The Deadly Awards, commonly known simply as The Deadlys, are an annual celebration of Australian Aborigine and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community.[1] The first Deadlys were held in 1995, at the Boomalli Artist Co-op in the Redfern suburb of Sydney.[2] Later venues included The Metro Theatre, the Hard Rock Café, Home in Darling Harbour and Fox Studios; since 2001 the event has been held at the Sydney Opera House, hosted by Vibe Australia and broadcast by SBS Television.[citation needed]
The awards have expanded beyond their original music focus,[2] to include sport, entertainment, the arts, health, education and training in the Indigenous Australian community. Winners are nominated and voted on by the public.
The word 'Deadly' is a modern colloquialism used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to indicate 'cool, rockin, fantastic'.
