OpenCloses 24 Mar 2027

Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award 2027

New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata · Wellington, New Zealand

Biennial award for Māori artists to create portraits of their tupuna (ancestors) in any medium, with a $20,000 first prize and a three-month exhibition in Wellington timed to Matariki. Entries for 2027 close 24 March 2027.

Deadline: 24 Mar 2027
Entry fee: NZ$50 ≈ £24

Enter on nzportraitgallery.org.nz

You enter directly with New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata. Opens in a new tab.

Your eligibility

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Who can enter

Location: New Zealand
Age: No age limit
Career stage: Any
Mediums: Any medium
Theme: portraiture, ancestry
For: Indigenous artists
Size limits: No size restriction, but large or complex works may not be included in the tour.
Submission: Online, then physical if shortlisted
Also: Māori artists only; portrait must depict the artist's own tupuna. The conditions page mentions an age limit of 35 while the FAQ says all ages may enter in 2027; check the terms. Young Artist Award for younger entrants.

About

The Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award was established in 2021 by the New Zealand Portrait Gallery with the support of Kiingi Tuheitia. Entrants must be Māori and the portrait must depict one of the artist's own tupuna; the biography must confirm Māori descent and iwi affiliations where known. Any medium is accepted and there is no size restriction, though large works may not tour. The FAQ notes that for 2027 Māori artists of all ages and career stages may enter.

Prizes: First Prize $20,000; Young Artist Award $2,500; Forsyth Barr People's Choice Award $2,500. Finalist works are shown at the gallery at Shed 11, Wellington waterfront, from 19 May to 18 August 2027, and the finalists' exhibition subsequently tours the country (the 2025 finalists are touring to Puke Ariki, New Plymouth, until 1 November 2026).

Entries opened in October 2026 and close at 4pm on 24 March 2027. The entry fee is $50.