THE 2026 Ipswich Art Awards will be held from November 7-14, celebrating 26 years of artistic excellence with a prize pool of $18,000.
The Ipswich Art Awards 2026 marks the 26th year of this prestigious event, showcasing the creativity and skill of both emerging and established artists from Ipswich and beyond.
Entries are open now until September 13 for artists over 15 years old who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
The awards feature multiple categories, including Acrylic, Oil, Watercolour, 3D, Drawing and Pastels, Photography, Mixed Media, Print Making, and New Media.
The public exhibition will run from November 7-14 at 1 Nicholas St, Ipswich Central, providing visitors the opportunity to view and purchase artworks. The Awards Night will be held on Saturday, November 7, where winners of each category will be announced, including the prestigious Best of Show. Please note, entry fees do not include tickets to the Awards Night, which is a separate event.
Esteemed judges for 2026 include Sophie Chapman from the Condensery Art Gallery and Andrea Higgins from Museums and Galleries Queensland
Artists can access ARTiculate workshops and drop-in sessions to assist with submissions, and computer and internet access is available at Ipswich Libraries for completing online applications
All submitted works must be the artist’s own creation and concept, not copied from other sources or tutorials.
The Ipswich Art Awards is a key cultural event in the region, attracting over 1500 visitors annually and providing artists with exposure, confidence, and opportunities to sell their work.
In 2025, the exhibition achieved over $22,000 in artwork sales, highlighting its importance for local artists – the awards support Ipswich’s vision to be a nationally recognised creative city and celebrate the diversity and talent of its artistic community.
For detailed guidelines, including Terms and Conditions and how to submit entries, artists can visit
shapeyouripswich.com.au/ipswich-art-awards.
