The Queensland Regional Art Awards (QRAA) are Flying Arts’ annual visual arts awards, open to artists living in regional, rural and remote Queensland. Established in 2011, the QRAA offers Australia’s largest regional art awards prize pool.
This year’s total prize pool of $326,800 spans cash prizes, solo exhibitions, artist residencies and professional development opportunities across seven categories: the Queensland Regional Art Awards Overall Winner, The Mervyn Moriarty Landscape Award, First Nations Artist Award, Remote Artist Award, Emerging Artist Award, Young Artist Award, and People’s Choice Awards for adult and young artists.
Entries open Monday 10 August and close Friday 18 September 2026 at 3pm. Entry fees are $40 ($35 for Flying Arts members), or $25 for young artists aged 15 to 25. Finalists will be announced on 15 October, with People’s Choice voting opening the following day. Winners will be revealed at the Gala on 26 November at 300 George Street, Brisbane.
Entries will be judged by final judge Simon Wright, Assistant Director (Learning and Public Engagement) at QAGOMA, alongside a peer selection panel of Kate O’Hara (Director, Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, Townsville), Tracey Heathwood (Director, Artspace Mackay), Beck Davis (Director and Head of School, Queensland College of Art and Design) and Brian Robinson (Contemporary Artist and Curator, Cairns).
The 2026 QRAA finalists and winners will be exhibited in Brisbane from December 2026, before touring regional Queensland in 2027 to Bundaberg, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Roma, Rockhampton and the Gold Coast.
Artists can also access a suite of free professional development resources, covering how to write an artist statement, build a professional CV and bio, and photograph and submit work to the standard judges expect.
For full eligibility, category details and to enter, visit the Flying Arts website.
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