Victorian artist Huiyi Xiao has been awarded the $40,000 Major Prize at the 2026 Churchie Emerging Art Prize, announced at Metro Arts in Brisbane on Friday 24 July.
Xiao, who was born in China and is now based in Victoria, works across performance, video and photography, exploring themes surrounding diasporic identity and the Chinese Australian experience.
Her winning work, The Fire That Wouldn’t Call Itself Ash, is a performative video largely set in Melbourne’s Chinatown. Through performative autoethnography, Xiao examines the social and psychological complexities of Chinese Australian diasporic identity, including the pressures of patriotic education, multiculturalism and migrant labour.
The $40,000 non-acquisitive Major Prize was generously sponsored by BSPN Architecture.
Guest judge Jason Smith, Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, praised Xiao’s work and highlighted the important role the churchie plays in supporting emerging artists. He also emphasised the importance of arts education and continued investment in young creative talent.
The 2026 prize also recognised three other artists:
- Rosemary Tamas-Cao — $5,000 Special Commendation Prize for Squat Tossed, sponsored by Fardoulys Constructions.
- Georgia Lucy — $2,500 Commendation Prize for Gough and Margaret’s Bullclip, sponsored by Madison Facility Services.
- Juanita McLauchlan — $2,500 Commendation Prize for Crossing Time, sponsored by Madison Facility Services.
The $5,000 People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Hutchinson Builders, remains open for public voting, with the winner to be announced when the exhibition closes.
This year’s finalists include artists from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania: Badra AJI, Zena Zada Cumpston, Alannah Dair, Kuweni Dias Mendis, Keroshin Govender, Ena Grozdanic, Olive Guardiani, MeiMei Hodgkinson, Georgia Lucy, Alice McCool, Juanita McLauchlan, Yanti Peng, Aris Prabawa, Jonny Scholes, Rosemary Tamas-Cao, Anna Weston and Huiyi Xiao.
Now in its 39th year, the churchie is one of Australia’s longest-running prizes for emerging artists. Established in 1987, the prize provides a national platform for emerging contemporary artists and promotes innovation and excellence across contemporary art practice.
The 2026 Churchie Finalists’ Exhibition is currently on display at Metro Arts, West End, until 8 August 2026.
the churchie emerging art prize 2026
25 July – 8 August 2026
Metro Arts, West End, Brisbane
The exhibition also includes an education resource designed to support students and educators, featuring curriculum-linked questions and activities for engaging with contemporary art.
Image: Huiyi Xiao with winning artwork The Fire That Wouldn’t Call Itself Ash. Photo by Michael Warrington.
