Queensland Regional Art Awards 2026

Overview

The Queensland Regional Art Awards (QRAA) are Flying Arts' annual visual arts awards, open to artists living in regional, rural and remote Queensland. Established in 2011, the QRAA offers Australia's largest regional art awards prize pool.

Key dates

• Entries open: Monday 10 August 2026
• Entries close: Friday 18 September 2026 at 3pm
• Finalists announced: 15 October 2026
• People's Choice voting opens: 16 October 2026
• Gala and winners revealed: 26 November 2026

Award categories & prize pool

This year's total prize pool of $326,800 spans cash prizes, solo exhibitions, artist residencies and professional development opportunities across seven categories: Queensland Regional Art Awards Overall Winner, The Mervyn Moriarty Landscape Award, First Nations Artist Award, Remote Artist Award, Emerging Artist Award, Young Artist Award, and People's Choice Awards for adult and young artists.

Eligibility

Open to artists living in regional, rural or remote Queensland.

Entry fees

• General entry: $40
• Flying Arts members: $35
• Young artists aged 15-25: $25

Judging

Entries will be judged by Simon Wright, Assistant Director (Learning and Public Engagement) at QAGOMA, alongside a peer selection panel of Kate O'Hara (Director, Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, Townsville), Tracey Heathwood (Director, Artspace Mackay), Beck Davis (Director and Head of School, Queensland College of Art and Design) and Brian Robinson (Contemporary Artist and Curator, Cairns).

Exhibition & tour

The 2026 QRAA finalists and winners will be exhibited in Brisbane from December 2026, before touring regional Queensland in 2027 to Bundaberg, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Roma, Rockhampton and the Gold Coast.

Professional development

Artists can access a suite of free professional development resources, covering how to write an artist statement, build a professional CV and bio, and photograph and submit work to the standard judges expect.