SECCA invites artists from across Australia to submit entries for the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award 2026, a $50,000 non-aquisitive award for realistic portrait painting.
The Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award is one of Australia’s major prizes for realistic portraiture. The $50,000 biennial award is non-acquisitive and is among the higher-value portrait prizes in the country, attracting hundreds of entries from many of the nation’s leading artists.
We thank the generosity of our Award patron Peter Hannan.
For the 2026 Award, several changes have been introduced to better support artists. The entry fee has been reduced, and finalists will receive an artist loan fee, along with a contribution towards artwork freight costs.
Entries close 9 Oct 2026
Image credit: Ignacio Rojas, Healing the Incurable (detail), 2024, oil on canvas, 80 x 60 cm. Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award 2024 finalist. Image courtesy the artist.