Fogarty receives 2025 Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement

Yugambeh poet and activist Lionel Fogarty has been recognised with a Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 2025 First Nations Arts and Culture Awards.

Born on Wakka Wakka land on a ‘punishment reserve’ outside Cherbourg, Queensland, Fogarty has worked as an activist for Aboriginal Land Rights and against Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Fogarty has published multiple poetry collections, including Harvest Lingo (Giramondo), Connection Requital, Mogwie-Idan: Stories of the Land (Vagabond Press) and Eelahroo (Long Ago) Nyah (Looking) Möbö-Möbö (Future) (Vagabond Press).

Presented by Creative Australia on the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and opening of National Reconciliation Week, the awards honour ‘First Nations excellence and the outstanding contributions of First Nations artists to arts, culture, and community’.

Creative Australia executive director First Nations arts and culture Franchesca Cubillo said of the award recipients: ‘These First Nations individuals and organisations represent the strength, depth and diversity of First Nations creative practices across the country. We take this moment to congratulate and celebrate these remarkable artists and thank them for leading the way for future generations.’

Last year’s awards recognised Meleika Gesa with a Dreaming Award for young emerging artists.

More details about the awards and the other recipients are available on the Creative Australia website.

Category: Awards Local news