Art Awards

The Art Awards are one of Queensland’s most prestigious regional art events and is eagerly anticipated each year. 

This year the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum is thrilled to host the fifty-first Rio Tinto Yarwun & QAL Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards.

MARK THE CALENDAR

Calling for submissions:
10am-4pm, Tuesday to Friday, 6-9 October and 10am-1pm, Saturday, 10 October 2026

GRAGM Closed for Installation:
12-30 October 2026

Exhibition Opens:
10am, Saturday 31 October 2026

Judge's Floor Talk and Illustrated Lecture:
10.30am, Saturday 31 October 2026

Official Opening and Awards Presentation:
6pm, Saturday 31 October 2026

QAL People's Choice Awards voting available:
10am, Saturday 31 October 2026

Exhibition Closes:
2pm, Saturday 23 January 2027

Collection of Works:
10am-4pm, Monday to Friday, 25-29 January and 10am-1pm, Saturday 30 January 2027

2026 CATEGORIES

The 51st Rio Tinto Yarwun & QAL Martin Hanson Memorial Art Award

The Pamela Whitlock Memorial Acquisitive Award
The Pieter Groen-int-woud Memorial Young Emerging Artist Award
The Local Murri Artist Award
The Local Artist Award
The Installers Choice Award

The QAL People’s Choice Awards
SECTION 1: Easel Works
SECTION 2: Works on Paper
SECTION 3: Three Dimensional and Fibre Works
SECTION 4: Photography and Digital Works

SECTION 1: Easel Works
Mixed media, acrylic, collage, oil, paint, etc. on non-paper-based supports, e.g. canvas, masonite, etc.
First Prize
Highly Commended

SECTION 2: Works on Paper
Drawing, watercolour, collage, mixed media, print, etc. on paper-based supports.
First Prize
Highly Commended

SECTION 3: Three Dimensions and Fibre Works
Pottery hand built/wheel thrown, sculpture including maquettes, carving, assemblage, timber, metal, stone, plastics, fibre, etc.
First Prize
Highly Commended

SECTION 4: Photography and Digital Works
Photography, moving image, animation, soundscapes, etc.
First Prize
Highly Commended

2026 conditions of entry

Non-Negotiable
1. $20 entry fee (incl. GST) per artwork, non-refundable. Acceptable payment methods are cash, eftpos, or Australia Post Money Order. Payment by cheque will only be accepted if the cheque is issued by a current member of the Australian Paper Clearing System (Cheques). To check if your bank is a member, visit https://auspaynet.com.au/about/apcs-members. If your cheque is issued by a bank that is not a current member, it will not be accepted, and another payment method will be required before your entry can be accepted in the Art Awards.
2. Entrants must be 15 years of age or over at time of entry.
3. Only one work per artist may be submitted. A collaborative work is seen as an entry by each individual collaborator. The name of each individual collaborator must be on the entry form.
4. There is a 30-character limit on artwork titles and medium descriptions (note: 'characters' includes spaces and punctuation).
5. Entry fee, completed entry form, and labelled artwork are to be received by 1pm, Saturday, 10 October 2026. Late entries will not be accepted.
6. All works will be viewed by the Judge. The Judge's decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
7. Entrants whose work sells during the exhibition, must complete the EFTSure onboarding process in order to be set up in Gladstone Regional Council’s finance system for payment.
8. All works must remain in the exhibition until the specified collection dates.
9. All entries will be photographed and included in the Exhibition Catalogue and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the Catalogue.

Eligibility
10. All works and concepts must be the original, unaided work of the entrant and created during the twelve months prior to 10 October 2026. Workshop projects, commercially produced kits, designs, etc. or works completed more than 12 months prior to 10 October 2026 are not eligible.
11. All entries are eligible for The 51st Rio Tinto Yarwun & QAL Martin Hanson Memorial Art Award, The Installers Choice Award and applied for section awards.
12. The Pamela Whitlock Memorial Acquisitive Award, works in all sections are eligible if the work is listed 'for sale' with an artist's requested value of $5,000 or less (i.e. excluding commission and GST).
13. The Young Emerging Artist Award, the entrant must be aged 15 to 25 years, as at 10 October 2026.
14. The Local Murri Artist Award, the entrant must identify as an Aboriginal, Torres Strait or South Sea Islander artist and be a resident within the Gladstone Regional Council area, for at least 3 consecutive months of the 12 months prior to 10 October 2026.
15. The Local Artist Award, the entrant must be a resident within the Gladstone Regional Council area, for at least 3 consecutive months of the 12 months prior to 10 October 2026.
16. The People's Choice Awards, all entrants are eligible to win in their registered section, as voted by the public while visiting the exhibition. One prize will be awarded in each section. Voting is available between the specified dates at the Gallery and Museum during Gallery and Museum opening hours. Winners are announced towards the end of the exhibition.
17. The Installers Choice Award, works in all sections are eligible. Recipient of the Award will be selected by Gallery and Museum staff and volunteers.
18. Entries in Section 4: Photography and Digital Works will be shown on televisions on a looping 'show reel' with others. Files must be provided on USB in the following formats: MP3, MP4, AVI or WMA. A maximum duration of 10 minutes (incl. credits).

Display Requirements
19. Maximum artwork display dimensions as per below (including frame and/or mount):

  
20. Artworks exceeding these dimensions may be rejected and/or excluded from judging.
21. Diptych or Triptych works are considered a single artwork and must meet the maximum display dimensions as per above.
22. Works with multiple components, considered as one work, must include clear assembly instructions with a photo/sketch of the best way to display the work.
23. Works must be able to be safely handled by up to two people.
24. Works to be hung must be submitted with “D” ring attachments, 100mm from top of frame for larger works, 50mm for smaller works. Plinths are available for three-dimensional works, however, stands or support mounts must be supplied by the entrant where necessary. Artworks delivered without suitable hanging attachments may not be displayed.
25. Electrical components must be tested and tagged prior to submission of entry.

Delivery and collection:
26. Arrangements and expenses pertaining to the delivery and collection of works to the Gallery and Museum are the entrant’s responsibility. Return freight must be prepaid. Consignment notes, prepaid vouchers or postage stamps etc. to be enclosed with entry form. If arrangements are not made by the artist to provide return freight, Gladstone Regional council will collect repayment of postage charges.
27. Complete submissions should be addressed to:

28. Works must be collected from the Gallery and Museum between the specified collection dates. Collection of multiple works must be pre-arranged with the Gallery and Museum staff. No responsibility will be taken for unclaimed entries. Works not collected between the specified dates will become the property of Gladstone Regional Council.

Upon entering a submission, the Entrant agrees to the following
29. Entrants display instructions will be taken into consideration; however, it is at the Curator’s discretion how the works will be displayed. The Curator’s decision is final. No correspondence or discussions regarding any decision will be entered into.
30. The Judge’s decision is final and binding. No correspondence or discussions regarding any decision will be entered into.
31. Each Entrant grants to Gladstone Regional Council an irrevocable, unconditional, perpetual, royalty free, non­exclusive licence to photograph and reproduce entries (print and on­line, including social media) for marketing and publicity purposes for the Gallery and Museum and for catalogue and archival purposes.
32. The Gallery and Museum takes care in exhibiting and handling entries; however, works are submitted at the entrant's risk. No liability will be accepted for any loss or damage, either in transit, during installation, deinstallation or while on display.
33. Visitors to the exhibition are allowed to photograph the exhibition and all works on display preferably without flash. No professional equipment (i.e. DSLRs, speedlights, tripods, light stands, etc.) will be permitted.
34. A commission of 20% (+ GST on commission) will be added to all works for sale.
35. The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum reserves the right to withdraw and/or modify these conditions of entry as they see fit and may withdraw a prize or category at their discretion.

2026 Judge 

To be announced.

history of the awards

Since its inauguration in 1976, the Art Awards have become one of Queensland’s most prestigious regional art events and is eagerly anticipated each year. 

Martin Hanson (1923-1976) was a popular and highly-respected local businessman who was Member for Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Port Curtis 1963-1976, and patron to the Gladstone Artists Club. As a tribute to his patronage, in conjunction with the Hanson family, the Gladstone Artists Club held the first Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards and Exhibition in 1976.

The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum became the custodian of the Hanson Awards in 1993.