Brigalow Arts Festival 2026
16 October - 11 December 2026
Fine Art | Photography | Textiles | Sculpture | Decorative Art | New Media
Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery proudly presents the Brigalow Arts Festival 2026.
The Brigalow Arts Festival is the Banana Shire’s largest exhibition of visual arts in a professionally judged open art award. 2026 will mark the festival’s 30th anniversary. The festival program also offers artists and arts enthusiasts the opportunity to take part in networking events, practical workshops and to enhance skills in creative business development.
The exhibition component of the Brigalow Arts Festival is suitable for artists of any career stage across all artistic mediums. Categories encompass painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, digital arts, textiles, sculpture and decorative arts.
For artists, the Brigalow Arts Festival is the perfect way to build an audience, receive award recognition, sell works and exhibit in a professional gallery environment. For audiences, it is the ideal way to experience a cross-section of local arts, support artists and discover the stories that are being told in our region.
Theme Award: Movement
Useful Links for Artists
2026 ENTRY FORM: COMING SOON
2026 CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: COMING SOON
2026 ARTWORK PREP GUIDE(PDF, 649KB)
*Paper forms will be available at Banana Shire Council customer service centres.
*2026 entries will be limited to 2 artworks per artist.
2026 Key Dates
Entries Open: To Be Announced
Entry Forms and Photos Due: Tuesday 1 Sep 2026, 12:00pm
Artwork Delivery Due: Fri 2 Oct 2026, 8:30am – 4:30pm
Exhibition Dates: Fri 16 Oct – Fri 11 Dec 2026
Official Opening and Presentations: Fri 16 Oct 2026, 6:00pm
Workshops and Events: To Be Announced
Artwork Collection: Wed 16 Dec - Fri 18 Dec 2026, 8:30am – 4:30pm
2026 Categories
Category 1 | Burnie Smith Memorial
2D works on paper-based supports (e.g. drawing, print, pastel, watercolour)
1st $1000, 2nd $300
Category 2 | Easel Works
2D works on non-paper-based supports (e.g. mixed media on canvas, acrylic, oil paint)
1st $1000, 2nd $300
Category 3 | Photography and Digital Works
Photography (B&W and colour) and works displayed by digital means using screens, projection or sound (e.g. video, animation, new media or audio works)
1st $1000, 2nd $300
Category 4 | 3D Works
Sculpture, ceramics, 3D textiles and jewellery
1st $1000, 2nd $300
Category 5 | Youth Photography
Photography (B&W and colour) by artists grades 7 - 12 or equivalent ages
1st $200, 2nd $100
Category 6 | Youth Open - Senior
Works of any medium by artists grades 10 - 12 or equivalent ages
1st $200, 2nd $100
Category 7 | Youth Open - Junior
Works of any medium by artists grades 7 - 9 or equivalent ages
1st $100, 2nd $50
2026 Awards
Brigalow Art Award: $3000
Local Artist Award: $1500
Emerging Artist Award: $1000
‘Movement’ Theme Award: $1000
Youth Brigalow Art Award: $500
Youth Encouragement Award: $150
Acquisitions Awards: $2000
Previous Events:
Brigalow Arts Festival 2025