M16 Artspace Young Drawers Prize 2026

Gallery 3

Opening Saturday 21 November, 2026, 6-8pm
Sunday 22 November - Sunday 13 December

---

Celebrating the creativity, skill and imagination of Australia's next generation of artists, M16 Artspace is proud to present the fifth Young Drawers Prize. Dedicated to artists aged 18 years and under, the prize provides a platform for young creatives to share their work, gain recognition, and exhibit within a professional gallery environment.

Presented alongside the M16 Artspace Drawing Prize, the Young Drawers Prize continues M16's commitment to supporting and championing emerging artistic talent from across Australia.

2026 Finalists

Senior Category (12 - 18 years)

Penelope A

Wenqi C

Sukaina D

Aliah O

Steven P

Ashley S

Baian S

Genevieve S

Serena S

Alan W

Annie W

Emma W

Junior Category (11 years and under)

Eleanor B

Harland F

Laura J

Aerin K

Ian K

Sean K

Abigail L

Sophia R

Gianna S

Taiga S

Skylar W

Eddie Z

Digital Drawing Prize (Junior + Senior)

Leon A

Alicia L

Evelyn P

Jasmin P

Diala Q

Genevieve S

Nathan T

Aaron W

---

M16 Artspace Drawing Prize 2026

Gallery 1

Opening Saturday 21 November, 2026, 6-8pm
Sunday 22 November - Sunday 13 December

---

We are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated M16 Artspace Drawing Prize 2026, generously co-sponsored by The Tall Foundation. As a staple in our exhibition calendar since 2006, this prestigious competition attracts hundreds of entries from across Australia and internationally.

Bringing together 31 finalists from across Australia, the M16 Artspace Drawing Prize showcases the breadth of contemporary drawing practice. The exhibition features works spanning traditional and contemporary approaches, demonstrating the versatility of drawing as a medium and its continued relevance as a powerful form of artistic expression.

2026 Finalists

S.A.Adair

Kim Anderson

Surya Bajracharya

Nat Bateman

Racheal Bruhn

Madeline Cardone

August Carpenter

Donovan Christie

Keely Clarke

Gina Corridore

Rmsina Daniel

Tilly Davey

Todd Fuller

Rachel Gresswell

Lizzie Hall

Nicci Haynes

Melinda Hunt

Guinevere Isla

Virginia Keft

Nadège Lamy

Chin-Jie Melodie Liu

Tia Madden

Barbara McConchie

Aaron Moore

Dan Power

David Proctor

Jordan Rodger

Heidi Smith

Issey-Harmony Utama

Nathan Wright

Belinda Yee

---

Prizes

Winners will be announced at the opening event at M16 Artspace on Saturday 21 November 2026, except for the Peoples’ Choice Award which will be announced on social media at the exhibition’s conclusion.

M16 Artspace Drawing Prize Main Prize
Proudly supported by the Tall Foundation

Prize: $10,000

M16 Artspace Drawing Prize Highly Commended
Proudly supported by Delta Cleaning

Prize: $1,000

First Nations Artist Award
Proudly supported by M16 Artspace

Prize: $2,000

Megalo Print Studio Local Artist Award
Kindly supported by Megalo Print Studio

Prize: A Megalo Print Studio residency including a 2-week studio residency, 12 month membership and 5 hours one-on-one tuition

Local Artist Award
Proudly supported by Cox Architecture

Prize: $500 art materials voucher

People’s Choice Award
Kindly supported by The Framing Store

Prize: $500 framing voucher

Bespoke Utopia

Evan Humphreys, Cloister Chair, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist.

Gavin Bradstreet | Wilay Designs | Matthew Freeman | Michele Grimstom | Shaun Hayes | Matilda Hillam | Evan Humphreys | Karen Lee | Sandy Ma | Paul Mclnnes | Melissa Nickols | Jessica Spencer | Lisa Stevenson | Grace Walters

Gallery 1
Opening Thursday 22 October, 2026, 6-8pm
Friday 23 October - Sunday 15 November

---

‘Bespoke Utopia’ brings together leading Canberra artists whose practices embrace the principles of slow design, offering an alternative to the norms of post-capitalist production. Showcasing the depth and diversity of the region's art and design community, the exhibition highlights creative practices that celebrate care, craftsmanship and long-term thinking.

In today's post-capitalist economy, contemporary design often functions as a driver of overconsumption. Much of popular design is classified as ephemeral, disposable or temporal, categories that reflect the broader issue of planned obsolescence. These approaches carry significant ethical and environmental implications, particularly in the face of accelerating climate change. Bespoke Utopia invites audiences to critically consider how these design practices shape our world and to reflect on their long-term consequences.

The artists featured in Bespoke Utopia prioritise thoughtful, responsible making over rapid, large-scale manufacturing. Drawing on traditions of craftsmanship and handmade processes, their work positions slow design as both a philosophy and a form of creative activism - one that contributes to broader cultural shifts towards environmental and social sustainability. Through sustained engagement with materials, form and process, the exhibition highlights how deliberate, mindful design can foster more enduring and environmentally conscious ways of living.

Canberra's design identity has long been characterised by the convergence of fine art, craft and applied design. Shaped by the region's strong history of craft education, community studios and maker networks, the artists in Bespoke Utopia combine traditional techniques with contemporary visual languages to create works that are innovative, finely crafted and conceptually grounded. Together, they celebrate the strength of local artistic practice while contributing to wider conversations about sustainability, material culture and the role of design in shaping everyday life.

---

Learn More About 2026 Craft and Design Festival:

The 2026 Craft + Design Canberra Festival celebrates Canberra as a creative city of design, showcasing the work of more than 500 artists, makers, designers and creative thinkers. Across ten days, experience more than 130 activations, including events, exhibitions, markets, open studios, performances, public artworks, symposiums, talks, tours and workshops across the city.

Responding to the theme of Dissent, the Festival explores how craft, design and creative practice can question what exists, challenge convention and imagine different ways forward. Discover work engaging with environmental and social impact, sustainability, wellbeing, accessibility and the future of Canberra.

Celebrating the handmade and locally made, the Festival recognises the skills, stories and material knowledge held within our creative communities. Together, the program considers craft, design and art as practical tools for responding to the challenges of our time and shaping more sustainable, equitable and imaginative futures.

---