The National Emerging Art Prize (NEAP) returns for its fifth and most expansive edition, now featuring a brand-new category for emerging photographers. With a total prize pool of $40,000, including an acquisitive top prize of $20,000, this unique program continues to champion Australia’s most promising unrepresented artists.
NEAP is now calling for entries from unrepresented Australian painters and photographers. Submissions close on Monday, 1 September 2025.
Founded with the support of Morgans Financial Limited and in partnership with Belle magazine, NEAP provides a highly visible national platform, designed to promote and sustain the long-term careers of emerging artists.
Alongside its generous suite of cash prizes, every entrant has the opportunity to have their work seen by an esteemed curatorium of leading contemporary artists, tastemakers, and culture leaders. The selection panel is led by NEAP co-founder, curator and writer Amber Creswell Bell.
All finalists will be showcased in NEAP’s largest public exhibition to date, launching in October at The Garden Gallery, within Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens and directly opposite the Art Gallery of NSW. The exhibition will also include solo shows by last year’s prize winners.
This is a significant opportunity for early-career painters and photographers to gain visibility and recognition on a national stage.
Key Details:
-
Eligible artists: Unrepresented Australian painters and photographers
-
Prize pool: $40,000 (top acquisitive prize of $20,000)
-
Entries close: Monday, 1 September 2025
-
Finalists’ exhibition: October 2025, The Garden Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
