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One finalist will be selected from each State and Territory – 8 finalists in total will exhibit their work at Artbank Sydney from Thursday 3 September – Friday 30 October 2026.
Finalists will be announced Friday 5 June 2026.
Artbank will coordinate collection and cover associated costs of transport for all artworks selected as finalists to Artbank Sydney. Artworks must be available and ready for collection from 26 June 2026.
Friday 30 January 2026, 9am.
Entries close Friday 13 March 2026, at 5pm.
Entries must be submitted via SmartyGrants online portal by Friday 13 March 2026, 5pm.
You must register with SmartyGrants and then complete each page of the online form and press ‘submit’.
You can start and save an application before submitting your application and will receive an email confirmation once submitted.
No. The Artbank Prize is free to enter.
The prize is open to living artists not yet in the Artbank collection who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
The artist may be living in Australia or overseas if at least one of the above stated criteria are demonstrable; and if overseas provide the last Australian home address/state or territory.
There is no age limit.
No. Only one artwork, by one artist can be entered into the Artbank Prize.
Yes. One member of the collaboration or group completes the application form, and they will be the primary contact person for the group. There is a section in the application form to add other artists' names and the group name if applicable.
No. Only one artwork may be entered per person, whether part of a collaboration or not.
If you are represented by a commercial gallery, or agent, your artwork should reflect the current market value of your artwork.
If you are unrepresented, please price your artwork by either of the following methods: cost-based (materials, expenses and time) or competition-based (average cost of similar artworks by an artist/gallery selling artworks of a similar style).
The maximum acquisition amount for the Artbank Prize is AUD20,000.00. The price should be exclusive of GST.
Artworks priced over this amount are ineligible.
Your artwork statement should describe the artwork you are submitting to the Artbank Prize. We suggest describing your artwork and ideas in clear, concise language. You may want to talk about the processes involved in making the artwork, the subject matter and your artistic intention.
This artwork statement is limited to 150 words.
Your CV can include the following as applicable, however should be limited to 1 page, and does not need to address all the below only as it is relevant:
We accept painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, glass, ceramics, textile and video art/ time-based media. Please ensure your artwork meets size and weight restrictions outlined in the entry guidelines. Artworks must be original and completed from 1 January 2025.
No. Ephemeral artworks cannot enter the Artbank collection. For performance-based artwork to be eligible for the Artbank Prize it must be in a form collectible by Artbank (i.e. video, photography). Please see Artbank Collection Acquisition Policy
The Australian Government is committed to introducing new stand-alone legislation to protect Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP).
Artbank respects the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to protect their arts and cultural heritage, and asks artists to consider if their work incorporates, is sourced from, or refers to cultural heritage material, or representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and if so, to seek the appropriate consent from the community custodians.
This is acknowledged through the declaration on the last page of the entry form. Artists should be prepared to provide further information on request.
A multipaneled artwork (like a diptych or triptych), or an artwork with multiple parts can be entered, if it is one artwork.
No. You cannot enter a series of multiple artworks as one artwork.
Yes, the artwork needs to be available for collection from 26 June, if selected as a finalist.
Entries can be saved and revised up until they are submitted. If you realise you have made a mistake after submitting your entry, do not submit another entry. Email ArtbankPrize@artbank.gov.au
Artbank staff will review all applications submitted – to review eligibility, and to select a shortlist that reflects representation from the 8 states and territories.
Artbank will engage three external, independent judges to work with Artbank staff on selecting a finalist from each state and territory resulting in 8 finalists. The artworks of these artists will be transported to Artbank in Sydney and displayed at its premises.
8 finalists’ artworks will be featured in an exhibition at Artbank Sydney
Finalists will be invited to attend Artbank Sydney for a public event to celebrate the Artbank Prize, and to speak about their artwork and about the Artbank Prize as part of a public program. This will also be the event at which the winner is announced.
No. Works are selected based on the entry details and cannot be changed.
No. Artwork must be packaged appropriately to be transported safely.
Artbank will cover all costs associated with the collection, transport and installation of all finalists’ artwork. Artbank will also return all finalists’ artwork not acquired in a reasonable time at the close of the exhibition and will be coordinated directly with the artist.
Artbank will insure the finalists’ artwork in-situ during the exhibition at Artbank Sydney and will use qualified art handlers and transport agents during transport and installation. Artbank will not insure artworks in transit.
By entering, you grant permission for your artwork to be photographed and used for promotional purposes related to the Artbank Prize and exhibition if selected as a finalist.
If your artwork is selected as the winner and acquired by Artbank, you will enter into an acquisition agreement with Artbank which grants Artbank a non-exclusive licence to use images of your artwork for a number of purposes.
Artbank staff joined by a panel of industry professionals will judge entries based on artistic merit, originality, and relevance. All decisions are final. The winner of the Artbank Prize will be selected by three external judges and Artbank staff.
The winning artwork will be acquired by Artbank.
An acquisitive prize means the winning artwork becomes part of the Artbank collection. Acquisition into the Artbank collection is the prize. The winning artwork will be acquired for the price listed in the application up to the value of AUD 20,000.00.
By entering the Artbank Prize you agree that if your artwork is selected as a finalist for your state or territory it will be displayed in the Artbank Prize exhibition and that Artbank will retain the right to acquire the artwork, even if it is not named the winner.
Should your artwork be selected for the finalists’ exhibition of the Artbank Prize and Artbank determine not to acquire it into the Artbank collection, you will have the right to sell the artwork to a third party who will be able to take possession of the artwork after the exhibition has closed (the third party will be responsible for freight costs to their premises), or the artwork will be returned to the artist at Artbank’s expense.
Email ArtbankPrize@artbank.gov.au or call 1800 251 651.
Full entry Guidelines are available on the Artbank website: Artbank Prize 2026 | artbank
