OpenCloses 19 Feb 2027

John Villiers Outback Art Prize 2027

Outback Regional Gallery, Waltzing Matilda Centre · Winton, QLD, Australia

Annual AUD $22,500 prize for Australian artists on the theme 'Outback: A Sense of Place' in painting, drawing, print and sculpture, exhibited at the Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton, Queensland, 1 May - 20 June 2027. Entries close 19 February 2027.

Deadline: 19 Feb 2027
Entry fee: A$30 ≈ £16

Enter on johnvilliersoutbackartprize.com

You enter directly with Outback Regional Gallery, Waltzing Matilda Centre. Opens in a new tab.

Your eligibility

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Who can enter

Location: Australia
Age: No age limit
Career stage: Any
Mediums: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture
Theme: Outback: A Sense of Place, outback, landscape
Submission: Online submission
Also: Open to all Australian artists; adult and emerging youth categories; no photography or digital media.

About

The John Villiers Outback Art Prize is an annual competition run by the Outback Regional Gallery at the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Queensland, supported by The John Villiers Trust and Winton Shire Council. It is open to all Australian artists working in painting, drawing, print and sculpture on the theme 'Outback: A Sense of Place'; photography and digital media are not accepted.

Entries opened 1 October 2026 and close 19 February 2027. Finalists are notified on 8 March 2027. The exhibition runs 1 May to 20 June 2027 with the winner announced on 1 May 2027. Entry fees are $30 for one entry, $50 for two and $60 for three.

Prizes total $22,500: a $12,500 acquisitive Major Prize, $3,000 Emerging Youth prize, $6,000 Artist Residency, $500 Little Legends and $500 People's Choice. A 25% commission plus GST is retained on sold works. Entries are made through the prize's entry portal.