How to Enter
Entries are now open for the 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize.
The 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize is open to current and former service personnel in the Australian Defence Force. The prize encourages artistic excellence, promotes the transformative power of creativity, and raises awareness of the experiences and talent of service personnel.
Entries close 11.59 pm Sunday 22 February 2026.
Highly commended artists at the 2024 Napier Waller Art Prize launch event. AWM24.PR.058. Photographer: Marcus Fillinger
Entering your work in the Napier Waller Art Prize
The Memorial invites entries in all visual art mediums, including (but not limited to) painting, photography, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, digital, decorative, and installation. The work must not exceed 2 x 2 x 1.3 metres and must have been completed in the 24 months prior to submission. There is no theme for the award, and entries do not have to address military or service topics. Entries using diverse artistic media and original concepts are encouraged.
Entrants can download a resources list, below, that explains how to measure, photograph, and document their work.
Winner
The winner of the 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize will be announced at the launch of the exhibition of Highly Commended works and will receive:
- $15,000 cash prize
The winning artwork will also enter the National Collection.
Highly Commended
Highly commended works will be displayed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. A winning artwork will be chosen by a panel of judges.
Finalists
Shortlisted and Highly Commended works are displayed on the Australian War Memorial’s website for the general public to vote for the People’s Choice award, the winner of which will receive $5,000. The winner of the People’s Choice vote will be announced after the close of the exhibition.
Key dates
Entries open on Friday 26 September 2025 and close 11.59 pm (AEDT) Sunday 22 February 2026. Only online entries will be accepted.
The winning entry will be announced at the launch of the exhibition of Highly Commended works in September 2026.
Highly commended works and the winning work will be exhibited at the Australian War Memorial from September 2026 to March 2027.
An online exhibition of shortlisted entries will be featured on the Memorial’s website from September 2026. All works featured in the online exhibition will be eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Online voting for the People’s Choice award will open with the launch of the online exhibition and close in March 2027.
Please note that key dates are yet to be confirmed and are subject to change.
For any enquires about the 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize, please email: nwap@awm.gov.au
We appreciate all submissions to the Napier Waller Art Prize. If you or someone you know experiences personal difficulties with participation in this award, help is available at Defence Health, Beyond Blue, Open Arms or Lifeline.
Help is also available from: