Newcastle seeks EOIs from Aboriginal artists for Wickham and East End public art upgrades

newy.com.au – City of Newcastle has opened expressions of interest for Aboriginal artists to create public artworks as part of planned public domain upgrades in Wickham and the East End, with applications closing 9 March 2026.

The council said the projects aim to reflect local stories and strengthen Newcastle’s identity as an arts and cultural destination, with artworks to be integrated into upgrades planned for Union Street in Wickham and Market Street in the East End.

Artwork could take the form of murals, sculptures, design features in footpaths, street furniture or walking trails, with the two locations identified as key opportunities to share cultural knowledge.

Councillor Deahnna Richardson, a Wiradjuri woman and co-chairperson of City of Newcastle’s Guraki Aboriginal Standing Committee, said public art could provide opportunities to share stories, cultural knowledge and foster relationships between First Nations and non-Aboriginal communities.

“These cultural landmarks are significant to the Awabakal and Worimi peoples, and to the broader community,” Cr Richardson said. She said learning about the history and ongoing relationship Aboriginal peoples have with the land “encourages us all to respect and appreciate the places that we live, work and play on” and supports dialogue needed for reconciliation.

The selected artists will collaborate with a core group of representatives from local Aboriginal communities, which the council said would help ensure the works are meaningful, reflective and honour the heritage and stories of local Aboriginal peoples.

City of Newcastle said the process had been guided by best practice recommendations from the National Association of Visual Arts and the Connecting with Country Framework, and endorsed by the Guraki Aboriginal Standing Committee and the Public Art Standing Committee.

Newcastle Art Gallery director Lauretta Morton OAM said the call was open to both early career artists and those experienced in developing large-scale public art, with preference for local artists or those with a strong connection to Newcastle and the identified site locations.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for young and emerging artists to develop their skills and experience, with the potential for mentoring and professional development,” Ms Morton said, adding the approach was intended to be inclusive, fair and transparent. She said minor, medium and major projects would be developed across the sites, creating opportunities for several artists.

After the expressions of interest process, the council said it would develop artwork briefs with details on location, scale, size, timeline and deliverables, with shortlisted artists to be paid a fee to prepare concept designs responding to the creative briefs.