Organizer Information
Defiance Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Sydney, Australia, representing and exhibiting emerging and established artists across contemporary visual art practices. The Defiance Award has been established to discover, support, and profile exceptional Australian painters, while providing finalists with opportunities for exhibition, professional exposure, financial support, and artistic development.
Title & Description
The Defiance Award 2026 for Painters
The Defiance Award 2026 is a national painting award for artists living and working in Australia. The award seeks original paintings completed within the previous 24 months and provides selected finalists with a group exhibition at Defiance Gallery. The overall winner receives a solo exhibition, a two-week residency in Queenstown, New Zealand, return flights from an Australian capital city, and a $5,000 cash prize.
A second Corridor Project Residency Award will also be presented, providing another selected artist with a group exhibition, a 10-day residency on Wiradjuri Country in Central West New South Wales, and a $2,000 cash prize.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Painting
- Oil
- Acrylic
- Watercolour
- Ink
- Pastel
- Natural Earth Pigments
- Mixed Media / Collage
Works may be created on canvas, paper, board, or similar surfaces.
Eligibility
The opportunity is open to:
- Artists 18 years or older
- Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents
- Artists living and working in Australia
- Artists who are not represented by an art gallery in New South Wales
Each entry may include up to two artworks per person. Submitted works must be original, completed within the preceding 24 months, previously unexhibited and not previously entered into competitions or awarded a prize. Works must be available for sale.
Program Benefits & Awards
All selected finalists will participate in a group exhibition at Defiance Gallery from 6–27 February 2027.
Overall Defiance Award winner:
- Solo exhibition at Defiance Gallery
- Two-week residency at Giverny Artist Residency, Queenstown, New Zealand
- Return flights to Queenstown from an Australian capital city
- $5,000 cash prize
- Residency sponsored by the Nock Art Foundation
Corridor Project Residency Award:
- Inclusion in a group exhibition at Defiance Gallery
- 10-day residency at The Corridor Project on Wiradjuri Country, Central West NSW
- $2,000 cash prize
- Residency sponsored by The Corridor Project
Application Fee
The entry fee is AUD $50, including GST, payable online when submitting the application. The fee is non-refundable.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 7 October 2026
- Finalists Announced: 11 November 2026
- Artwork Delivery: 20–29 January 2027
- Judging: 3 February 2027
- Finalists Exhibition: 6–27 February 2027
- Opening & Prize Announcement: 6 February 2027, 3–5 pm
- Unsold Artwork Collection/Return: 2–5 March 2027
Location
Defiance Gallery, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Additional Details
Each artwork must not exceed 155 × 155 cm, with the maximum dimensions including frames, protrusions, borders, or handling areas. There is no minimum size.
Digital submissions must be JPEG files of no more than 5 MB, with approximately 2,000 pixels on the longest side recommended. CVs, biographies, and other documentation must be submitted as PDFs of no more than 1 MB; the artist statement must be one page.
Finalists are responsible for transportation, insurance, delivery, and return costs. Works must be professionally prepared for exhibition. All exhibited works must be available for sale, with Defiance Gallery retaining 50% commission on sold works.