Entries are now open for the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award 2026, a biennial $50,000 non-acquisitive award celebrating excellence in realistic portrait painting.
Presented by the South East Centre for Contemporary Art (SECCA), the award is one of Australia’s major portrait prizes and is distinguished by its commitment to realism. Eligible works must depict a living person known to the artist, who is aware of and has participated in the portrait-making process. Abstraction is not permitted.
The 2026 award introduces several initiatives to better support artists, including a reduced entry fee, an artist loan fee for finalists and a contribution towards artwork freight costs.
Previous recipients include Lucy Culliton, Shaun Gladwell and Sally Robinson. The 2026 judging panel will be announced by SECCA.
Image: Joe Blundell, Today was a good day (detail), Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award 2024 finalist.
