Organizer Information
The Bowness Photography Prize is administered by the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) on behalf of the Trustees of the MAPh Foundation. Established in 2006 through a gift from the Bowness family, it stands as Australia’s premier photography award dedicated to honoring the medium as a primary art form.
Title & Description
The William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize 2026.
This major national open call invites lens-based creators to submit recent works spanning analogue and digital still image practices. The prize celebrates the breadth of contemporary practice, including manipulated, multi-panel, and experimental photo-based works. Submissions are initially evaluated digitally by a panel, with shortlisted finalists advancing to a physical exhibition at the museum.
Categories
Photography
Eligibility
- Open to Australian citizens or individuals who have been legal residents of Australia for at least 12 months prior to the close of the entry submission period.
- There is no age limit.
- Collaborative duos and artist collectives are fully eligible to enter under a single nominated contact.
- Employees of MAPh, the City of Monash, the MAPh Foundation, or their immediate family members are ineligible.
AWARD CATEGORIES & TIERS
Supported by the Bowness Family Foundation, the prize is the richest cash award for photography in Australia:
- The Main Prize: An acquisitive $50,000 AUD cash prize awarded to one winning artist. The chosen artwork is permanently acquired into the MAPh collection.
- Honourable Mentions: Two selected artists receive $2,500 AUD in cash.
- Wai Tang Commissioning Award: An initiative of the MAPh Foundation where curatorial staff nominate up to four finalists from the exhibition pool. The ultimate recipient receives a $10,000 AUD cash commission to exhibit a body of work the following year.
- People's Choice Award: Voted by the public on-site and online, with the winner announced toward the end of the exhibition cycle.
SUBMISSION & EXHIBITION SPECIFICATIONS
- Production Timeline: All entered works must have been produced since April 1, 2025. Conceptual works in progress spanning longer periods (e.g., 2020–26) are accepted if resolved after the cutoff date.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy: AI-assisted works are permitted if artificial intelligence is not the substantial or overriding input. The artist statement must explicitly describe how AI was utilized alongside non-AI inputs.
- Dimensions & Formats: Moving images or video works are inadmissible. Multi-panel and 3D lenticular works are accepted but must be entered as a single digital image. There are no size restrictions, but final framed dimensions must be specified on entry and cannot be altered post-selection.
- Finalist Commitments: Shortlisted artists receive a $400 AUD loan fee for the exhibition. Finalists must provide an insurance value and deliver install-ready, physical works to the museum. Freight and delivery costs are the sole responsibility of the artist.
Fees & Entry Rates
- Entry Fee: $55 AUD (GST free, non-refundable).
- Scope: Each single fee covers the submission of up to three artworks. There is no limit on the total number of independent entries an artist may submit.
How to Apply?
Complete the online submission process on the official portal. Upload your files, supply an optional artist statement (maximum 120 words per work), attach an optional professional CV (maximum 1 page), and settle the entry fee
Apply to the Bowness Photography Prize 2026.
Key Dates
- Entry Period: April 16 – June 14, 2026 (Closes at 11:59 PM AEST)
- Finalist Notification: Thursday, July 16, 2026
- Artwork Delivery Window: August 10 – August 14, 2026 (Business hours only)
- Physical Exhibition Run: September 12 – November 8, 2026
- Main Prize Announcement: Thursday, September 17, 2026
- People's Choice Announcement: Thursday, November 12, 2026
- Artwork Collection Window: November 11 – November 20, 2026
Location
Online Application with the physical finalist exhibition hosted at the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh), City of Monash, Victoria, Australia.
Additional Details
The 2026 independent judging panel consists of Natasha Bullock (Senior Curator, Photography NGV), Petrina Hicks (Artist and 2014 Bowness Photography Prize winner), and Anouska Phizacklea (MAPh Director). The panel reviews all entries digitally to establish the shortlist, while final prize winners are chosen in person directly within the exhibition space. Artworks will be handled by museum staff and are insured against loss, damage, theft, and destruction while in storage and on display at MAPh.