The Governor's Multicultural Awards celebrate the organisations, teams and people promoting a more culturally inclusive and connected South Australia.

Nominations for the 2026 Governor's Multicultural Awards are open.

The annual awards are presented by the Governor of South Australia on the advice of an independent judging panel and administered by the Government of South Australia through Multicultural Affairs.

Key dates

• Nominations open: 18 September
• Nominations close: 11pm Sunday 1 November 2026 (late nominations not accepted)
• Finalists notified: early 2027

Who can be nominated?

You can nominate a South Australian organisation, team or individual who has made a significant contribution to:

• advancing or promoting multiculturalism
• increasing understanding of the benefits of cultural diversity
• strengthening inclusion and community connection across South Australia.

Unless otherwise stated, nominations are assessed on achievements and contributions made in the two years leading up to the nominations closing date.

Award categories

There are ten awards categories:

• Outstanding Individual Achievement Award
  For individuals who have made a significant and lasting contribution over a period of at least 10 years.
• Regional Achievement Award
  For organisations, teams or individuals based outside Greater Adelaide (view the Living Adelaide map of Greater Adelaide). Eligible regional nominees in other award categories will also be automatically considered for this award.
• Arts and Culture Award
  For organisations, teams or individuals.
• Community Sector Award
  For organisations, teams or individuals working or volunteering in the not-for-profit sector.
• Media Award
  For organisations, teams or individuals working or volunteering in traditional or new media. Samples of work are required to support the nomination.
• Private Sector Award
  For organisations, teams or individuals.
• Public Sector Award
  For local, state or federal government departments, units, teams or individuals.
• Volunteer Award
  For active volunteers with at least five years of service.
• Senior Volunteer Award
  For longstanding volunteers aged 60 years or older.
• Youth Award
  For individuals or groups aged 30 years or younger, and youth organisations.

Read detailed descriptions of the award categories in the nomination guidelines (PDF, 3.2 MB) or nomination guidelines  (DOCX, 1.1 MB).

Submit a nomination

Before you start, you will need:

• the nominee’s name, age and contact details
• a supporting statement of up to 500 words explaining why the nominee should be considered for the award
• the name and contact details for two independent referees.

If you are nominating an organisation or team, you will also need the contact details of the organisation head and team leader.

Important information

• Nominations must be submitted by 11pm Sunday 1 November 2026.
• Late nominations will not be accepted.
• Multiple nominations do not increase a nominee's likelihood of being shortlisted.
• Read the nomination guidelines before starting a nomination
  • 2026 Governor's Multicultural Award nomination guidelines  (PDF, 3.2 MB)
  • 2026 Governor's Multicultural Award nomination guidelines (DOCX, 1.1 MB)

Nominate online now

To request a hardcopy form, email MulticulturalEvents@sa.gov.au.

Promote the awards

Help spread the word through your communities and networks.

Download the 2026 Governor's Multicultural Awards Nominations Toolkit (ZIP, 21.2 MB) for ready-to-use promotional materials, including social media content, posters and flyers.

Follow @MulticulturalAffairsSA on Facebook to stay up-to-date and to share posts about the 2025 Governor’s Multicultural Award nominations.

Awards history

Established in 2008, the Governor’s Multicultural Awards continue to recognise and celebrate many South Australian individuals, teams, organisations and communities.

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