All prize exhibitions are valuable to the participating artists and the art community - that is not what this table is about. But not every prize exhibition carries the same weight. The table below intends to show that a finalist selection can carry a different weight without suggesting that one exhibition is more valuable.
02-October-2026
Art Prize Weights
These weightings are used only to distinguish between prize tiers when evaluating finalist selections. The tiers are not a judgment of a prize’s quality or value. Every art prize plays an important role in its community. We simply need a way to say that a finalist in Prize A that exhibits every entrant is not equivalent to a prize that only selects 20 finalists.
Current weights for 86 art prizes, sorted by weight and then title. The reasoning considers the main award, how many artists are selected, the prize’s history and reach, and the organisation behind it.
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Archibald Prize | 5.0 | One of Australia's longest-running portrait prizes, shown at the Art Gallery of NSW. Reaching its national finalist exhibition is a major achievement. |
| Glover Prize | 5.0 | A major national landscape prize that chooses a relatively small group of finalists from a much larger field. |
| Sir John Sulman Prize | 5.0 | A long-running national prize at the Art Gallery of NSW, with a carefully selected exhibition. |
| Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award | 5.0 | Now in its 43rd year, this national museum award offers a $100,000 main prize and selected just 64 works in 2026. |
| Wynne Prize | 5.0 | A long-running national prize for landscape art and sculpture at the Art Gallery of NSW, with a carefully selected exhibition. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| Alice Prize | 4.5 | Founded in 1970, this $30,000 award adds the winning work to a public collection. In 2026, 63 finalists were chosen from 340 entries. |
| Blake Prize | 4.5 | A long-established national prize with a distinctive subject and a strong reputation in Australian art. |
| Calleen Art Award | 4.5 | An established painting prize whose winning work enters a collection, with a carefully selected finalist exhibition. |
| Fisher's Ghost Art Award | 4.5 | A long-running prize with a substantial Open award. This weight is for finalists eligible for that Open award. |
| Gold Award | 4.5 | Eight Australian painters were invited to compete for a $50,000 award, with the winning work acquired by Rockhampton Museum of Art. |
| Hadley's Art Prize | 4.5 | A $100,000 award that acquires the winning work, with just 27 finalists. Its shorter history keeps it below the longest-established prizes. |
| Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture | 4.5 | A $60,000 award with just four finalists, backed by the long-running Melbourne Prize Trust. Entry is limited to Victorian sculptors. |
| Mosman Art Prize | 4.5 | This national painting prize dates to 1947 and acquires the winning work for $70,000. Its 72 finalists make the selection broader than the very smallest shortlists. |
| Muswellbrook Art Prize | 4.5 | A long-running regional gallery prize with a substantial painting award and a national profile. |
| National Photographic Portrait Prize | 4.5 | Presented by the National Portrait Gallery, this established prize selected 30 finalists for its final edition in 2026. |
| National Works on Paper Prize | 4.5 | An established national exhibition at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, which acquires the winning work for its collection. |
| Portia Geach Memorial Award | 4.5 | A long-established national portrait prize for women, with a recognised exhibition and reputation of its own. |
| the churchie emerging art prize | 4.5 | A national prize with 39 years of history, a $40,000 main award and just 17 finalists chosen from 550 entries. |
| The Lester Prize for Portraiture | 4.5 | A $50,000 national portrait award with 40 adult finalists and an exhibition at WA Museum Boola Bardip. |
| Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize | 4.5 | A national art prize presented by the South Australian Museum, combining a distinctive subject with strong museum backing. |
| William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize | 4.5 | An established national photography prize presented by a public gallery. |
| Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize | 4.5 | Running since 2001, this $25,000 prize selected 49 finalists from 724 entries and acquires the winning sculpture. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| ACAR Art Prize | 4.0 | A $100,000 prize that acquires the winning work and selected 62 finalists. It is still a new award, so its track record is developing. |
| Bayside Painting Prize | 4.0 | A public gallery painting prize with a carefully selected exhibition. It has a shorter history than the most established national prizes. |
| Brisbane Portrait Prize | 4.0 | A $50,000 portrait award shown at the State Library of Queensland. Artists need a Brisbane connection, and the prize began in 2019. |
| Collie Art Prize | 4.0 | A $50,000 prize that acquires the winning work. Its previous edition chose 44 finalists from 444 entries. |
| Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award | 4.0 | A national small sculpture prize that adds the winning work to Deakin University's collection. Around 40 artists reach the final exhibition. |
| Fleurieu Biennale Art Prize | 4.0 | An established national prize held every two years, with a focused finalist exhibition. |
| Head On Photo Awards | 4.0 | A long-running international photography competition with anonymous judging and festival exhibitions. Each of its three categories has a $5,000 top award and selects 30 or 40 finalists. |
| Kedumba Drawing Award | 4.0 | An established drawing prize with a small invited exhibition, making selection especially distinctive. |
| Paddington Art Prize | 4.0 | An established national painting prize. This weight covers its painting finalists; the newer sculpture prize is listed separately. |
| Percival Portrait Award | 4.0 | An established portrait prize presented by a regional public gallery, with a longer history than its photography counterpart. |
| Ravenswood Australian Women's Art Prize | 4.0 | Its $35,000 main award is for the Professional category, which selected 54 finalists in 2026. Other categories have separate awards. |
| Sunshine Coast National Art Prize | 4.0 | An established national prize presented by a public gallery, with a selected finalist exhibition. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| Abbotsleigh Grace Cossington Smith Art Award | 3.5 | A national prize for two-dimensional art, backed by a gallery and focused on a selected exhibition. |
| Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing | 3.5 | A $25,000 drawing prize that acquires the winning work. Its 21st edition selected 41 finalists. |
| Heysen Prize for Landscape | 3.5 | An established landscape prize held every two years, with a distinctive regional setting. |
| John Leslie Art Prize | 3.5 | A landscape prize held every two years at Gippsland Art Gallery, giving it strong public gallery backing. |
| John Villiers Outback Art Prize | 3.5 | An established prize devoted to art inspired by the Outback, with a distinctive regional focus. |
| Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize | 3.5 | A $20,000 award with just 13 finalists, backed by a long-running corporate art collection. It is limited to emerging artists. |
| Mandorla Art Award | 3.5 | A long-running $30,000 prize that acquires the winning work and attracts artists nationally. Its particular theme gives it a focused field. |
| Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize | 3.5 | A $30,000 photography prize that acquires the winning work and selected 31 artists. It is newer than the longest-established photography prizes. |
| Napier Waller Art Prize | 3.5 | A $15,000 prize for current and former Defence personnel. The winning work enters the Australian War Memorial collection; 29 works were shortlisted in 2026. |
| Percival Photographic Portrait Prize | 3.5 | A $10,000 photography prize that acquires the winning work and is presented by a public gallery. It is younger than the main Percival Portrait Award. |
| Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Award | 3.5 | An established print and drawing prize at a regional public gallery, which acquires the winning work. |
| Wyndham Art Prize | 3.5 | A substantial council gallery prize. Its 80 finalists make selection broader than prizes with shorter finalist lists. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| City of Kalgoorlie Boulder Art Prize | 3.0 | An established regional competition with broad participation and strong local standing. |
| City of Rockingham Art Prize | 3.0 | A long-running council art prize with an established regional exhibition. |
| Clunes Ceramic Award | 3.0 | A national ceramics prize that acquires the winning work and selected 55 finalists. |
| Gallipoli Art Prize | 3.0 | An established national prize with a distinctive subject and a focused exhibition. |
| Gosford Art Prize | 3.0 | A regional public gallery prize open to artists nationally, with a selected finalist exhibition. |
| Hornsby Art Prize | 3.0 | An established council art prize with several award categories and a broad exhibition. |
| Lethbridge Landscape Prize | 3.0 | A national landscape prize presented by a commercial gallery, with a shorter history than the oldest landscape awards. |
| National Emerging Art Prize | 3.0 | A $20,000 painting prize that acquires the winning work and plans to select no more than 25 finalists. It is a newer prize for emerging artists. |
| Sculpture in the Vineyards - Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival | 3.0 | A long-running sculpture festival with a $35,000 main award. Its Open exhibition selects more artists than the smaller national sculpture shortlists. |
| Stanthorpe Art Prize | 3.0 | A long-running regional gallery prize that accepts entries nationally. |
| Swell Sculpture Festival | 3.0 | A major outdoor sculpture festival in its 24th year, with a $15,000 top award. Its 2026 artist exhibition included 87 regular artist or group entries. |
| Urunga Small Sculpture Prize | 3.0 | A specialist regional sculpture prize running since 2018, with a selected exhibition. |
| Vincent Lingiari Art Award 2026 | 3.0 | A $10,000 award with a curated exhibition at Araluen Arts Centre. Entry is limited to artists eligible under its specific theme and rules. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| Artbank Prize | 2.5 | A new award backed by a national art collection. Just eight finalists were chosen from more than 740 entries. |
| Darebin Art Prize | 2.5 | A contemporary art prize open nationally and backed by Darebin Council, with a selected exhibition. |
| Doyles Art Award | 2.5 | An established art prize with a specialist focus and a selected exhibition. |
| Harden Art Prize | 2.5 | A regional landscape prize with a more local focus than the major national landscape awards. |
| Lane Cove Art Award | 2.5 | An established art society award with a strong community presence. |
| Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize | 2.5 | A national-entry prize backed by a public gallery. Its exhibition includes several categories and a large number of finalists. |
| Paddo Sculpture Prize | 2.5 | A new $10,000 sculpture prize that selected 15 artists or collaborations. The longer-running Paddington painting prize is listed separately. |
| Pro Hart Outback Art Prize | 2.5 | A regional public gallery prize with an Outback focus. |
| Queen's Wharf Brisbane Art Prize | 2.5 | A $20,000 Queensland prize with professional judging and 50 finalists. It is only in its second edition. |
| Remagine Art Prize | 2.5 | An established council art prize focused on environmental ideas and reuse. |
| Sculpture Bermagui | 2.5 | A $25,000 sculpture prize with about 20 years of history. Its 2026 exhibition included more than 100 eligible artists. |
| Southern Ocean Art Prize (SOAP) | 2.5 | A regional prize open to several art forms, with a selected exhibition. |
| St Columba's Art Prize | 2.5 | An established prize that accepts entries nationally and presents a selected exhibition. |
| Waverley Art Prize | 2.5 | A council prize with 40 years of history and a $15,000 Open award. The winning work enters the council collection. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| Burwood Art Prize | 2.0 | A $20,000 award that acquires the winning work and has professional judges. All 161 finalists could compete for the main award, making its exhibition unusually broad. |
| Goulburn Art Award | 2.0 | A regional gallery prize dating to 1992, with a $12,000 main award. Entry is limited to artists within about 120 kilometres. |
| Lethbridge 20,000 Small Scale Art Award | 2.0 | A $20,000 small-scale art award with a very large finalist exhibition, so reaching the finals is less selective than at prizes with shorter lists. |
| Noosa Art Prize | 2.0 | A $12,000 regional gallery prize that acquires the winning work and selected 65 finalists. |
| Omnia Art Prize | 2.0 | An established prize with a very large exhibition. More than 250 works were shown in 2026, so being included is less selective than at prizes with shorter lists. |
| Wollumbin Art Award | 2.0 | A $15,000 prize backed by a public gallery. Its 78 adult finalists make the selection broader than the smaller gallery shortlists. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| 9x5 Landscape Prize | 1.5 | An Australia-wide landscape prize with more than a decade of history and strong participation. Its 136 finalists make the exhibition broad, while the top award is $2,000. |
| Little Things Art Prize | 1.5 | An established exhibition of small artworks, with $4,000 awards in its adult categories and relatively short finalist lists. |
| Northern Territory Art Award | 1.5 | A newer gallery-backed prize with a $4,000 main award, now in its second edition. |
| Title | Weight | Reasoning |
| Callinan Chambers Art Competition | 1.0 | A $10,000 competition with a selected exhibition. Public information about the 2026 finalist group is limited, so this uses the standard 1.0 weight for smaller prizes with missing details. |
| Dardanup Arts Spectacular | 1.0 | A community art exhibition with a $3,000 top Open award. Its Open finalist group is not clearly published, so this uses the standard 1.0 weight for smaller prizes with missing details. |
| The Agency Still Life Prize | 1.0 | A $5,000 still-life prize at Bowral Art Gallery. Its complete 2026 finalist group is not verified, so this uses the standard 1.0 weight for smaller prizes with missing details. |
| Winter Art Prize | 1.0 | A new community art prize with a $2,300 adult award. Its adult finalist group is not clearly published, so this uses the standard 1.0 weight for smaller prizes with missing details. |
