Newcastle Art Gallery celebrates new milestone with return of $50,000 Kilgour Prize

One of Australia’s major art prizes is calling for entries for the first time in five years after being relaunched following the expansion of the Newcastle Art Gallery.

The prestigious Kilgour Prize awards $50,000 to the most outstanding work of figurative or portrait painting and attracted a record number of entries from across Australia when it was last held in 2021.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Gavin Morris, Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM with Newcastle artist and previous Kilgour Prize winner Michael Bell, celebrate the relaunch of the major national art competition. They are pictured in front of the winning work from the inaugural Kilgour Prize, Beach life (pink zinc and figures), 2006, which was painted by Nicholas Harding.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said this was a milestone moment for the prize, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary.

“Newcastle Art Gallery has been proud to administer the Kilgour Prize since it was established in 2006 following a bequest from artist Jack Noel Kilgour,” Ms Morton said.

“Since then, it has become a well-respected and coveted inclusion on the national art prize calendar, attracting an incredibly high calibre of entries from emerging and established artists across the country.

“The prize has been on hold since the Gallery closed at the start of 2022 to undergo our major expansion project.

“We are thrilled that, as part of our reopening year, we are able to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of this nationally significant art prize.”

Almost 2,900 works have been entered into the Kilgour Prize since it was established, including a record 476 paintings received from across every state and territory in Australia in 2021.

In addition to the $50,000 first prize, a further $5,000 is awarded to the work of art voted most popular by the general public.

Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said the Kilgour Prize will continue Newcastle Art Gallery’s place on the national stage.

“The Gallery has been overwhelmingly embraced by our community and visiting art lovers since it reopened as the largest public gallery in NSW outside of Sydney,” Cr Morris said.

“The return of the Kilgour Prize will continue to showcase artistic talent from across Australia while strengthening Newcastle’s standing as a city that values creativity, culture and the arts.”

The Kilgour Prize features a strong resume of past winners including renowned British-born Australian artist Nicholas Harding, who took out the inaugural competition in 2006.

His winning entry, Beach life (pink zinc and figures), 2006, is among the Newcastle Art Gallery collection works currently on display in the Iconic Loved Unexpected exhibition.

The 2018 prize was awarded to one of Australia’s most exciting emerging artists of the time, Natasha Walsh, whose Kilgour victory was among three prestigious art awards she captured over a period of 12 weeks.

A string of former Archibald Prize winners and finalists have also claimed the Kilgour crown including Sydney-based artist Blak Douglas (2019), former Newcastle art teacher and Mambo artist Michael Bell (2020) and Newcastle painter Peter Gardiner (2016).

“I had been a finalist six times in the Kilgour Prize at Newcastle Art Gallery since the art competition first began in 2006,” Bell said.

“A lot of great painters have won this prize in the past, so to actually win the Kilgour Prize in 2020 was an incredible thrill and great honour. A real career highlight for me.

“My winning painting was then acquired by the Newcastle Art Gallery Society and donated to the Newcastle Art Gallery collection.

“Being a national award, the Kilgour Prize gives visitors to the Newcastle Art Gallery a good insight into current approaches to contemporary figurative painting.”

Entries for the 2027 Kilgour Prize are open now until 5 October 2026, with finalists to be announced in December.

Joining Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM on the judging panel will be independent curator and Warumungu and Luritja woman Kelli Cole and renowned artist Jason Phu.

The winner will be revealed at the exhibition opening in April 2027.