First Nations Dress

Proposed shared theme: 20 YEARS OF THE MELBOURNE VIXENS - Foundations, Journey and Future

The 2027 season marks 20 years of the Melbourne Vixens. The creative direction acknowledges where the Vixens have come from, the foundations that have shaped the club and its journey over 20 years, while looking towards what comes next.

The theme is being developed through partnership between High Performance and Pathways and First Nations voices. High Performance and Pathways contributes the club story - its origins, foundations, growth, transition, pride and future. First Nations contribution brings cultural meaning, values, concepts and direction.

Together, these contributions form the foundation of the artist brief while leaving the selected artist appropriate creative space to bring their own cultural identity, storytelling and artistic interpretation.

Concepts the artist may respond to:

• Past | Present | Future
• Foundation | Growth | Connection
• Country | Community | Journey
• Origins | Transition | Ongoing connection
• Pride | Progression | Future generations
• Looking back while moving forward
• People, place, continuity and responsibility to future generations
  

The theme is a shared creative foundation, not a direction for the artist to reproduce prescribed cultural symbols or speak on behalf of all First Nations peoples.

The selected artist will be commissioned to create an original artwork that can be adapted for use on the 2027 Melbourne Vixens First Nations Dress.

The artwork should:

• be original work created by the selected artist
• reflect the artist's own cultural identity, story and/or connection
• use stories, symbols and knowledge that the artist has appropriate cultural authority to share
• respond to the agreed 2027 creative direction in the artist's own way
• be suitable for translation to a performance netball dress and associated agreed apparel
• support respectful storytelling alongside the final design
  
  

• the final commissioned artwork
• a short artist statement and approved story about the work
• reasonable participation in design and production conversations
  
• review and approval of significant adaptations before final production
  
• identification of any cultural protocols, permissions or restrictions that must be respected.
  

The artist is not expected to technically design the dress or prepare the entire garment layout. The apparel manufacturer and design team will translate the artwork to the dress template in consultation with the artist.

Artists are not required to create unpaid concept work as part of the application process.

The 2027 production pathway should be confirmed before release, but the anticipated process is:

1. Selected artist develops and finalises the commissioned artwork with Netball Victoria.
2. Artist reviews the proposed translation of the artwork to the dress template.
3. Netball Victoria submits required artwork/design material to Netball Australia for approval.
4. Approved material is provided to the apparel manufacturer for technical dress development.
5. The developed dress design is submitted through the required Super Netball approval process.
6. The artist is consulted on any significant changes and is given the opportunity to approve the final artistic treatment before production.
7. Netball Victoria will work within competition and manufacturing timelines. While there may be limited flexibility around external production deadlines, the project should allow the artist reasonable time to review and respond to design adaptations.

Who can apply:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artists

• artists with a connection to Victoria through Country, community, residence and/or creative practice

• emerging and established artists

• artists working in visual mediums that can be translated for apparel
  

Artists do not need previous experience designing sporting uniforms or apparel.

What to include in your application:

• About you - your name, Nation, Country and/or Community connection, where you are based in a short introduction

• Your artistic practice - the type of work you create and the mediums you work with

• Examples of your work - approximately 3-5 examples of existing artwork, photographs, portfolio pages or links

• Why this opportunity interests you

• Your initial approach - the conversations, themes or connections you may want to explore if selected. A finished concept is not required

• Your preferred contact details
  
  

Applications will be assessed by a panel made up from First Nations representatives, First Nations artistic perspectives and people connected to the Vixens team and the broader Netball Victoria work. Panel members will declare and appropriately manage any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest.

Assessment principles

• Use the published criteria consistently

• Do not disadvantage artists who have not previously worked in sport or apparel

• Do not request unpaid concept work

• Manage conflicts of interest before assessment

• Use clarification only where necessary and do not introduce new criteria after applications close

• Record the final decision and rationale

Netball Victoria recognises that First Nations artwork can carry cultural meaning, community knowledge and intellectual property.
The artist agreement will clearly protect authorship and define exactly how the commissioned artwork may be used.

• The artist remains recognised as the creator of the artwork

• Copyright ownership and any licence granted to Netball Victoria are clearly stated

• Permitted uses are specific - including dress, approved apparel, promotion, digital and event use

• Merchandise and commercial uses are expressly included or excluded rather than assumed

• Artist attribution is provided wherever reasonably practicable

• Significant adaptations are developed in consultation with the artist

• Cultural restrictions, protocols and permissions are recorded and respected

• Future uses outside the agreed licence require further discussion and permission
  
  

Cultural authority
Artists should only submit stories, symbols, imagery and cultural knowledge they have the appropriate cultural authority to share. The selected artist is not expected to speak for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Victorian First Nations communities or First Nations netball participants.

Do I need to submit a new design?
No. Submit examples of your existing work. We do not want artists undertaking unpaid creative development.

Do I need experience designing sports uniforms?
No. The apparel and design process will support translation of the artwork to the dress.

Do I have to use prescribed First Nations symbols?
No. The artist should work from their own cultural identity, authority and creative practice.

Will my artwork be changed for the dress?
Some technical adaptation may be needed for garment construction, bibs, accurate brand colours, logos and competition requirements. Significant changes should be made in consultation with the artist.

What file format will I need?
The final artwork will need to be suitable for digital production, preferably vector or another agreed high-resolution format. This is a final production requirement, not an application requirement.

Who owns the artwork?
The final artist agreement will set this out. The recommended position is that the artist retains copyright and grants Netball Victoria an agreed licence for specified uses.

Will the artwork be used on merchandise?
Only where merchandise use is included in the final written agreement.

Can I apply another way?
Yes. Contact Netball Victoria if a written application is a barrier you can also submit via video upload or link.

I have more questions - who can I contact?
If you have any other questions, or require further information please contact Netball Victoria's Head of Corporate Responsibility - Tanya Gamble [email protected]