Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award 2026
In an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and the rapid proliferation of images, the biennial Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award takes on particular relevance. At a time when likeness can be simulated instantly, the Award foregrounds the enduring value of human observation, technical skill, and interpretation. It affirms portraiture as a slow, deliberate and deeply human undertaking – one grounded in attention, intimacy, care and exchange between artist and sitter, and in the fragile, complex act of seeing and being seen.
The Award is distinctive in its focus – all works must depict the subject accurately and without abstraction, representing a living person known to the artist and aware of the process. This commitment to realistic portrait painting has defined the Award since its inception and continues to distinguish it within the national portrait prize landscape. Previous recipients include Lucy Culliton, Shaun Gladwell and Sally Robinson.
The Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award is one of Australia’s major prizes for realistic portraiture. The $50,000 biennial award is non-acquisitive and is among the higher-value portrait prizes in the country, attracting hundreds of entries from many of the nation’s leading artists.
We thank the generosity of our Award patron Peter Hannan.
For the 2026 Award, several changes have been introduced to better support artists. The entry fee has been reduced, and finalists will receive an artist loan fee, along with a contribution towards artwork freight costs.
Read more about the history of the Award here
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Key Dates
Entries open: Wednesday 8 July 2026
Entries close: midnight, Tuesday 6 October 2026
Finalists announced: October 2026
Delivery of artworks: Wednesday 25 November – Thursday 3 December 2026, weekdays 10am–4pm
Opening event and Award winner announcement: Friday 11 December 2026, 5.30pm–7.30pm
Exhibition dates: Saturday 12 December 2026 – Saturday 27 February 2027
Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award 2026 judge:
Dr Robert Wellington
Best known to many as a judge on the hit ABC TV series Portrait Artist of the Year, Robert is an award-winning author, and an associate professor of art history at the Australian National University. He has published extensively in English and French on the art and culture of Louis XIV’s France. His book ‘Versailles Mirrored: The Power of Luxury from Louis XIV to Donald Trump’ won the 2026 ACT Literary Award for Non Fiction. He delivered the 2026 Andrew Sayers Memorial Lecture at the National Portrait Gallery, reflecting on the popularity of portrait prizes.
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Are you an artist with disability? Contact us to discuss any particular needs:
P: 02 6499 2201
E: secca@begavalley.nsw.gov.au
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