Art Prizes in Victoria Australia 2026 Guide | Deadlines, Entry Fees & Prize Money for Artists
Discover the best art prizes in Victoria for 2026, including key dates, entry details, prize money, and how to apply—your complete guide to finding and entering art competitions across Victoria. The links below will take you to their main website where you may need to still search for the art prize.
Bayside Painting Prize
Location: Bayside Gallery, Brighton (Melbourne)
Prize Money: $25,000 (major) + $10,000 local + $1,000 people’s choice
Entries Open: Nov 1, 2025
Deadline: Feb 20, 2026
Exhibition: May 1 – June 14, 2026
Entry Fee: ~$30–$40 (typical)
Website: https://baysidepaintingprize.com.au/
Notes: One of Melbourne’s premier painting prizes
Darebin Art Prize
Location: Bundoora Homestead Art Centre
Prize Money: ~$10,000 acquisitive + awards
Entries Open: Sept 24, 2025
Deadline: Oct 30, 2025
Exhibition: Feb 25 – June 20, 2026
Entry Fee: ~$35–$50
Website: https://arts.darebin.vic.gov.au
Notes: Multi-medium national prize
Wyndham Art Prize
Location: Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee
Prize Money: $15k (1st), $10k, $8k + others
Deadline: Oct 3, 2025
Exhibition: Jan 31 – Mar 22, 2026
Entry Fee: ~$35–$50
Website: https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au
Notes: One of the largest art prizes in Australia
Geelong Contemporary Art Prize
Location: Geelong Gallery
Prize Money: ~$50,000 acquisitive
Frequency: Biennial
Entry Fee: Invitation only
Website: https://www.geelonggallery.org.au
Notes: One of Australia’s richest regional prizes
Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award
Location: Wangaratta Art Gallery
Prize Money: ~$40,000 acquisitive
Frequency: Biennial
Entry Fee: ~$40
Notes: Leading textile award in Australia
Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Art
Location: Montsalvat, Eltham
Prize Money: ~$20,000 acquisitive
Frequency: Biennial
Notes: Strong contemporary focus
Banyule Award for Works on Paper
Location: Ivanhoe Library & Cultural Hub
Prize Money: ~$10,000 acquisitive
Frequency: Biennial
Notes: Highly respected works-on-paper prize
Omnia Art Prize
Location: Melbourne
Prize Money: $15,000 + categories
Entry Fee: ~$30–$50
Website: https://omniaartprize.com
Notes: Large-scale open exhibition
John Leslie Art Prize
Location: Gippsland Art Gallery, 70 Foster Street, Sale
Entries Open: Mar 5, 2026
Entries Close: Jul 17, 2026
Entry Fee: $40.00 one entry, or $70.00 two entries (Maximum of two entries per person).
Prize: ~$30,000 acquisitive prize as well as a $1,000 non-acquisitive prize
Website: https://www.gippslandartgallery.com/prizes/john-leslie-art-prize
Swan Hill Drawing Award
Location: Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery
Entries Open: 3 January, 2026
Entries Close: 17 May
Announcement of Finalists: 12 June
Launch and official announcement of award winners: Saturday, 1 August 6-8pm
Walk through the exhibition with artists and judges: Sunday, 2 August at 11am
Prize: ~$10,000
Website: https://www.swanhillregionalartgallery.com.au/Whats-on/Print-Drawing-Awards.aspx
Focus: Drawing
Camberwell Rotary Art Show
Location: Carey Baptist Grammar School, 349 Barkers Road, Kew
Prize Pool: ~$20,000 approx
Entry Fee: ~$25–$35
Website: https://camberwellartshow.org.au/artists-information/
Notes: Huge exposure + sales opportunity
Linden Juncture Art Prize
Location: St Kilda
Prize: ~$20,000
Frequency: Biennial
Website: https://www.lindenarts.org/
Notes: Highly regarded contemporary prize
Linden Postcard Art Prize
Location: St Kilda
Prize: ~ Mulitple prizes - A list of Prizes released closer to exhibition opening.
Entry Fees (Non-Refundable)
General: $45 (1 work), $60 (2 works), $70 (3 works);
Student: $35 (1 work), $50 (2 works), $60 (3 works);
Free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.Frequency: Biennial
Website: https://www.lindenarts.org/
Notes: Highly regarded contemporary prize
Final Note
Art prizes are one of the best ways to grow your profile, gain recognition, and connect with new audiences—but staying on top of deadlines and opportunities can be overwhelming. Whether you're emerging or established, taking the time to enter even a few well-chosen prizes each year can open unexpected doors for your art career.
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