SBS and National Indigenous Television (NITV) are celebrating NAIDOC Week 2026 with a selection of First Nations storytelling marking this year’s theme: 50 Years of Deadly.
NAIDOC Week is an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture. Held in the first week of July, NAIDOC Week invites Australians to learn and engage with First Nations histories and celebrate the world’s oldest continuing living culture.
Birri and Guugu Yimidhiir woman and Director, First Nations at SBS, Tanya Denning-Orman, says NAIDOC Week has always been more than a celebration; it’s a platform for truth-telling, resistance, pride and survival.
“This year’s programming honours that legacy while celebrating the storytellers, artists, leaders and communities shaping the future. Across NITV and SBS, audiences will experience stories grounded in culture, led by community and reflective of the extraordinary strength and diversity of First Nations experiences across Australia,” Denning-Orman said.
“As principal media partner, we’re proud to stand alongside NAIDOC for another three years – supporting a movement led by community and helping share the significance of this milestone with audiences across the country. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to amplifying First Nations voices, stories and perspectives at a time when connection, understanding and representation matter more than ever.
“These stories remind us not only where we’ve come from, but where we’re going. The next generation is rising strong in culture, identity and voice – still deadly, always.”
National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chairs, Steven Satour and Lynette Riley, add that they are proud to see this significant milestone marked with a powerful line-up of programming.
“From the generations of Indigenous leaders, storytellers and changemakers who helped shape this proud history to the young people carrying our stories into the future, this programming embodies the spirit of 50 Years of Deadly,” they said.
“It honours the past, celebrates the present and inspires the next generation.”
NAIDOC Week will open with the Elder in Resident Oration from Gunditjmara Elder Richard Frankland, reflecting on storytelling, cultural responsibility and the role of First Nations voices.
Programming highlights include Frame by Frame, a short series celebrating First Nations creatives and filmmakers; Blue Water Empire, charting the extraordinary history of Torres Strait Islander peoples across more than 200 years and; The Point, which will examine a decade of groundbreaking Indigenous Affairs coverage.
NAIDOC Week runs from 5 – 12 July. For more, head to SBS.com.au
Featured image: Journey Home, David Gulpilil by Allan Collins
