2026 Muswellbrook Art Prize
19 March to 23 May 2026
Established in 1958, the Muswellbrook Art Prize is a now $70,000 acquisitive award spanning three categories: painting, works on paper, and ceramics. With medium as the sole thematic focus, the Prize showcases the diverse subjects and practices of contemporary artists working throughout Australia.
Astute adjudication of the Prize has yielded an impressive collection of modern and contemporary Australian art. Highlighting the Post War period of the 20th Century and into the 21st Century, these works form the foundation of the Muswellbrook Shire Art Collection.
Along with Muswellbrook Shire Council, who since 1958 has acted as sponsor and administrator of the Muswellbrook Art Prize, Bengalla Mining Company has generously sponsored the Prize for over 30 years, their commitment ensuring the development of the Muswellbrook Shire Art Collection.
Thank you to adjudicator of the 2026 Muswellbrook Art Prize, Scott Elliott, Assistant Curator of Australian Art, Art Gallery of NSW along with selection panel members, ceramicist Simon Reece, artist and creative producer Suzannah Jones, and Elissa Emerson, Director of the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre.
A special thank you to all Prize Finalist of the 2026 Muswellbrook Art Prize.
Naomi Zouwer, ‘All the feelings I have’ 2026, oil on paper, 118 x 131cm, Finalist, Muswellbrook Art Prize 2026.
When the Ground Shifts: Jaimie Turner
19 March to 1 August 2026
‘When the Ground Shifts’ brings together a body of work by Wonnarua woman Jaimie Turner, shaped by connection and evolving relationships with Wonnarua Country, Ancestors and lived change. These works emerge from moments of movement, pressure, and transformation, where identity and culture form on shifting ground.
Working across painting, weaving, textiles and sculpture, Turner bridges traditional knowledge with contemporary expression. Her practice honours cultural foundations while embracing personal experience, creative exploration and a deep respect for natural materials.
Connection and Country remain constant shaping forces in Turner’s practice, acknowledging inherited and learned knowledge while allowing space for growth, adaptation and change. Through this balance, the works invite reflection on what holds, what endures, and what can be respectfully reshaped over time. They encourage deeper connection with, and renewed appreciation of, Aboriginal culture as living, dynamic and ongoing.
Jaimie Turner, ‘Cultural and Ceremonial Wear: Traditional and Contemporary Expressions’ 2026, mixed media—contemporary and traditional elements including raffia, Lomandra, jute, cotton, linen, emu feathers, bees wax, quandong seeds, kangaroo and possum fur and leather, Photography © Kimberly Starr Guringai, Wonnarua and Worimi woman Miikal Photography.
Hold Still: from the Muswellbrook Collections
19 March to 1 August 2026
Ceramic vessels are among the oldest and most enduring forms of human expression. While historically created for function, contemporary artists continue to use the vessel as a powerful medium for storytelling, memory and cultural connection. In this exhibition, each work reflects the personal experiences, histories and influences of its maker. For some artists, the vessel becomes a way to hold memories of place or moments in time; for others, it carries cultural knowledge, tradition or childhood nostalgia. Through form, surface and imagery, these works reveal how the seemingly simple vessel can contain complex narratives and personal meaning.
Casey Chen, ‘Big Robot 5’ 2022, glazed porcelain, china paint and gold lustre, 37 x 21 x 21cm, Muswellbrook Shire Art Collection, Winner, Muswellbrook Art Prize 2023, Ceramics.
