The City of Canning's Art Awards is an annual event on the City's calendar and provides upcoming and professional artists with the opportunity to exhibit their work in the wider community, with the potential to win a cash prize.
This free entry eight-day exhibition at the Riverton Library, showcases some of Western Australia’s best artists, several of which are local to Canning. Professionally curated and judged, the exhibition provides visitors with a diverse display of high calibre artworks across a range of categories. The 2026 Art Awards accepts the first 250 entries that meet the Entry Terms and Conditions.
Categories and Prizes
Entrants may submit one entry only in the following categories:
- 🎨 Painting on Canvas
- 🎨 Painting on Paper
- ✏ Drawing
- 🎠 3D Sculpture/Textile
- 🖼 Mixed Media
- 📸 Photography
- 💻 Digital Art
There will be one prize awarded for each of the categories above for both Adults and Young Artists (12-17 years).
Adult award winners will take home a $1000 cash prize.
Young Artist (aged 12-17 years) award winners will take home a $500 cash prize.
- ✔️ Canning Resident Award
- ✔️ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award
- ✔️ People's Choice Award
- ✔️ Canning Arts Group - 2D Award (Adult entries only) NEW
- ✔️ Canning Arts Group - 3D Award (Adult entries only) NEW
Overall award winners for the Canning Resident Award, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and People’s Choice will take home a $1000 cash prize. Each overall award winners for the Canning Arts Group will take home a $500 cash prize.
For Further Information
Please contact the City Major Events Team on 1300 422 664 or events@canning.wa.gov.au.
Entries
The Online Entry Registration is now OPEN!
Entries will be open from Monday 10 August to Friday 28 August. Read through Terms and conditions prior to entry for further details.
The Events Team will be in touch regarding the next steps following entries closed so keep an eye on your inbox.
Important Entry Information
- Entry cost for Adults 18+ is $37.00
- Entry is free for Young Artists (aged 12-17 years)
- A maximum of 250 entries will be displayed in the Art Awards this year. The first 250 entries that meet the Terms and Conditions of Entry will be accepted.
- Entries may close once the 250 entries are received.
- Artists are required to send a photo of their work to events@canning.wa.gov.au within seven days of registering their entry.
FAQ
This year, the Canning Art Awards is introducing Artist Statements. As part of the registration process, artists will have the option to submit a short artist statement of up to 100 words.
This initiative follows feedback received from both artists and visitors to last year's exhibition, who expressed an interest in learning more about the inspiration, meaning and stories behind each artwork.
Artists who choose to submit an artist statement will have it printed and displayed alongside their artwork during the exhibition.
What is an artist statement?
An artist statement is simply a short explanation of what you made, why you made it, and what you want people to understand or feel.
Here is a simple step-by-step formula to help you create your own artist statement:
1. What did you make?
2. Why did you make it?
3. How did you make it? (what type of mediums/techniques did you use)
4. What would you like people to take away from it?
Example of a simple artist statement
I created this artwork to show how memories change over time. I used soft colours and layered paint to make the images look faded. The empty spaces represent things that have been forgotten. I hope people think about their own memories and how they shape who we are.
A digital photograph of your work will be required as part of your online entry form for internal preview purposes. This should not be over 5MB in size and in the correct orientation. The artwork does not need to be fully complete at the time of submission, but at least 50% complete.
Once your registration is complete, email the photo to events@canning.wa.gov.au .
- Painting categories include acrylic, oil, watercolour etc., and is based on the canvas used (canvas or paper)
- Drawing categories include pen, pencil, charcoal, chalk, crayon etc.
- 3D Sculpture includes clay, concrete, wax, stone, fabric, glass, wood, paper, card, plaster, plastic rubber, metal and random found objects.
- Textile includes fibres like cotton, wool, hemp, silk or even synthetics like polyester and nylon.
- Mixed Media includes all those options listed in Painting, Drawing, Textiles, Photography and random found objects.
- Photography includes film and digital and can be edited in a digital program, for example Photoshop.
- Digital Art includes digitally altered still images which are computer generated, scanned or drawn using a tablet or mouse with software/technology of your choice. These must be printed for display.
2D hanging artwork must be presented with 2 x flat D Rings/latches, cord or wire and these must be attached professionally and securely on the back of the canvas. Glue, tape, fishing line, staples or temporary fixtures will not hold and will not be accepted.
You will be required to fix any unsuitable hanging assembly on delivery day, before the close of the delivery window; should it not meet our requirement it may lead to rejection/cancellation of your entry.
Canning Arts Group - 2D Award and 3D Award are new for the 2026 Canning Art Awards.
- Categories eligible for the Canning Arts Group - 2D Award include Painting on Canvas, Painting on Paper, Drawing, Mixed Media.
- Categories eligible for the Canning Arts Group - 3D Award include 3D Sculpture/Textile.
- Adult entries only are eligible for these overall award categories.
- Artists who submit an artwork for the Canning Arts Group awards category must be a current member of Canning Arts Group for 2026.
- For further details on the Canning Arts Group memberships, follow the information on their website: https://www.canningartswa.org.au/membership
Presentation of Awards and Official Opening Night
Join us at Riverton Library for the Opening Awards Night, where we will launch the 2026 Exhibition and present the awards, on Thursday 24 September.
Please note that this is a ticketed event and tickets will be open end of August.
Tickets
- Artists who have submitted artwork are free of charge and guests/the public are chargeable at $27.50 per person.
- Tickets must be booked for ALL attendees (free and chargeable) for catering purposes.
- Tickets are limited to 3 per person maximum.
Artist Schedule
Delivery of Artwork
- Saturday 19 September | 12pm – 4pm only*
- Riverton Library, 67 Riley Road, Riverton
Presentation of Awards and Official Opening Night
- Thursday 24 September | 6pm – 9pm*
- Riverton Library, 67 Riley Road, Riverton
- Stay tuned for further details.
Exhibition Opening Times
- Friday 25 September – Saturday 3 October
- Sales desk is open 10am – 3pm daily except for Sundays (Eftpos only – no cash) *
- Riverton Library is open Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday 9am – 5pm*
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am – 7pm | Sunday 2pm – 5pm*
Unsold Artwork Collection
- Sunday 4 October | 2pm – 5pm only*
- You will be advised prior if your artwork sold during the exhibition.
*Times may be subject to minor revision. All applicants will be notified of these revisions via the email address supplied on the entry form.
Exhibition Sales Desk
Most artworks on display (except for some Young Artist pieces) are available to purchase. Members of the Canning Arts Group will operate the sales desk between 10am - 3pm each day, except for on Sunday. The exhibition will also give attendees a chance to vote for the People's Choice Award via the QR codes displayed throughout the Exhibition.
About our Curator
To be announced
Judges
To be announced
Thanks to Canning Arts Group
The Canning Art Awards is supported each year by our friends of the Canning Arts Group. The City of Canning greatly appreciates their help with and dedication to this art event.
Canning Arts Group is a not-for-profit self-funded community-based organisation that has been serving the community in the arts area for more than 50 years. Canning Arts Group offers Art Classes and Workshops to its members and the public including adults, children and people with disabilities and special needs.
Painting on Canvas
‘Albany Hwy Before Sunset’ by Mingxuan Li – Adult Category
‘Contemporary Vanitas Still-Life’ by Nayonika Murali Manohar – Young Artist Category
Painting on Paper
‘Fallen Eyelash’ by David Burge – Adult Category
‘My Sister’ by Ethan Gao – Young Artist Category
Drawing
‘Resilience’ by Barbara Stockton – Adult Category
‘Are You Ever Coming Back?’ by Trinay Mulder – Young Artist Category
3D Sculpture/Textile
‘Books on the Brain’ by Liliana Letizia – Adult Category
‘Sunflower Girl’ by Jasmine Barton – Young Artist Category
Mixed Media
‘A City, Somewhere’ by Pip Milton – Adult Category
‘Memories & Forgotten Things’ by Liam Hulcup – Young Artist Category
Photography
‘To Travel Through Light’ by Elliot Rose – Adult Category
‘Embracing the Winter Water Flow: Bobtail at Canning River Regional Park’ by Daniel Saar – Young Artist Category
Digital Art
‘Mass Migration’ by Abhijit Prasanth – Adult Category
‘Liminal Lights’ by Pearlie Slater – Young Artist Category
Canning Resident Award
‘Diversity Mingles’ by Valerie Osman
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award
‘River Rain’ by Renee Rose
People's Choice
'Balancing Extinction' by Kristy Margam-Elkins
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