Entries are now open for the 2026 Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, a prestigious acquisitive painting prize presented by Geelong Gallery and supported by the Dimmick Foundation.
With a $30,000 acquisitive award, the prize continues Geelong Gallery’s long history of collecting contemporary Australian painting, building on more than eight decades of acquisitive award exhibitions dating back to 1938.
The prize is open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian artists working in painting. Artists may submit up to two original paintings completed within the past two years. Works must feature paint as the primary medium, with mixed media accepted only where painting remains the dominant element.
Selected finalists will exhibit at Geelong Gallery from 7 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, with the winning work announced at the exhibition opening on 6 November 2026.
Key Information
- Prize: $30,000 acquisitive award
- Entry fee: $45 per artwork
- Maximum of two entries per artist
- Paintings only (maximum size: 183 × 244 cm, including frame)
- Works must be available for acquisition by Geelong Gallery
