Artist Brief & Expression of Interest

The Oorala Aboriginal Centre is pleased to announce the Community T-Shirt Competition for 2026.  This competition aims to celebrate education, culture, and the resilience of our communities. We invite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to submit a single piece of artwork for the opportunity to have their design featured on the official 2027 Oorala Community T-shirt.

Before completing the expression of interest form, please read the following artist brief and eligibility criteria carefully to ensure your submission meets all requirements.

Eligibility
  1. The Oorala Aboriginal Centre’s Annual T-Shirt Competition is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
  2. If you are under the age of 18, you are required to obtain permission from your parent or guardian to enter, and by submitting your entry, you confirm that such permission has been obtained.
Originality
  1. By submitting an entry, you affirm that the artwork is your original creation, and that you hold full copyright for the work.
Permission to Reproduce and Publish
  1. By submitting an entry, you grant the Oorala Aboriginal Centre permission to publish your design as part of the public voting process.
  2. The Oorala Aboriginal Centre will seek exclusive permission to reproduce and publish the artwork of the winning submission, either in full or in part. A formal agreement will be required with the artist of the winning submission.
Submission Requirements
  1. All entries must include:
    1. A digital copy of the artwork,
    2. A written explanation of the concept behind the design, including how it represents the importance of education and culture within the community.
  2. Submissions must be submitted via the online application form by Sunday 2nd August. Late submissions will not be considered. If you have any questions regarding your submission, please contact ooralamgt@une.edu.au
  3. Entrants may submit only one design.
Judging
  1. A panel consisting of three (3) Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff from the University of New England will serve as the judging panel. All panel members will adhere to the UNE Conflict of Interest Policy.
  2. The judging panel will review all submissions and shortlist up to five (5) designs for public voting.
  3. The public voting will be available on the Oorala Aboriginal Centre website for a period of 14 days.
  4. The design receiving the most votes will be declared the winner.
Prizes
  1. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize, which will be paid upon completion of the Permission to Reproduce Artwork Agreement with the Oorala Aboriginal Centre.
  2. The winner will also receive ten (10) t-shirts featuring their design once they have been produced.
Notifications
  1. The artist of the winning design, as determined by a public vote, will be notified in writing by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre.
  2. A public announcement of the winner will be announced in September 2026 by the Oorala Aboriginal Centre.

Entry Form

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

Personal Information

Date of birth *

Entry Information

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