Photographers from across the country are invited to submit their entries for the final iteration of the National Photographic Portrait Prize. The winner receives a prize of $30,000 cash courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery and $20,000 worth of equipment courtesy of Imaging Partner Canon Australia. The Art Handlers’ Award winner receives $3,000 courtesy of IAS Logistics. The winner of the First Time Finalist Award receives $3,000 courtesy of EIZO.
There is no fee to enter and all selected finalists will receive support to exhibit their work at the Gallery from 22 August to 11 October 2026.
To be eligible to enter, your work must be:
- a photographic artwork
- taken after 1 February 2025
- depicting a person or persons from a live sitting
- entirely your own intellectual property.
To enter, artists must be:
- 18 years or over at the time of your online entry
- an Australian citizen, or a resident of Australia until the end of 2028.
All finalists will receive:
- an artist fee of $1,200 to exhibit your work at the Gallery
- an additional artist fee of $700 if your work is included in the 2026 National Tour
- a copyright and image licensing fee of $1,000
- return freight organised to and from the Gallery
- a domestic travel allowance and accommodation in Canberra for the night of the exhibition launch.
Entries strictly close at 9:00am AEDT on 16 February 2026, so don't wait!
