Can international artists enter Australian art prizes?

Many Australian prizes are open only to Australian citizens or permanent residents, even when the prize name says 'national' or sounds international. Some, however, do accept worldwide entries. Arthead verifies the conditions of entry for every listed prize and marks eligibility clearly.

What is an acquisitive art prize?

A prize where the winning work is purchased by the host gallery or council for its permanent collection, with the prize money serving as the acquisition payment. Australia runs many of these, so winning adds both a sale and a public collection credit to your record.

Do Australian open calls charge entry fees?

Most Australian art prizes charge modest entry fees, commonly AU$30–60 per work, which fund the prize pool and exhibition. Council-run programs and some residencies are free to apply. Fees are stated on every Arthead listing.

What funding exists for artists in Australia?

Creative Australia provides federal project funding, state bodies like Creative Victoria and Create NSW fund at the state level, and local councils offer smaller grants. Nearly all require Australian citizenship or residency, which Arthead marks on each listing.

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Open Calls · Australia

Open Calls for Artists in Australia

Residencies, grants, exhibitions, and competitions across Australia. Curated and updated weekly.

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Domestic·Sydney, NSW, Australia·Entry fee $55

23rd Annual Paddington Art Prize – Painting

AUD $30,000 acquisitive prize plus eight additional awards

The Paddington Art Prize is a prestigious national acquisitive painting competition now in its 23rd year. Artists are invited to submit works inspired by the Australian landscape, with the top prize of $30,000 going toward acquisition of the winning painting into a private collection. The competition is open to all Australian artists working in any medium across all career stages. Eight additional category awards are also presented alongside the main prize. Entries are submitted online through the Art Galleria portal.

International·Sydney, Australia, Australia·Entry fee $50

Paddington Art Prize 2026

$30,000 AUD Major Prize (Acquisitive), Plus 8 Additional Awards

Now in its 23rd year, this premier national acquisitive prize celebrates paintings inspired by the Australian landscape. The major prize of $30,000 AUD is one of the most generous landscape painting awards in the country. The prize encourages artists to interpret the environment as a central theme in Australian contemporary art.

Paddington Art Prize 2026

Domestic·Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Australia·Entry fee $55

Paddo Sculpture Prize 2026

AUD 10,000 main prize; AUD 3,000 Honourable Mention; AUD 1,000 Highly Commended; residency + AUD 500

The Paddo Sculpture Prize is the inaugural national non-acquisitive sculpture award from the team behind the Paddington Art Prize. It invites free-standing three-dimensional sculpture inspired by the Australian landscape. The main prize is AUD 10,000, with additional Honourable Mention, Highly Commended and a residency award at Eramboo Artist Environment. The prize is open to artists across Australia and runs alongside the long-running Paddo Painting Prize. Selected finalists are presented in an exhibition.

International·Bilpin, New South Wales, Australia·Entry fee $40

BigCi Environmental Awards 2026

Two winners each receive a four-week complimentary residency at BigCi plus A$5,000 prize money.

The BigCi Environmental Awards invite Australian and international artists across many disciplines to submit work engaging with environmental themes. Two winners each receive a four-week complimentary residency at BigCi in the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains, plus A$5,000 in prize money and support for their projects. Entry costs A$40 and the residency itself is fully funded for winners.

Bilpin International Ground for Creative Initiatives

Domestic·Sydney, NSW, Australia·Entry fee $55

Inaugural Paddington Sculpture Prize

AUD $10,000 non-acquisitive prize plus three additional awards

The inaugural Paddington Sculpture Prize is a new national competition running alongside the established Paddington Art Prize. Artists are invited to submit 3D free-standing sculptures inspired by the Australian landscape. The prize is non-acquisitive, meaning the winning work is celebrated but not purchased. Three additional category awards complement the main prize. Submissions are made via the Art Galleria online portal and the competition is open to all Australian sculptors regardless of career stage.

Domestic·Urunga, NSW, Australia·Entry fee $50

Urunga Small Sculpture Prize 2026

AUD $10,000 prize pool; First Prize $5,000; Tom Treacy Memorial People's Choice $1,000

The Urunga Small Sculpture Prize is an annual national competition celebrating three-dimensional art, hosted by Art Space Urunga in coastal New South Wales. Open to Australian artists, the prize accepts freestanding and wall-mounted sculptures in any medium, provided works do not exceed 50cm in any dimension and weigh no more than 20kg. All entries must be original works completed within the year prior to the August deadline. The total prize pool is AUD $10,000 with a first prize of $5,000 and a People's Choice award. Entry fee is $50 per work with no limit on the number of submissions.

Domestic·Sydney, NSW, Australia·Entry fee $50

Portia Geach Memorial Award 2026

AUD $30,000 non-acquisitive prize; People's Choice Award $1,000

The Portia Geach Memorial Award is one of Australia's most prestigious portrait prizes, dedicated exclusively to female artists. Open to Australian citizens and British-born residents who have lived in Australia for the preceding 12 months, entrants must submit a portrait painted from life of a person distinguished in Art, Letters, or the Sciences. The award is non-acquisitive and offers a cash prize of $30,000, with finalists exhibited at Sydney's S.H. Ervin Gallery. Works must be original and created between August 2025 and the August 2026 deadline. AI-generated works are ineligible.

S.H. Ervin Gallery / National Trust of Australia (NSW)

Later this season4

Domestic·Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia, Australia·Entry fee $40

Hornsby Art Prize 2026

AUD 10,000 major prize; AUD 5,000 local artist award; five AUD 1,500 category prizes; AUD 500 People's Choice

The Hornsby Art Prize is an annual non-acquisitive competition presented by Hornsby Shire Council in New South Wales. Artists are invited to submit recent works across five categories: painting, drawing, printmaking, photography and sculpture. The total prize pool is valued at AUD 23,000, with a major prize and dedicated category awards. A separate Hornsby Shire Local Artist Award recognises artists from the local area. Works must have been completed within the past two years and not previously shown in an art prize. Finalist works are exhibited as part of the prize program.

Hornsby Shire Council

Domestic·Hahndorf, South Australia, Australia·Entry fee $0

Heysen Prize for Landscape 2026

AUD $15,000 acquisitive prize; People's Choice Award $1,000

The Heysen Prize for Landscape is a biennial contemporary art prize established in 1997 to honour Australian landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen. The prize invites artists to express their deep connection with, or concern for, protecting the Australian environment. The competition accepts 2D, 3D, and moving image works across all career stages. The $15,000 acquisitive prize sees the winning work enter a permanent collection, and a $1,000 People's Choice award is also presented. Submissions are made online with an entry fee payable through the Hahndorf Academy shop. Exhibition opens in October 2026.

Domestic·Prospect, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia·Free entry

Newmarch Gallery Exhibition Call 2027

Exhibition slot at Newmarch Gallery in 2027 (solo or group); professional exhibition opportunity

Newmarch Gallery in Prospect, South Australia, is seeking exhibition proposals from visual artists for its 2027 program. The gallery welcomes innovative artwork in 2D and 3D media, moving image, and sound art. Submissions must feature new work not previously exhibited in the Adelaide metropolitan area, and both solo and group exhibitions are accepted. Available exhibition slots span February through November 2027, with some months reserved for community programming. Artists are encouraged to arrange a pre-submission meeting with the Gallery Coordinator. Applications are submitted through an online platform.

Newmarch Gallery / City of Prospect

Domestic·Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia, Australia·Entry fee $50

Fisher's Ghost Art Award 2026

Over AUD 60,000 total; Open Award AUD 50,000 (acquisitive)

The Fisher's Ghost Art Award is an annual art prize presented by Campbelltown Arts Centre as part of Campbelltown's Festival of Fisher's Ghost. Now in its 64th year, it is one of the longest-running art awards in New South Wales. The 2026 award offers over AUD 60,000 in prize money across multiple categories. The celebrated Open Award is valued at AUD 50,000 and is acquisitive to the Campbelltown City Council Art Collection. Works are accepted across a broad range of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography and sculpture. Separate Primary and Secondary student categories are open to students in the Macarthur area. Finalist works are exhibited at Campbelltown Arts Centre.

Campbelltown Arts Centre

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✦ OPEN CALLS IN AUSTRALIA

Australian open calls, answered.

Australia's open-call scene is defined by its art prizes: a national circuit of well-funded painting, photography, and sculpture awards run by regional galleries and councils, many with acquisitive prizes worth tens of thousands of dollars, alongside residencies and council grants.

This page tracks Australian opportunities currently open. Eligibility deserves close attention here, since many Australian prizes are open only to citizens and residents; Arthead verifies each listing against the official conditions of entry before it goes live.

Can international artists enter Australian art prizes?: Many Australian prizes are open only to Australian citizens or permanent residents, even when the prize name says 'national' or sounds international. Some, however, do accept worldwide entries. Arthead verifies the conditions of entry for every listed prize and marks eligibility clearly.
What is an acquisitive art prize?: A prize where the winning work is purchased by the host gallery or council for its permanent collection, with the prize money serving as the acquisition payment. Australia runs many of these, so winning adds both a sale and a public collection credit to your record.
Do Australian open calls charge entry fees?: Most Australian art prizes charge modest entry fees, commonly AU$30–60 per work, which fund the prize pool and exhibition. Council-run programs and some residencies are free to apply. Fees are stated on every Arthead listing.
What funding exists for artists in Australia?: Creative Australia provides federal project funding, state bodies like Creative Victoria and Create NSW fund at the state level, and local councils offer smaller grants. Nearly all require Australian citizenship or residency, which Arthead marks on each listing.