Now showing until 9 October 2026
The UMSU Art Prize is a biennial award presented by the University of Melbourne Student Union, celebrating the creative practices of currently enrolled University of Melbourne students. Now showing at the George Paton Gallery, the exhibition provides a platform for innovative, critical and experimental artistic practices across visual art and design.
We are delighted to announce Takako Osawa as the winner of the $5,000 UMSU Art Prize for her video work Uzumé (2026). A Master of Contemporary Art student in the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, Takako draws on her Shinto background to explore our relationship with nature through a series of works addressing extinct and critically endangered animals. The award was announced at the opening celebration on Friday 18 September. Thank you to Charlotte Day and UMSU President Lushomo Chinganya for joining us to speak and announce the winner, and to everyone who came along to celebrate the artists.
The shortlisted artists exhibiting in 2026 are:
Jade Sarita Arnott, Orlando Benzon Tuke, Jeremy Blincoe, Milly Borrack, Asha Bowditch, Bryce Bridger, Lina Buck, Stanley Chen, Daniel Collins, Elijah Cristiano, Ben Davis, Sue Davis, Michael Doyle, Mietta Edwards, Brodie Ellis, Laura Fenderson, Sarah Gilsenan, Georgia Harding Hall, Larissa Hogg, Sophia Jacoby, Natasha Jol, Alexandra Jones, Rebekah Krialis, Freja Kvist Innes-Ker, Charlie Lee, Alisha Lin, Zeyang Liu, Freya Lloyd, Leo Loscher, Irtiza Malik, Sean Martin, Aliandra Nasrun, Zhann Nesbitt, Felix Oliver, Takako Osawa, Tallulah Papaellinas, Nadege Philippe-Janon, Arjang Razzazian, Yongping Ren, E. Salmon, Poppy Skipper, Bonnie Thorn, Lola Vincent, Timothy Walker, Yandell Walton, Lotus West, Ruby Wilkinson, Amelia Yilan Wilson, Micaela Xerri, and Peibeiyi Zhang.
The UMSU Art Prize offers two awards:
- $5,000 UMSU Art Prize, awarded to Takako Osawa
- $1,000 People’s Choice Award, to be announced on Friday 9 October
The 2026 judging panel comprised Hannah Presley (Senior Curator, Museums and Collections, University of Melbourne); Brigid Moriarty (Curator, Gertrude); and Sabrina Alday (Arts and Diplomacy Programs Lead, Asialink).
Visit the exhibition before it closes on Friday 9 October and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award.