12 June 2026
12 September 2026
AUD $45,000
VIC, Australia
This is an anonymous survey I will enter this prize
Undo 8
The prize invites entries from artists working with photography. Entries for the Bowness Photography Prize will be considered from still photo-based media including analogue and digital photography, produced within the last year.
This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the prize, seeing some significant changes that enable a rich prize offering.
We’re pleased to announce an increase to $50,000 for the winner and $2,500 cash awarded to two Honourable Mentions. Shortlisted artists will also be paid loan fees for the exhibition of their works.
These changes have been enabled by a substantial philanthropic gift from the Bowness Family Foundation, which reinforces the prominence of the prize and cements the importance of photography into the future. All finalists are eligible to be selected for the Wai Tang Commissioning Award, an initiative of the MAPh Foundation as part of the Bowness Photography Prize.
The recipient will be awarded $10,000 in cash, with the opportunity to exhibit a body of work in the following year's Bowness Photography Prize exhibition. One finalist will also be voted as the winner of the $5000 Community Bank Pinewood People's Choice Award. Voting commences at the opening of the exhibition and can take place online or in person.
Venue: Museum of Australian Photography, Melbourne, VIC
Contact: for more information e: bowness@monash.vic.gov.au
Banner image: 2022 winner Amos Gebhardt
Summary
16 April 2026 - 12 June 2026
12 September 2026 - 8 November 2026
12 September 2026
National Entries
Annual
TBA
Photography
Museum of Australian Photography, Melbourne, VIC
VIC
Australia
AUD $45,000
$55.00 per entry
30 March 2026
2025: Anna Higgins - Winner ($50,000)
2024: Robert Fielding - Winner ($30,000)
2023: Anne Zahalka - Winner ($30,000)
2022: Amos Gebhardt - Winner ($30,000)
2022: Paula Mahoney - Wai Tang Commissioning Award ($10,000)
2021: Lililian O'Neil - Winner ($30,000)
2020: Christian Thompson - Winner ($30,000)
2019: Katrin Koenning - Winner ($30,000)
2018: Hoda Afshar - Winner ($30,000)
2017: Nasim Nasr - People's Choice ($5,000)
2017: Polixeni Papapetrou - Winner ($30,000)
2016: Dasha Reiley - People's Choice ($1,000)
2016: Valerie Sparks - Winner ($25,000)
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