Key Dates and Entry Info - Brisbane Portrait Prize

Key information about entering the Brisbane Portrait Prize can be found on this page.

If you still have questions, we recommend checking out our:

Next Gen Prize Details (artists 18 and under)
FAQs
Entry Terms and Conditions

If you have further questions, please do get in touch on artists@brisbaneportraitprize.org.

2026 Key Dates

Jan 2026 >> Entries Open
22.02.26 >> Artists Launch + Judges’ Announcement
01.07.26 >> Entries Close at 6pm
15.07.26 >> Finalists Notified
Jul – Sep >> Exhibition Prep Period
05.09.26 >> Finalists Announced
18.09.26 >> Opening Night + Winners Announced
19.09.26 >> Finalists Exhibition open to the public
08.11.26 >> Finalists Exhibition Closes

Entry Cost

For the main competition:
- A non-refundable $65 entry fee (inc GST) per entry must be paid at the time of entry.
- Payment must be made online via credit card.
For the Next Gen competition:
- A non-refundable $25 entry fee (inc GST) per entry must be paid at the time of entry.
- For individual entries, payment must be made online via credit card.
- For group entries, you may elect to pay via invoice (this must be arranged in advance).

Sitters Consent Form

All artists must have their sitter sign a ‘Sitter Consent Form‘ (even if it is a self portrait) which must be uploaded as part of your entry.

Eligibility

The artist and subject must have a connection with Brisbane.
This connection must be outlined as part of the entry process.
Self portraits are an acceptable entry.
Collaborative entries are accepted. All collaborative entries must have a single nominee who is responsible for the entry. All involved artists will however be acknowledged as creators of the entry.
The Brisbane Portrait Prize does encourage artists to consider producing portraits of people who have contributed to Brisbane
Both you and the subject must be an Australian citizen or, if you are not an Australian citizen, you must have been physically present in Australia for the 12 month period immediately prior to your online entry
The artist must be 18 years old or above at the time of entry
Directors, Officers and Employees of the Board are not eligible to enter (however volunteers are still eligible to enter)

Artwork Requirements

An original artwork, entirely completed and owned outright by you. QPP accepts entries that were completed in whole or in part by generative artificial intelligence (AI), subject to compliance with these terms.
All artwork must be 2 dimensional
All artists must have the Subject’s consent to enter the artwork in the Competition, including ensuring they understand the artwork may be displayed to the public. In 2025 this will include having the sitter sign a ‘Sitter Consent Form‘ which must be uploaded as part of your entry form.
Portraits must have been completed within the 3 year period leading up to the Prize entry date
If you use any form of AI in the creation of your artwork you will still need to comply with all other entry terms. You will also be required to declare how you used AI on the entry form.
Artworks must not have won first prize in any other major portraiture competition
All artists must have done at least one in-person live sitting with their subject

Artwork must be:

A maximum size of 2m high by 2m wide, inc the frame
A maximum weight of 15 kg, inc the frame
Wall-mountable, including use of D Rings and hanging wire.
May be multi-panelled, but combined size must fit within the above restrictions.
Original and not infringe the copyright, moral rights or other rights of any third party.

Additionally, for Digital entries:

The submitted portrait may be produced using photographic elements (traditional or digital)
Manipulation of the image is welcomed, and this may be in the pre or post production of the image
Selection weight will be given to those entries that display a clear artistic and creative approach to the subject
All digital mediums are eligible, but must be presented in a 2D printed form that can be hung in display
Videos and other forms of display requiring power cables are not eligible

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Use of AI in Artwork Creation

Since its inception, the Brisbane Portrait Prize has set out to be a truly contemporary art prize.

As our world continues to evolve, so too will the prize, which means from 2024 entries which have been created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be accepted.

This could be using AI to assist with image composition or in any other part of the artistic process including image generation.

BPP continues to support individual human creative processes, and this will be highly valued, even in works using AI .

All artists who enter the prize will be asked to declare whether they have used AI or not in the creation of their image and if so, explain how the have leveraged the technology.

All entrants who have used AI will still be required to comply with all other entry terms including having a live sitting with their subject and having full copyright ownership of the image being submitted.

For any finalists who are selected and have used AI in their entry creation, we will include info on the didactic to promote transparency and foster a deeper understanding of the evolving intersection between traditional artistic techniques and emerging technologies.