The call is out for artists to take part in Australia’s richest prize for portraiture with entries now open for the 2026 Lester Prize Main Awards.
The 2025 season saw more than 1,000 entries to the Prize and enjoyed record-breaking visitor numbers to the exhibition, held at WA Museum Boola Bardip. Distinguished by its placement of the artist and community front-and-centre, The Lester Prize drives the advancement of the artists as opposed to a focus on those sitting for portraits.
Executive Director Shannon Yujnovich said there is a great sense of anticipation for the 2026 season.
‘More than 30,000 people visited The Lester Prize 2025 exhibition, and we are hoping to build on that this year.
‘We’ve already been blown away by the submissions for our Youth Awards, and everyone is excited to see what will be submitted from artists around Australia.’
With recent additions to its Main Awards prize pool, The Lester Prize is not only one of Australia’s most prestigious art prizes but its most lucrative, offering a total of more than $135,000 in prize money to winning finalists.
Entries are welcome from everyone, with the finalists’ exhibition featuring established artists alongside those who may only be at the beginning of their careers.
Director Russell Lester said the team will continue to focus on realising the Lester Prize’s commitment of art accessible to all. ‘Our ongoing stewardship of Australian talent and creativity is of utmost importance to The Lester Prize,’ he said.
‘It is such a privilege to receive the entries that come in each year, and there’s always a buzz when a new submission arrives. It’s a wonderful thing to be involved in.’
Self-taught Tom Price artist Jenna Pickering was the 2024 winner of the Tony Fini Foundation Artists’ Prize and Ashurst Emerging Artist Award. She believes one of the most meaningful roles the Lester Prize plays is connecting artists with their wider community.
‘The Lester Prize in 2022 was the first ever time I entered one of my portraits into an art prize,’ Pickering said. ‘As a now two-time finalist, I found that one of the most incredible parts of the Lester Prize experience was that I got to meet other creatives – and living in the middle of nowhere, that luxury is not something I am ever given.’
The Lester Prize: sought after by artists
Jenny Rogerson, last year’s winner of the $50,000 Richard Lester Prize for Portraiture, said: ‘The Lester Prize is now the most sought after prize amongst Australian artists. [They] ring you when you become a finalist, it’s not just an email – they are so inclusive and provide all the finalists with a weekend of amazing experiences for the opening weekend.
‘Well-run and respected prizes like the Lester are critical for visual artists, providing recognition from peers, connection with the public, and a platform from which to grow their careers.’
In addition to its Main Awards, The Lester Prize also runs a Youth Awards category, with opening night this year on Thursday 23 April at the WA Museum, Boola Bardip. The Youth Awards are open to all high school students across Australia to submit portrait artworks, providing a platform for young creatives to showcase their artistic talents and share their perspectives with the community.
The Lester Prize Main Awards entries are open to all artists with Australian residency aged 18 or older. There are seven awards, including the Richard Lester Prize for Portraiture, the Tony Fini Foundation Artist Prize, the Minderoo Foundation Spirit Prize and the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize, Barton Family Installers Prize and the Baldock Family People’s Choice Award and the Highly Commended Prize.
