Contemporary Small Sculpture Award

Exhibition dates: 24 August – 9 October 2026

The Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award, established in 2009, is organised by the Art Collection and Galleries Unit at Deakin University. The award celebrates contemporary sculptures from artists around Australia, culminating in an exhibition of finalists’ work held in August to October each year at the Deakin University Art Gallery.

A panel, which changes composition each year, shortlists around 40 entries as finalists from a entry pool which is growing annually, last year receiving 735 submissions. The same panel then chooses the Acquisitive First Prize Winner – supported by Michael and Emily Tong – and a Highly Commended – supported by UniSuper. The winning work goes into the Deakin University Art Collection. In 2026 the award will also include an inaugural Emerging Sculptors Award.

The finalist exhibition is held for a period of 6-8 weeks at the Deakin University Art Gallery on Deakin’s Melbourne Burwood campus. At the end of the exhibition, a People’s Choice winner is determined by vote from exhibition visitors.

Prizes

• $15,000 Winner, Acquisitive First Prize, supported by Michael and Emily Tong
• $5,000 Emerging Sculptors Award (non-acquisitive)
• $3,000 Highly Commended (non-acquisitive), supported by UniSuper
• $3,000 People’s Choice Award

Key dates

ENTRIES OPEN: 9 am AEST Monday 6 April 2026

ENTRIES CLOSE: Midnight AEST Friday 5 June 2026

ARTISTS NOTIFIED OF OUTCOME: Friday 17 July 2026

DELIVERY OF WORK TO DEAKIN: Tuesday 11 August 2026

EXHIBITION OPENS: Monday 24 August 2026

EXHIBITION CLOSES: Friday 9 October 2026

COLLECTION OF WORK FROM DEAKIN: Tuesday 13 October 2026

Judging panel

Each year the judging panel consists of the Senior Manager, Art Collection and Galleries, Deakin University, and two arts industry representatives.

Terms of Entry

1. There is no entry fee for this award.
2. Entry is only open to individuals who are resident in Australia for legal or tax purposes at the time of entry and who provide an Australian residential address. Entries will not be accepted from non-residents or overseas.
3. This competition is for free-standing sculptures only. The sculpture cannot be hung from a wall or ceiling.
4. The sculpture must be no more than 70 cm in any dimension, this includes the height, width, depth and diagonal. The sculpture may include multiple parts but not extend outside of the dimension requirements. If supported by a stand, then the height of the stand is to be included in the height of the sculpture. (This does not include a plinth, or other object that the work may ultimately be displayed on).
5. The sculpture must be not more than 30 kilograms in weight (including any stand required to support the work). The sculpture can be in any medium provided it is not inherently fragile, dangerous or harmful, and must be free-standing.
6. Deakin reserves the right to decline acceptance of any sculpture that in its opinion fails to meet the entry requirements.
7. Finalists will be selected by the judging panel consisting of the Senior Manager, Art Collection and Galleries, Deakin University, and two arts industry representatives who will be announced once judging of the finalists is complete.
8. One outstanding entry will be awarded a first prize of $15,000 (ex GST) supported by Michael and Emily Tong, by the judging panel. To receive the Award sum, the winner of the Award must transfer ownership of their sculpture to Deakin University free of all adverse interests and claims and sign any documentation required by Deakin to give effect to the transfer.
9. One outstanding entry will be awarded a Highly Commended prize of $3,000 (ex GST) supported by UniSuper, by the judging panel. This prize is non-acquisitive, and the artwork does not become part of the Deakin Collection.
10. One finalist will be awarded a $5,000 Emerging Sculptors Award, this prize is not acquisitive.  An “emerging sculptor” will be informed by reference to the NAVA careers stages definition of an early-career artist as outlined on their webpage at the time entries open in particular: a sculptor in initial stages of their professional career, perhaps recently graduated, operating beyond a hobby but unlikely to have their practice supporting full time or continuous income.
11. A finalist may be eligible for more than one Award.
12. Payment of any Award to the Award winners will be made on provision to Deakin of bank account details. If the winner is registered for GST and wants to add GST to their payment, payment will be made on provision of a tax invoice.
13. The First Prize Award winner agrees to be available to give a 30-minute public talk about their work, if requested, either in person or online. A separate fee payable by Deakin for delivery of this talk will be negotiated with the Award winner.
14. Each prize winner grants Deakin a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free licence to reproduce images of their Work on the Deakin University Art Collection database and Deakin University Art Gallery webpage and for curatorial, educational, administrative and promotional purposes in all publication formats, including digital and social media, using all current and future technologies.

Deakin will include an acknowledgement that the prize winner(s) is or are the creator of the winning work.

15. The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence or conversation will be entered into regarding any decision made by the judging panel.
16. Separate to the above Awards, one artwork will be chosen as the People’s Choice winner from votes submitted by exhibition visitors and will win a $3,000 People’s Choice Award, this prize is non-acquisitive. Votes will be tallied at 4 pm, Friday 9 October 2026. Payment to the People’s Choice winner will be made on provision of bank account details. If the recipient has a business registered for GST and wants to add GST to their payment, payment will be made on provision of a tax invoice.
17. Artists shortlisted for the prize will be invited to exhibit their entries from Monday 24 August 2026 to Friday 9 October 2026 at the Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne Burwood Campus. The winner will be chosen from the finalists’ exhibition and announced at the opening of the exhibition. The winner will be notified if not in attendance at the opening.
18. Exhibited works cannot be for sale but if enquiries are made by members of the public they will be put in contact with the artist concerned or their nominated representative.
19. A limit of three entries is permitted per person as an individual or joint entrant.
20. Entries cannot be changed once submitted.
21. Each entry may be accompanied by up to four digital images (JPEG preferred) and must include the name of the entrant in the file name.
22. All entries must be the original work of the entrant (or entrants) and made within 12 months prior to the date of entry.
23. Finalists’ works must be delivered to the Deakin University Art Gallery on Tuesday 11 August 2026 between 10 am and 4 pm. Works will not be accepted at any other time unless by prior arrangement with the Art Collection and Galleries Unit.
24. Sculptures will be strictly weighed and measured on arrival. Any works not meeting the strict size and weight requirements will not be exhibited in the finalists’ exhibition and will not be eligible for judging (all costs associated with this will be borne by the finalist).
25. Substitutions of original entries will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the organisers.
26. If a work uses mains power to operate it must arrive at Deakin with current testing and tagging certification or it will be refused.
27. If a finalist wishes to set up their own work that can be negotiated by prior arrangement with the Art Collection and Galleries Unit, with a maximum time allowance of two hours and meeting the strict date requirements as advised by the organisers.
28. Works need to be collected between 10 am and 4 pm on Tuesday 13 October 2026. Works cannot be removed at any other time unless by prior arrangement with the Art Collection and Galleries Unit.
29. All entries selected for exhibition must be available for continuous display at the Gallery for the period of the exhibition. Artists and/or their representatives cannot remove an artwork from display prior to Monday 12 October 2026.
30. Freight to and from Deakin University and transit insurance are the responsibility of the entrant (or entrants).
31. By completing the entry form and entering the work, the entrant (or entrants) warrants that the work is the sole and unencumbered property of the entrant (or entrants) and that there are no inhibitions or restrictions upon title passing to Deakin University in the event that the work is selected as the winner.
32. Deakin University reserves the right to reproduce images of the exhibition finalists as individual and/or group images for archival, internal cataloguing, or advertising and promotion (in either or both print and electronic form) of the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award.
33. Installation photographs will be distributed to finalists for sharing on social media platforms so long as the exhibition and photographer are both credited.
34. There will be an allowance for visitors to the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award to take photographs of the artworks.
35. Deakin University reserves the right to cancel or postpone the award and exhibition without explanation.
36. Entries close Midnight AEST Friday 5 June 2026.
37. Employees of Deakin and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter this award.
38. All personal information gathered on the entry form will be used solely for the purpose of promoting and administering the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award. The University treats personal information held by it in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act (2014). You have a right to access your personal information held by Deakin University. Requests for access to personal information are managed under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic). The University’s information privacy policy may be viewed at deakin.edu.au/theguide or by contacting the Privacy Officer at privacy@deakin.edu.au.