Australia’s next generation of artistic talent has been recognised, with the winners of The Lester Prize for Portraiture Youth Awards 2026 announced at a vibrant ceremony at WA Museum Boola Bardip, hosted by Famous Sharron. Bringing together students, families, teachers and supporters from across Australia, the event celebrated the creativity, technical skill and emotional depth of young portrait artists in Years 7 to 12.
Taking out the top honour in the Year 11–12 category, Natali Jaros (Presbyterian Ladies’ College, WA) impressed judges with her pencil-on-paper self-portrait Embrace, featuring her sister.
Thirty exceptional young artists from Years 7–12 have been selected as finalists in The Lester Prize Youth Awards, to be presented at the historic Old Gaol within WA Museum Boola Bardip.
Supported by the City of Perth and key partners, this year’s Youth Awards attracted a diverse and inspiring range of portrait artist submissions from secondary students across Australia. The selected artworks showcase remarkable talent across a variety of mediums, styles and personal stories.
WA’s home-grown art prize – and Australia’s richest portraiture prize – The Lester Prize has announced the forty Australian artists chosen as finalists for the 2025 Main Awards. More than 1,000 submissions were made this year – the largest number of submissions since the organisation was founded in 2007.
In keeping with The Lester Prize ethos of ‘art accessible for all’, an independent judging panel selected work from both established and emerging Australian artists, with this year’s pool including 17 returning finalists…
WA’s home-grown national art prize, and Australia’s richest portraiture competition, The Lester Prize, is set to tour to Manjimup Art Gallery from 11 April to 16 May 2026, bringing 40 of the nation’s most compelling contemporary portraits to the South West.
Following its major exhibition at WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth, the 2025 Lester Prize Finalists Exhibition will travel to Manjimup thanks to generous regional touring support from Talison Lithium.
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