Indigenous students – we invite you to share your art, culture and stories for a chance to win
As an Indigenous student at Deakin, you’re part of our proud history of Indigenous education. When you finish your degree, you’ll join a group of more than 1000 other Indigenous students who’ve graduated from our University over three decades.
We know that education offers immense possibilities. But so does recognising, and learning from, the immeasurable contribution of the world’s oldest continuous living culture.
One of the most powerful expressions of Indigenous culture is art. With Aboriginal rock paintings dating back more than 40,000 years, the art of our first peoples tells unique and interwoven stories of identity, spirituality, kin and Country.
This rich history continues today, with Indigenous artists producing incredible art in a range of mediums and styles, from the traditional to the modern. It’s a pulsating and evolving space where cultural stories, current issues, and personal expression combine.
Will you share your art with us?
As part of the recently launched Deakin Indigenous Strategy 2023–28, we pledge to move Indigenous Knowledges into the fabric of Australian life.
That’s why as we mark National Reconciliation Week 2023, we’re asking you, our Indigenous students, to share a piece of visual art with the Deakin community that can be a source of pride and a way of bringing us together to learn and grow.
Whatever style you use to express yourself, we’d love you to submit a deadly work of art that:
- illustrates your learning journey
- speaks to your social and emotional wellbeing
- encapsulates your connection to Country and community
- shares stories of your culture, mob or something else important to you.
During NAIDOC Week (Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 July), we’ll be displaying all artwork submitted to date across each of our campuses.
Then, in the week of 24–28 July, a judging panel will select five highly commended pieces. During UBelong Week (7–11 August), we’ll announce the five winners – each of whom will receive a $200 cash prize – and launch an online gallery featuring all submitted artworks.
From the submitted pieces, we may also choose to commission an artwork for a period of three years, which we’ll use across all health and wellbeing activities at Deakin. If we commission your artwork, you’ll be paid a one-off fee of $2000.
Read full details and enter online on our website. Please read the entry criteria and terms & conditions before you submit your piece. Submissions close at 5pm, Friday 21 July.
At Deakin, we want to build on the legacy of those who have walked these lands before us. We encourage you to submit an artwork to educate, inspire and enrich us all.