL ADORNMENT AWARD

For tens of thousands of years First Nations Peoples from around the continent have celebrated their cultures through traditional dress. This Award shines a spotlight on the design of these items recognising an individual or group for the design of items that are created and worn to define or express culture. The award aims to encourage the creation and acknowledgement of traditional cultural regalia.

For example: ceremonial dilly bag, dancing belt, head-dress, possum skin cloak

Judging Criteria

•  Quality of construction

•  Expression of living culture, traditional practice and story telling

• Contribution to the recognition and preservation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture

The Prize

A cultural exchange opportunity of the winners design and choosing, to the value of $2500 supported by the Northern Territory Government.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

This award recognises an individual or group, and celebrates leadership in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business showing both creative and commercial success in textiles and fashion, and positively impacting the Indigenous fashion sector.

For example: label, business, Art Centre

Previous winner:  Laura Thompson, Clothing the Gaps

Judging Criteria

• Business innovation
• Product or service quality
• Environmental and social contribution
• Brand development and marketing
• Cultural expression and storytelling
• Impact on the Australian Indigenous fashion sector

The Prize

The winner of the Business Achievement Award will receive a $3000 cash prize and a customised business mentoring development. The mentoring will be designed and developed in support of the winners business goals and aims to enrich entrepreneurship and support fashion innovation.  Supported by the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation.

TEXTILE DESIGN AWARD

Indigenous textile design holds deep meaning and continues to push the boundaries of contemporary First Nations cultures. It is a medium that offers freedom, where the use of the vibrant colours in textile design is represented in new expressions of old stories, which enable artists to stretch their imagination.

Presented by RMIT University, this award celebrates and recognises an individual designer of textiles, including woven, knitted, dyed, printed or surface ornamented constructions.

For example: screen print and lino print designs, woven garments, innovative digital designs on fabrics, painted or embroidered design on textiles

Judging Criteria

• Excellence in textile design

• Innovation and originality

• Quality of craft; print, dye or surface ornamentation (where applicable)

• Cultural expression and storytelling

• Environmental and social contribution

The Prize

The winner of the Textile Design Award will receive a customised Textile Design Professional Development undertaken with globally recognised RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles, ranked among the Business of Fashion's The Best Fashion Schools in the World.

The prize is tailored to the winning artist's requirements.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AWARD

This award recognises strong, two-way relationships between First Nations communities and the textile and fashion industry, where social and economic benefits flow to communities, and where First Nations peoples’ agency in the collaboration process is front and centre.  The award celebrates effective and productive relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the textile and fashion industry.

Previous winners of this award include: Bula’bula Arts x MAARA, Anindilyakwa Arts x Anna Reynolds and Aly de Groot

Judging Criteria

• Demonstration of collaborative process 
• Demonstration of Indigenous agency in the collaboration process
• Cultural expression and storytelling
• Social and economic contribution to Indigenous communitie
• Originality & Innovation

The Prize

A $10,000 cash prize to be split between each collaborator supported by Canberra Centre. 

FASHION DESIGNER AWARD

Since 2020, Country Road has been the proud presenter of the NIFA Fashion designer award. The award recognises an Individual designer of original fashion apparel who has excelled both creatively and commercially.

Previous winners include: Julie Shaw of MAARA Collective, and Denni Francisco of Ngali.

Judging Criteria

• Excellence in fashion design

• Styling and product quality and originality

• Commercial capability (Completed at least 2 commercial collections) 

• Cultural expression and storytelling

• Environmental and social contribution

The Prize

The winner will receive a 12-month business mentorship with Country Road, an iconic Australian fashion lifestyle brand. 

The program is tailored to the needs and focus areas defined by the mentee, covering areas such as marketing, product development, sales and finance and sustainability, supporting the winner to further build their business and career.

The mentorship can be delivered in person and online, with Country Road supporting travel expenses up to $5,000.

WEARABLE ART AWARD

The Wearable Art Award celebrates design, artistry, construction, wearability and cultural expression, recognising an individual designer for the creation of a single (not a collection) worn item of clothing, accessory or piece of jewellery that demonstrates excellence in design, craft and artistic expression.

For example: a one off dress, a piece of jewelry

Judging Criteria

• Design quality and originality

• Artistic merit

• Cultural expression and storytelling

• Quality of construction

• Wearability and/or performance potential

The Prize

The winning artist will receive a $5000 cash prize from Robina Town Centre.

Your Details

 I would like to nominate

TRADITIONAL ADORNMENT AWARD

For tens of thousands of years First Nations Peoples from around the continent have celebrated their cultures through traditional dress. This Award shines a spotlight on the design of these items recognising an individual or group for the design of items that are created and worn to define or express culture. The award aims to encourage the creation and acknowledgement of traditional cultural regalia.

For example: ceremonial dilly bag, dancing belt, head-dress, possum skin cloak

Judging Criteria

•  Quality of construction

•  Expression of living culture, traditional practice and story telling

• Contribution to the recognition and preservation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture

The Prize

A cultural exchange opportunity of the winners design and choosing, to the value of $2500 supported by the Northern Territory Government.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AWARD

This award recognises strong, two-way relationships between First Nations communities and the textile and fashion industry, where social and economic benefits flow to communities, and where First Nations peoples’ agency in the collaboration process is front and centre.  The award celebrates effective and productive relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the textile and fashion industry.

Previous winners of this award include: Bula’bula Arts x MAARA, Anindilyakwa Arts x Anna Reynolds and Aly de Groot

Judging Criteria

• Demonstration of collaborative process 
• Demonstration of Indigenous agency in the collaboration process
• Cultural expression and storytelling
• Social and economic contribution to Indigenous communitie
• Originality & Innovation

The Prize

A $10,000 cash prize to be split between each collaborator supported by Canberra Centre. 

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

This award recognises an individual or group, and celebrates leadership in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business showing both creative and commercial success in textiles and fashion, and positively impacting the Indigenous fashion sector.

For example: label, business, Art Centre

Previous winner:  Laura Thompson, Clothing the Gaps

Judging Criteria

• Business innovation
• Product or service quality
• Environmental and social contribution
• Brand development and marketing
• Cultural expression and storytelling
• Impact on the Australian Indigenous fashion sector

The Prize

The winner of the Business Achievement Award will receive a $3000 cash prize and a customised business mentoring development. The mentoring will be designed and developed in support of the winners business goals and aims to enrich entrepreneurship and support fashion innovation.  Supported by the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation.

WEARABLE ART AWARD

The Wearable Art Award celebrates design, artistry, construction, wearability and cultural expression, recognising an individual designer for the creation of a single (not a collection) worn item of clothing, accessory or piece of jewellery that demonstrates excellence in design, craft and artistic expression.

For example: a one off dress, a piece of jewelry

Judging Criteria

• Design quality and originality

• Artistic merit

• Cultural expression and storytelling

• Quality of construction

• Wearability and/or performance potential

The Prize

The winning artist will receive a $5000 cash prize from Robina Town Centre.

TEXTILE DESIGN AWARD

Indigenous textile design holds deep meaning and continues to push the boundaries of contemporary First Nations cultures. It is a medium that offers freedom, where the use of the vibrant colours in textile design is represented in new expressions of old stories, which enable artists to stretch their imagination.

Presented by RMIT University, this award celebrates and recognises an individual designer of textiles, including woven, knitted, dyed, printed or surface ornamented constructions.

For example: screen print and lino print designs, woven garments, innovative digital designs on fabrics, painted or embroidered design on textiles

Judging Criteria

• Excellence in textile design

• Innovation and originality

• Quality of craft; print, dye or surface ornamentation (where applicable)

• Cultural expression and storytelling

• Environmental and social contribution

The Prize

The winner of the Textile Design Award will receive a customised Textile Design Professional Development undertaken with globally recognised RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles, ranked among the Business of Fashion's The Best Fashion Schools in the World.

The prize is tailored to the winning artist's requirements.

FASHION DESIGNER AWARD

Since 2020, Country Road has been the proud presenter of the NIFA Fashion designer award. The award recognises an Individual designer of original fashion apparel who has excelled both creatively and commercially.

Previous winners include: Julie Shaw of MAARA Collective, and Denni Francisco of Ngali.

Judging Criteria

• Excellence in fashion design

• Styling and product quality and originality

• Commercial capability (Completed at least 2 commercial collections)

• Cultural expression and storytelling

• Environmental and social contribution

The Prize

The winner will receive a 12-month business mentorship with Country Road, an iconic Australian fashion lifestyle brand. 

The program is tailored to the needs and focus areas defined by the mentee, covering areas such as marketing, product development, sales and finance and sustainability, supporting the winner to further build their business and career. 

The mentorship can be delivered in person and online, with Country Road supporting travel expenses up to $5,000.