Darebin Art Prize 2026
Next date: Sunday, 19 October 2025 | 07:00 AM
to Thursday, 30 October 2025 | 04:00 PM
Calling visual artists across Australia!
The Darebin Art Prize is back in 2026 celebrating the outstanding work of contemporary Australian artists. The Darebin Art Prize is a national multi-medium acquisitive art prize awarding excellence in contemporary visual art.
This leading exhibition brings together contemporary artwork across all media, from painting, drawing, photography, sculpture and craft, through to video art and more.
Finalists from around Australia are represented in this major exhibition which includes a $10,000 acquisitive prize and $1,000 People’s Choice Award. The Darebin Art Prize will be exhibited at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre from 21 February until 20 June 2026.
Entries now open!
Applications close Thursday 30 October 2025, 4pm
PRIZES
Participating artists are eligible to win the following prizes:
KEY DATES
Entries Open | Wednesday 24 September 2025, 9am
Entries Close | Thursday 30 October 2025, 4pm
Successful applicants notified | Friday 12 December 2025
Delivery of Works | Saturday 7 February - Saturday 14 February 2026
Exhibition Dates | Saturday 21 February - Saturday 20 June 2026
Opening Event and Prize Announcement | Saturday 21 February 2026, 6-8pm
Collection of Works | Wednesday 24 June – Saturday 27 June 2026
Essential Information:
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Entries are open to artists that reside in Australia.
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All works submitted must be original work by the artist whose name appears on the entry form and completed between September 2023 and September 2025.
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Entry forms are to be submitted online via OpenForms (via the Bundoora Homestead Art Centre website) by 4pm on Thursday 30 October 2025. If you have difficulties completing an online application, please email bundoora.homestead@darebin.vic.gov.au or call 03) 9496 1060 or visit the gallery during opening hours to discuss alternative application formats.
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An entry fee of $30 AUD must be submitted with your entry.
View a PDF of the application form(PDF, 133KB)
Read the terms and conditions(PDF, 192KB)
2026 Judges
Amita Kirpalani is currently curator of contemporary art at the National Gallery of Victoria where she has curated collection exhibitions and several solo exhibitions and projects by Australian and international artists with a keen interest in the moving image and performance practices. She has worked in the Asia-pacific region for over 20 years, and has held curatorial positions at Gertrude Contemporary, ArtScience Museum Singapore, The Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Canberra Contemporary Art Space. She has published widely and edited the online art journal Stamm (2012-2015) as well as the publication outcome of a multi-year ARC funded project, Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum, amongst others.
Alert to both history and science, Geelong-born and Naarm-based artist Nicholas Mangan (b. 1979) is internationally recognised for unearthing and interrogating the stories embedded in objects, events and spaces. Defined as material storytelling, his critically acclaimed practice, situated at the intersection of sculpture and film, generates disconcerting and politically astute assemblages that form the foundation of his iterative projects. Attentive to the unflinching primacy of material through its ability to both convey and conceal narrative, Mangan frequently mines latent histories to boldly confront some of the most galvanising issues of our time.
Sarah is a curator, writer, editor and researcher based between Melbourne and Brisbane. She has written extensively and worked with Next Wave, QUT Art Museum, Shepparton Art Museum, YIRRAMBOI Festival, Public Art Melbourne and more. She has edited publications around the environment (Ecologising Museums, 2016) and feminism (Feminisms, 2018) with L’Internationale Online, and co-edited a chapter on the 13th Istanbul Biennial in I Can't Work Like This (2017). Her research interests encompass conceptions of public space, representations of nationhood in public art collections, and the climate. She holds a Masters of Art Curatorship from the University of Melbourne.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can enter the Darebin Art Prize?
Entry is open to all artists living and working in Australia.
Does it cost anything to enter?
An entry fee of $30 AUD must be submitted with your entry.
Can I submit more than one entry?
There is a limit of two entries per person. A non-refundable payment of $30 (including GST) is applicable to each artwork entered.
Are there any size restrictions on artworks for the Darebin Art Prize?
There are no set restrictions on the dimensions of artworks however, if your artwork cannot be safely lifted by two people, we will be unable to accept it.
My artwork is large or complicated to install, can I still submit it to the Darebin Art Prize?
Yes, if it can not be lifted by two people, we ask that you contact Bundoora Homestead prior to submitting your application to discuss your requirements with our staff. (Email Bundoora.homestead@darebin.vic.gov.au or call the gallery on 03 9496 1060.)
Can I submit an artwork that has already been exhibited?
Yes, you can submit any artwork that is your original work and has been completed between September 2023 and September 2025.
If I am selected as a finalist, when will I need to make my work available for the Darebin Art Prize exhibition?
Finalists will be required to deliver their work to Bundoora Homestead between 7-14 February 2026. The exhibition will run from 21 February to 20 June 2026 and artworks must be collected from Bundoora Homestead between Wednesday 24 June – Saturday 27 June 2026. Please ensure you can accommodate these dates before applying.
Who is responsible for the freight of my artwork to/from Bundoora Homestead Art Centre if I am selected as a finalist?
All freight costs associated with the Darebin Art Prize exhibition must be covered by the artist.
What are the judging criteria for the Darebin Art Prize?
Selection Criteria for finalists (and winning work) is as follows:
What happens if I am selected as the winner of the Darebin Art Prize?
The Darebin Art prize is an acquisitive award, this means the winning entry will become part of the Darebin Art Collection and will become property of the City of Darebin. The winner will receive a $10,000 award. The People’s Choice award is non-acquisitive, this work will be returned to the artist, and they will receive a $1,000 award.
My artwork needs to be suspended from the ceiling. Is this possible?
Due to the Homestead’s heritage ceilings, we have limited options for suspending artworks. There are some existing fixing points for artworks under 10kg. If your work is more than 10kg we may not be able to suspend it. Please contact us to discuss this further. (Email Bundoora.homestead@darebin.vic.gov.au or call the gallery on 03 9496 1060.)
Can I submit a collaborative work or a work by an artist collective?
Yes. When submitting your application, please provide the name of the collective or the names of all collaborators.
Can I sell my artwork through the Darebin Art Prize, and will any commission be taken?
We don’t display prices, facilitate artwork sales, or take commission. However, if someone enquires about purchasing your artwork, pending your permission, we will pass along your details or the details of your gallery, or pass details of the enquiry on to you for response.
Please read our FAQs carefully. If you still have questions you can contact us on 03 9496 1060/ bundoorahomestead@darebin.vic.gov.au (Wed- Sat, 11am- 4pm).
When
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Wednesday, 24 September 2025 | 09:00 AM
- Thursday, 30 October 2025 | 04:00 PM
Location
Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre, 7 Prospect Hill Dr, Bundoora, 3083, View Map
-37.7051404,145.0499516
7 Prospect Hill Dr ,
Bundoora 3083
Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre
7 Prospect Hill Dr ,
Bundoora 3083
Darebin Art Prize 2026