Downing Centre First Nations Art Commissions​ EOI

Program objective

First Nations artists with a cultural and community connection to NSW are invited to apply for the Expression of Interest (EOI) opportunity which will be in two stages, culminating in the commission of artworks for five sites in the Downing Centre.

Key themes for consideration as part of the Project include:

• Celebration of strength and resilience
• Connection to Country and Culture
• Representation of Family, Kin, Community
• Revealing collective histories

This project of curated, site-specific artworks across five locations in the Downing Centre highlights DCJ’s commitment to improving outcomes for First Nations people and fostering culturally safe and inclusive environments.

By championing First Nations perspectives and practices, DCJ encourages meaningful cultural learning at an individual and organisational level. This Project creates opportunities for visitors to the Downing Centre to not just gain knowledge but experience critical reflection. Engaging First Nations artists provides the best opportunity of having a positive impact and achieving better outcomes.

This art commissioning opportunity for NSW First Nations artists is open and competitive. The Expression of Interest process is a two-stage process. Applicants planning to submit an EOI should read the EOI Guidelines and the Artist Information Pack carefully.

The objectives of the Project are to:

• Commission public artworks that honour and reflect stories of Kin, Country and resilience.
• Embed First Nations cultural perspectives within the refurbished Downing Centre to strengthen its role as a culturally safe and healing environment.
• Increase opportunities for NSW First Nations artists to participate in significant public art commissions that require community consultation, cultural integrity and technical capability.
• Ensure artworks enhance visitor experience, accessibility, cultural learning and connection to place throughout the Downing Centre.
• Produce public art outcomes that meet heritage, safety and design requirements and contribute to the long-term cultural value of the user experience of the Downing Centre.

Connection to Country

The Downing Centre is located on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

Image Credit: Downing Centre Cleansing Ceremony, 2025. Photo: Brendan Blacklock

This program is administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

What your application needs to include

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Executive Director Infrastructure & Assets, Corporate Services, DCJ.

This is a targeted and competitive project.  

All applications are submitted and assessed through the following two-staged process below. 

Stage One – Expression of Interest Assessment 

All applications are reviewed against the eligibility criteria.  

Applications that do not meet all eligibility criteria will not progress to assessment. 

Eligible applications are assessed against the assessment criteria. 

Applications are compared against other applications, scored and ranked by a panel comprised of 5 panel members which may include external assessors as required. 

The 5 panel members will put forward recommended shortlisted artists following the EOI Assessment Panel meetings. From this process, three artists per site will be shortlisted.  

The recommended shortlisted artists will then be put forward to Executive Director Infrastructure & Assets, Corporate Services, DCJ, for endorsement to progress to Stage Two – Concept Design. 

The shortlisted artists will then be notified to progress to Stage Two – Concept Design in June 2026.  

Stage Two – Concept Design Assessment 

The shortlisted artists will be given 4 weeks to develop a Concept Design and submit it via SmartyGrants at a date to be advised in July 2026 and then present their concept designs to the Assessment Panel. 

This stage will expand on the initial proposal and provide the Assessment Panel with a deeper understanding of each artist’s vision and approach. 

Progression of artists to Stage Two does not constitute an agreement by Create NSW or DCJ to develop the concept into a realised artwork. 

Presentation to Panel members 

Each artist will present their concept designs to the 5 panel members.  

The Assessment Panel through Create NSW will then put forward final recommended artists for each artwork location to the Executive Director Infrastructure & Assets, Corporate Services, DCJ for endorsement. 

The successful artists will be notified after July 2026 to commence contract negotiation and project delivery.  

Artist Fee 

Shortlisted artists will receive a fee of between $1,000 and $3,000 fee (ex GST) for the preparation and presentation of their concept design. For payment artists will need to submit a valid invoice to DCJ after the presentation of their concept design. 

Recommendation and Decision Making 

For Stage 1 and Stage 2 the written recommendations will be provided to the Executive Director Infrastructure & Assets, Corporate Services, DCJ for endorsement through Create NSW.  

Where applicable, probity advice may be considered before final decisions are made. 

Create NSW/DCJ reserves the right to adjust the selection process and artist selection due to unforeseen circumstances and/or changing project requirements.  

The Department reserves the right to reject, refuse, or cease assessing an application at any time. 

The decision includes: 

• approval of artists for each location 
• awarding of each commission  
• any associated terms and conditions for the project. 

All decisions made by the Department are final. 

Successful Applications

Successful artists will be notified in writing and must comply with all requirements and conditions as required by DCJ before the commission can be awarded. 

Artist Contract and Payment  

DCJ will be responsible for all artist contracts and payment in relation to: 

• Artist fee for each of the shortlisted artists for the preparation and presentation of their concept design  
• Artist fee for the final successful artists for each of the five locations 

DCJ will manage the execution of the public art commissioning agreement with the artists. Payment will be dependent on:  

• The receipt of a correct invoice from the artist 
• The artist satisfying the relevant milestones in the public art commissioning agreement.

All reporting, public announcement and acknowledgement of the commissions will be managed between the artist and DCJ.

Additional Information and Resources 

• Evaluation 

The Department regularly evaluates its initiatives in order to determine the effectiveness of implementation and to examine the extent to which outcomes and objectives have been achieved.  

We may use information from your application, activities and reports you have submitted for this purpose. We may also interview you or ask you for more information to help us understand your experience with the project, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the project in achieving its objective(s) and outcomes. All applicants, whether successful or unsuccessful, may be contacted to participate in interviews or surveys for evaluation purposes.    

You consent to the use of your information for this purpose by the Department. 

• Complaint Handling 

If you wish to make a complaint, please contact firstnations@create.nsw.gov.au.

In the first instance, complaints will be reviewed by the Department. If we cannot resolve the complaint within 20 working days recommended business days of receipt, we will refer the matter to an internal review team within the Department who will advise of the next steps.  

If the complaint is unable to be resolved, a complainant is able to refer the matter to the NSW Ombudsman for external review. Please note that the NSW Ombudsman will not consider a complaint unless the matter has been first raised directly with the Department.  

• Access to Information 

The GIPA Act provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure. 

The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order. The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.  

Note that documents submitted as part of an application may be subject to an application under the GIPA Act or an order for papers under Standing Order 52.   

More information about the Department’s practices for managing requests to access information under the GIPA and for publishing information is available on the Department’s Information access guide. 

You can also contact Department by email or by post as follows: 

Attn: Legal Officer (GIPA) Office of the General Counsel Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Email: information@dciths.nsw.gov.au McKell Building 2-24 Rawson Place, Haymarket NSW 2000 

•  Ethical Conduct 

The Department will implement measures and controls to enable a fair and transparent process and incorporate appropriate safeguards against fraud, unlawful activities, and other inappropriate conduct.  

• Conflict of Interest Management 

Conflicts of interest are any factors that could compromise the judgement, decisions, or actions of a person or group of people.  

Conflicts may arise if a party in the administration process, whether it be Department staff, Assessment Panel members, the applicant or staff employed by the applicant:   

• has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who can influence the application selection process.  
• has a relationship with or interest in, an organisation, which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicants from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently. 
• has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain because the applicant received an art commission as a result of the EOI. 
• are involved in any other situations which could lead to unfavourable advantage. 

Conflicts of interest for the Department will be handled as set out in the Department’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.  

Applicants must disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest as part of their application or, if successful, as they arise during project implementation.  

You must inform us as soon as you identify an actual, apparent or perceived conflict of interest.  

NOTE: You are advised to contact us at firstnations@create.nsw.gov.au if you are unsure whether something constitutes an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest. 

Risks are managed in accordance with Department’s risk management framework. Risk management, including fraud controls, will occur throughout the Expression of Interest life cycle.  

• Confidentiality 

Successful applicants may be required to keep the outcome of the application process confidential until the Government makes a public announcement. The Department follows all requirements of confidentiality required as part of the administration and assessment process.  

Unless otherwise stated, any commercial-in-confidence provisions (as defined under the GIPA Act) provided by you as part of, or in connection with, a registration, application or negotiation process will be treated confidentially by the office. We may disclose commercial-in-confidence information provided by You to the following parties:  

• The Minister or Minister’s office
• the NSW Ombudsman and Audit Office of NSW; 
• office staff, consultants and advisers;  
• any agency or body of the NSW Government, or any other organisation or individual considered by the office to have a need or an entitlement to know that information (including any federal, state or territory agency or body), where the need or entitlement to know that information arises out of or in connection with the office’s assessment, verification or due diligence of any aspect of your application; and  
• where authorised or required to by law.  

If we disclose commercial-in-confidence information to any of the above parties, we will inform the party that the information is strictly confidential. We will otherwise only disclose commercial-in-confidence information provided by You with Your consent. 

• Privacy  

The Department will collect and store the information you voluntarily provide to enable the implementation of this project.  

The Department is required to comply with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act). The Department collects the minimum personal information to enable it to contact an organisation and to assess the merits of an application. Applicants must ensure that people whose personal details are supplied with applications are aware that the Department is being supplied with this information and how this information will be used. 

We treat your personal information in accordance with the PPIP Act and the Department’s privacy policy. This includes letting you know:  

• what personal information we collect;  
• why we collect your personal information; and  
• who we give your personal information to.  

The personal information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected unless an exemption applies. 

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