first nations public art eoi - north sydney olympic pool

The North Sydney Olympic Pool site is located on the lands of the Cammeraygal people, part of the Eora Nation. Prior to colonisation, this harbourside location formed part of a rich cultural landscape used for fishing, gathering, and movement along Sydney Harbour for thousands of years. The site has since undergone significant transformation  from Aboriginal Country, to industrial land associated with the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to its current use as a civic recreational facility. 

This public art project seeks to acknowledge and centre the site's layered history through a First Nations-led approach. This project is not solely about commemoration, it is an opportunity to restore visibility to stories that have been disrupted, and to embed First Nations knowledge and presence within a prominent civic site. 

The artwork site is located within the North Sydney Olympic Pool complex in an internal hallway opposite existing sandstone 'living wall'. The space is a public access corridor with regular pedestrian movement throughout the day. Facilities within the area include lighting and and provision for three data projectors.

Artists are encouraged to consider: 

• Country as primary: The harbour, tides, and foreshore as living systems  

• Layered histories: Aboriginal presence, disruption, and resilience  

• Visibility vs subtlety: How truth-telling can be both embedded and explicit  

• Contemporary practice: Avoiding static or purely “heritage” interpretations

And to demonstrate:

• Strong conceptual response grounded in Country  

• Experience in public art and/or cultural storytelling  

• Ability to navigate complex histories with sensitivity and clarity  

• Work that is enduring, culturally respectful, and publicly engaging