Dates unconfirmedDates unconfirmed

The Lester Prize for Portraiture 2027

Australia's richest portrait prize, with a $140,000 pool led by the $50,000 Richard Lester Prize, exhibited at WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth. Open to Australian residents aged 18+; the 2027 call for entries had not opened at the time of writing.

Deadline: Not stated
Entry fee: A$50 ≈ £26

View on lesterprize.com

Opens in a new tab.

Your eligibility

Tell us about yourself and we will check these rules against your details. Nothing leaves your device until you sign in.

Who can enter

Location: Australia (by country of residence)
Age: 18 and over
Career stage: Any
Mediums: Painting, Drawing, Textile & fibre, Mixed media
Theme: portraiture
Size limits: Maximum 200 x 200 cm including frame, 30 kg; no glass.
Submission: Online, then physical if shortlisted
Also: Australian residents (citizens or permanent visa holders) over 18. Portrait of an Australian resident sitter. No sculpture, photography or digital media.

About

The Lester Prize (formerly the Black Swan Prize) is an annual portraiture competition held in Perth, Western Australia. Entry is open to Australian residents (citizens or permanent visa holders) aged over 18. Works must be two-dimensional portraits in oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel, textiles, pencil, charcoal, ink or mixed media; sculpture, photography and digital media are not accepted. Maximum 200 x 200 cm and 30 kg; completed within 18 months of the closing date; sitter must be an Australian resident.

The 2026 prize pool was $140,000: Richard Lester Prize for Portraiture $50,000, Tony Fini Foundation Artist Prize $25,000, Minderoo Foundation Spirit Prize $20,000, Baldock Family People's Choice $15,000, Installers' Prize $15,000, Ashurst Perkins Coie Emerging Artist Prize $10,000 and two $5,000 Highly Commended awards.

Entries for 2026 opened 14 January and closed 17 June 2026, with an entry fee of $40 early bird / $50 per portrait, and the main exhibition at WA Museum Boola Bardip from 10 October to 29 November 2026. Dates and fees for the 2027 season have not yet been published.