10 Australian Art Prizes Still Open for Entry Right Now

01 · Closes 12 July

Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize

📍 Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf, Sydney NSW

Now in its 25th year, the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize is Australia's pre-eminent award for small-scale sculpture — the first national acquisitive prize dedicated to original, freestanding works up to 80cm in any dimension. The winning work enters Woollahra Council's permanent collection, displayed publicly year-round at no cost to visitors.

Past winners include some of the most critically respected names in Australian contemporary art: Mikala Dwyer, Adam Cullen, Alexander Seton, and Archie Moore. The 2026 prize marks its silver anniversary.

02 · Closes 17 July

John Leslie Art Prize

📍 Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale VIC

Inaugurated in 2000 and now running its 14th iteration, the John Leslie Art Prize is widely regarded as Australia's favourite landscape painting prize. Open to any Australian artist, it calls for paintings in any medium that interpret the theme of landscape — giving entrants considerable creative latitude. The $30,000 acquisitive award joins the Gippsland Art Gallery's permanent collection, with a separate $1,000 non-acquisitive prize awarded to the best work by a Gippsland-region artist.

Works must have been completed after 1 March 2024. Finalists will be exhibited from 5 September to 22 November 2026.

03 · Closes 19 July

Calleen Art Award

📍 Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Cowra NSW

Running since 1977, the Calleen Art Award is one of Australia's longest-running acquisitive painting prizes, established by Cowra art patron Mrs Patricia Fagan OAM to foster originality and excellence in the visual arts. Unlike many landscape-focused prizes, the Calleen is open to any style, theme, or subject — making it one of the most accessible major painting prizes on the calendar.

This year's $30,000 acquisitive award is judged by a panel led by Georgia Connelly (Head of Regional Engagement at the Art Gallery of NSW). The exhibition runs 6 September to 18 October 2026.

04 · Closes 31 July

Arts Collective Australian Artists Awards

📍 Online — National

The Arts Collective Australian Artists Awards offer a different model to traditional gallery-based prizes: artworks are submitted digitally and winners are decided by public vote, making it a strong platform for audience engagement and online profile-building alongside the prize money. With $8,000 across multiple categories, the awards are open to artists working in any medium.

Public voting runs 9–16 August 2026, with finalists notified on 25 August.

05 · Closes 2 August

Paddo Painting Prize

📍 Council House, Woollahra, Sydney NSW

The 23rd Annual Paddo Painting Prize is one of Australia's most established open-call landscape painting prizes, founded by Marlene Antico OAM and now principally sponsored by Chris Antico. The $30,000 acquisitive award is supported by a strong suite of additional prizes — including a $3,000 Highly Commended and $1,000 People's Choice — and attracts entrants from across the country. Finalists exhibit at Woollahra Council House from 15 to 25 October 2026.

06 · Closes 2 August - Inaugural

Paddo Sculpture Prize

📍 Council House, Woollahra, Sydney NSW

New to the 2026 calendar: the Paddington Art Prize organisation launches its first-ever sculpture prize, the Paddo Sculpture Prize, running alongside its established painting prize. The $10,000 non-acquisitive award calls for 3D free-standing sculptures inspired by the Australian landscape. As an inaugural prize, it represents a genuine opportunity for sculptors to enter a high-profile exhibition in its founding year.

07 · Closes 9 August - (posted)

Urunga Small Sculpture Prize

📍 Art Space Urunga, Urunga NSW (Mid North Coast)

Held in the coastal township of Urunga on the NSW Mid North Coast, this dedicated small sculpture prize draws entries from across Australia and offers a scenic regional exhibition setting. The $5,000 first prize and $1,000 Tom Treacy Memorial People's Choice Award sit within a $7,000 total prize pool. Note the two-stage deadline: works sent by post or courier must arrive by 9 August; hand-delivered works are accepted until 13 September.

08 · Closes 14 August

Portia Geach Memorial Award

📍 S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney NSW

One of Australia's most celebrated portraiture prizes, the Portia Geach Memorial Award has been running since 1965, awarded annually for the best portrait painted from life of a person distinguished in Art, Letters, or the Sciences. Administered by S.H. Ervin Gallery under a trust established by the late Florence Kate Geach in memory of her sister Portia, the $30,000 non-acquisitive award is open exclusively to female artists who are Australian citizens or British-born residents.

Initial judging is based on digital submissions only — artists do not need to send physical works unless selected as a finalist. The exhibition runs 18 September to 1 November 2026.

09 · Closes 20 August

Hornsby Art Prize

📍 Wallarobba Arts & Cultural Centre, Hornsby NSW

Established in 2009 and now in its eighteenth year, the Hornsby Art Prize is one of northern Sydney's premier contemporary art prizes. Organised by Hornsby Shire Council in partnership with the Hornsby Art Society, the prize spans five categories — Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Photography, and Sculpture — and includes a dedicated $5,000 award for local Hornsby Shire artists. The 2026 prize is judged by artists Guido Maestri (2009 Archibald Prize winner) and Mirra Whale.

10 · Closes 25 September

Evelyn Chapman Art Award

📍 S.H. Ervin Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney NSW

The most financially substantial prize on this list — and arguably the most transformative — the Evelyn Chapman Art Award offers $60,000 to fund two years of art education for a young Australian painter, at a recognised institution either in Australia or overseas. Unlike a conventional cash prize, this award is structured as a study and travel grant, covering the reasonable costs of the recipient's chosen program at an approved art school or cultural organisation.

It runs every two years, making the 2026 round a rare opportunity for painters in oils or tempera who are under 45 years of age. The award is administered by S.H. Ervin Gallery.