Artists are invited to submit work for the Burrinja Climate Change Biennale #4: Acquisitive Award Exhibition, a nationally significant event exploring the intersection of art, activism, and environmental futures. Since 2015, the Burrinja Climate Change Biennale has brought together artists, thinkers, and communities to engage with the climate emergency through…

Applications are now open for the 2026 Waverley Art Prize, a long-running painting and drawing award supporting artists from emerging to professional levels. Established in 1986, the prize has become a significant platform for contemporary painters and draftspersons, offering both financial support and the opportunity for works to enter the…

artisan invites applications for UNLEASHED+ 2026, its flagship biennial exhibition supporting emerging craft and design practitioners across Queensland. A nationally recognised program with over two decades of legacy, UNLEASHED has launched the careers of leading makers including Anna Varendorff, Ebony Birks, Nicolette Johnson and Dan Watson. In 2026, the program…

The International FiKVA Award 2026 is a global online painting competition open to artists aged 18 and over, offering up to €5,500 in prizes. Focused on representational painting, the award invites submissions across a range of styles including realism, hyperrealism, photorealism, surrealism, and imaginative realism. Artists are encouraged to submit…

Entries are now open for the Fifty Squared Art Prize 2026, Australia’s largest open-call art prize for wall-based artworks measuring 50 × 50 cm or less. Open to artists at all stages of their careers, this nationally recognised prize offers a unique opportunity where all submitted works are exhibited, culminating…

Studio Maverik presents weekly social life drawing sessions at the iconic Flying Colours in West End. Designed for both beginners and experienced life drawers, these relaxed sessions combine traditional life drawing with a friendly, social atmosphere. Each session features a professional nude life model, with poses ranging from short warm-ups…

The SPRING 2026 Innovate Grant cycle is now open, offering increased award amounts of $1,800 USD. Each quarter, Innovate Grant supports creative practitioners by awarding two major grants—one to a Visual Artist and one to a Photographer—alongside 18 Honourable Mentions (9 in Art, 9 in Photography). Open to artists worldwide…

The R & M McGivern Prize was established through the will of the late Muriel Evelyn McGivern, a local resident and artist of Maroondah, as a lasting legacy supporting the arts in the region. Awarded every three years, the Prize recognises outstanding, original painting in oil or watercolour (including gouache).…

Entries are now open for the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award 2026, an established national prize celebrating innovation in contemporary sculpture. Founded in 2009, the award showcases outstanding small-scale sculptural practices from artists across Australia, culminating in a finalist exhibition at Deakin University Art Gallery on the Melbourne Burwood…

Australian Parliament House is inviting visual artists from across Australia to apply for the 2026 Artist-in-Residence Creative Research and Commissioning Program. Open to artists at any stage of their career, this unique opportunity offers behind-the-scenes access to one of the nation’s most significant cultural and political sites, where politics, history,…

The Incognito Art Show invites professional, emerging, and amateur artists to participate in Australia’s biggest and most inclusive art show, with a distinctive twist. Artists donate original A5 artworks that are sold for a flat price of $100, with the artist remaining anonymous until the work is purchased. Artists may…

The Australian Photographic Prize is a major annual international photography competition, open to photographers at all levels—from students and amateurs to established professionals. With over 2,500 entries from 21 countries in 2025, the prize continues to grow as a global platform for photographic practice. The 2026 edition expands to 25…

Now in its 21st year, the Bowness Photography Prize is Australia’s most prestigious photography award, offering a total prize pool of $70,000 and significant opportunities for exhibition and acquisition. Open to artists working with still photo-based media—including analogue and digital photography—entries must have been produced within the last year. The…

Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS) has announced its 2027 open call for residency programs, offering international artists and curators the opportunity to live and work in Tokyo. Located in Sumida-ku, Tokyo, TOKAS Residency provides studio space, accommodation, and a supportive environment for creative exchange. Since its establishment in 2014, the…

Luxembourg Art Week is now accepting applications for its 12th edition, inviting emerging and established galleries from around the world to participate. The fair is known for its focus on accessibility, dialogue, and close engagement between artists, galleries, and audiences. It features curated sections including the Main Section for established…

Dark Pony Studio + Gallery is seeking submissions for Flip Through Art Fair, a one-day artist market taking place in South Brisbane. Designed around a record-store-inspired browsing experience, the fair encourages slow discovery, first-time art buying, and approachable collecting. Original artworks will be presented in flip-through racks alongside selected salon-style…

Artists Exchange: Making Work is a month-long online professional development program designed for emerging and early career artists across regional and remote Queensland. The program offers a supportive and welcoming environment where artists can connect, share current work, and participate in constructive peer critique sessions. Across four weekly online sessions,…

Untether Gallery invites artists to participate in WHIM, an open group exhibition exploring spontaneity, imagination, and playful curiosity. The exhibition centres on the idea of “whim” as a moment where imagination drifts beyond the sensible—embracing surprise, humour, and the unexpected. Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme freely, responding through…

The Emerging Curator Program (ECP) supports an early-career curator to develop and deliver a funded group exhibition at Curl Curl Creative Space, with mentorship from the curatorial team at Manly Art Gallery & Museum. Designed for curators ready to take the next step, the program offers hands-on, real-world experience across…

This fully funded international residency invites 40 visual artists to take part in a two-week immersive program in Georgia, a region positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Surrounded by a rich cultural and artistic legacy—from the folk art of Niko Pirosmani to the cinematic influence of Sergei Parajanov—participants…

Art Guide Australia, in partnership with the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF), announces the inaugural Art Guide New Writers’ Program—a year-long opportunity designed to support and elevate early-career art and culture writers across Australia. Recognising the vital role writers and critics play in shaping cultural conversations, the program responds to a…

Art & Wellbeing Workshops: Presence in Practice offers a series of evening sessions exploring presence through spirituality, neuroscience, and therapeutic strategies. Across three workshops, expert facilitators guide participants to deepen focus, connection, and awareness through reflective engagement with art. Each session begins with an exclusive, crowd-free viewing of Olafur Eliasson:…

Next Wave has expanded its Around the Block program, now offering nine opportunities for emerging and early-career artists across Australia to present moving image works in a six-week public screening series. Unfolding across Brunswick’s arts precinct, the program transforms building facades, windows, and public projection sites into a dynamic trail…

Applications are now open for the Stardust Residency 2026, a studio residency program hosted by Watch This Space in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). The Stardust Residency was established in honour of artist and educator Suzi Lyon, whose practice explored the connections between everyday life, community and broader social and ecological systems.…

The Sunshine Coast National Art Prize 2026 is now open to Australian residents working in any 2D medium and new media. This national acquisitive prize recognises outstanding contemporary visual arts practice across Australia. Since 2006, the exhibition has presented finalist works from artists nationwide, celebrating innovation and excellence in 2D…

Entries are now open for the Northern Beaches Environmental Art & Design Prize 2026, a leading national award celebrating creative responses to environmental issues. Now in its sixth year, the prize invites artists and designers from across Australia—including young people aged 7–18—to submit work engaging with themes of the environment,…

The Macquarie Group Collection invites entries for the 2026 Emerging Artist Prize, continuing over 35 years of supporting emerging Australian artists. Open to artists across Australia, including Brisbane-based practitioners, the prize offers a significant platform for exposure and career development. Finalists will be exhibited at The Art Space at 1…

The Brisbane / Meanjin Paste Up Festival (BMPUF) returns for its second edition in May 2026 as part of BSAF and Meeting of Styles. Inspired by similar events in Argentina and London, BMPUF invites artists from around the world to participate in Brisbane’s street art scene — travelling here vicariously…

Join Studio Maverik for a relaxed and social life drawing session in the intimate studio space of Side Gallery. These pop-up sessions offer a welcoming environment for both beginners and experienced artists to sketch, connect, and unwind. Set within a private gallery surrounded by rotating exhibitions from local artists, the…

Expressions of interest are now open for artists and curators to present exhibitions at Redcliffe Art Gallery in 2027. As City of Moreton Bay’s second-largest exhibition venue, Redcliffe Art Gallery offers the opportunity to exhibit in Gallery 3, Gallery 4, or across both spaces. Applications are open to professional artists,…

The Swan Hill Print & Drawing Acquisitive Awards is a biennial national award celebrating excellence in contemporary Australian printmaking and drawing. Open to artists across Australia, the prize showcases a diverse selection of works and contributes to building the Art Gallery of Swan Hill’s permanent collection. Two acquisitive awards are…

Artists are invited to enter the inaugural Hill Painting Prize, a new national award celebrating landscape painting within the unique context of the Blue Mountains. Open to Australian residents, the prize calls for works depicting urban, man-made, and natural landscapes of the Blue Mountains region. Artists are encouraged to respond…

The COAL Prize 2026 invites artists worldwide to respond to the theme of ‘night’, exploring ecological, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of darkness. The prize recognises projects that engage with environmental issues and aims to support artists contributing to ecological awareness and dialogue through creative practice. Ten finalists are selected, with…

Now in its 36th year, the Linden Postcard Show is a much-loved, open-access exhibition inviting artists of all backgrounds to participate. With no selection process, once your entry is submitted and paid, your work is included—making this one of Australia’s most inclusive and accessible exhibition opportunities. The exhibition showcases hundreds…

The Doyles Art Award is a major annual not-for-profit exhibition celebrating excellence in representational fine art. Held in Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast, the award has built a strong reputation for showcasing highly skilled contemporary artists and attracting enthusiastic collectors. With a total prize pool of $33,000, the award includes…

Impress Printmakers Studio and Gallery invites submissions for Curiouser and Curiouser, its 2026 Artists’ Book exhibition. Taking inspiration from curiosity, imagination, and the unexpected, this exhibition encourages artists to explore the boundless possibilities of the artist book form. Whether conceptual, sculptural, narrative, or experimental, artists are invited to respond freely—embracing…