The 2026 CRE8 Art Prize, themed Time, invites participants to explore and interpret what Time means to them. The competition features two options—canvas or paper—offering artists greater flexibility to express their creativity in the medium that best suits their vision. Participants are divided into three age divisions:
- Open category (18+ and non-enrolled school students)
- Secondary division (students enrolled in secondary school)
- Primary division (students enrolled in primary school)
Prizes will be awarded in each division for 1st place and the People’s Choice Award.
The exhibition will be held on Thursday 10th September 2026 from 3:30-6:30pm, as part of the Festival of Creativity at Holland Park State High School. This vibrant community event will celebrate the artistic talents of participants while engaging visitors in a diverse showcase of creativity and culture.
CRE8 Art Prize Entry Terms and Conditions
Key Dates
- Registrations Open: Friday 17 July 2026
- Registrations Close: Sunday 30th August 2026 (3 pm)
- Acceptance of Finalised Artworks: Monday 31st August – Thursday 3rd September
- Exhibition and Prize Recipients Announced: 10th September 2026, at the Festival of Creativity
- Collection of Paintings: Paintings must be collected from Holland Park SHS between Friday 11th September – Thursday 17th September. If your entry is part of the primary school collaboration, these will be delivered.
- If not collected, disposal of artwork is at the discretion of Holland Park SHS.
Entry Cost
- $10 entry fee (primary category free); artist supplies their own canvas or paper.
- Open and Secondary category:
- Canvas must be 20cm x 25cm double thick
- Paper must be A4 (300gm or higher)
- Primary category:
- Canvas must be 20cm x 20cm single thick
- Paper must be A4 (300gm or higher)
Submission Requirements
- Online entry form and payment must be completed by completing the Registration Survey by 3pm Sunday 30th August 2026.
- Artworks must be delivered to Holland Park State High School Administration building, 177 Bapaume Road, Holland Park, QLD 4121, between Monday 31st August – Thursday 3rd September (9am – 3pm).
- Freight and delivery charges are the artist’s responsibility.
- Artists are responsible for packaging their work for protection
- Artworks must be collected from Holland Park SHS between Friday 11th September – Thursday 17th September. If your entry is part of the primary school collaboration, these will be delivered back to the school sites.
- If not collected, disposal of artwork is at the discretion of Holland Park SHS.
- Artwork must be clearly labelled upon delivery with name and contact details (attached, not written directly)
Prizes
This year, the condition of First Place will be an acquisitive prize. This prize money will be awarded to the first place winners of the secondary and open category in exchange for the artwork to be added to the permanent collection of Holland Park SHS and the Cre8 Art prize archives.
Open Category (18 years and over, not currently enrolled in an Australian secondary school):
- First Place
- Second Place
- People’s Choice Award
Secondary School Category (Currently enrolled in Years 7–12 in an Australian secondary school):
- First Place
- Second Place
- People’s Choice Award
Primary School Category (Currently enrolled in Prep to Year 6 in an Australian primary school):
- First Place
- Second Place
- People’s Choice Award
Eligibility
- The CRE8 Art Prize is open to Australian citizens and residents.
- Entries must align with the theme ‘Time’, created in the past 12 months, and not previously exhibited in an art prize.
- Accepted formats:
- 20 cm x 20 cm canvas single thick (primary)
- 20 cm x 25 cm canvas double thick (secondary and open)
- A4 Paper (300 gsm or higher)
- Media used may include oil, acrylic, gouache, charcoal, graphite, pencil, watercolour, ink, pastel, natural earth pigments, or mixed media/collage.
- AI-generated works, in whole or in part, are ineligible.
- A maximum of three entries per artist is allowed, with a separate entry fee required for each.
- Entry fees are non-refundable and contribute to administrative costs.
Additional Information
- Artists must submit a title and a 50-100 word artist statement (describing how the artwork represents the theme Time) for their artwork via entry survey *the entry survey allows editing, if you are unsure of what you are creating at this stage, you can submit your entry form and add your statement later!
- Open Category artists may list their works for sale at a fixed price of $150 per work.
- Secondary students have the option to sell their work for a price between $20 – $150 per work
- A 10% commission will be deducted from all sales.
- By entering, artists grant CRE8 Art Prize the right to publish their works, in whole or part, in publications related to the prize, free of copyright.
Judging
- The judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence or appeals will be considered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Are there any school exclusions?
Answer: No. The primary and secondary school categories are open to any person who is enrolled in a primary or secondary school both public and private.
Question: If I am entering the primary or secondary school categories, do I apply as an individual or via my school?
Answer: Apply as an individual by clicking the link below and completing the registration form. You will be asked to provide the name of the school you attend and grade you are currently enrolled in.
Question: Do I need permission from my school to enter?
Answer: As you are entering as an individual, no permission is required from your school to enter.
Question: How will the canvases and paper artwork be displayed?
Answer: At this point in time, the canvases will be displayed on individual wooden easels on tables. The paper artworks will be displayed using magnets on a display wall.
Cre8 Art Prize 