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Archibald Prize

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Richard Lewer has won the year’s Archibald Prize for his portrait of Pitjantjatjara elder and artist Iluwanti Ken.

‘Deeply humbled’: Melbourne artist Richard Lewer wins Archibald Prize

It was sixth time lucky for Melbourne artist Richard Lewer who has won this year’s Archibald Prize for a portrait of Indigenous artist Iluwanti Ken.

  • Linda Morris and Nick Galvin

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Richard Lewer with his Archibald Prize-winning portrait of Iluwanti Ken at the Art Gallery of NSW.

This year’s Archibald Prize winner is an instant classic. Here’s why

Richard Lewer’s beautiful, powerful portrait of APY Pitjantjatjara elder Iluwanti Ken is a winner that is right for the times.

  • Michaela Boland
The Melbourne artist was shocked to win the $100,000 portrait prize at the Art Gallery of NSW.
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'It's mind-blowing': Richard Lewer on his Archibald win

The Melbourne artist was shocked to win the $100,000 portrait prize at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Linda Morris and Nick Galvin were on the ground at the Art Gallery of NSW for the 2026 Archibald Prize.
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What we thought of the 2026 Archibald Prize

Linda Morris and Nick Galvin were on the ground at the Art Gallery of NSW for the 2026 Archibald Prize.

Richard Lewer has won this year’s Archibald Prize for a portrait of Iluwanti Ken, a Pitjantjatjara elder and artist from Tjala Arts in South Australia’s APY Lands.
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Moment Richard Lewer is announced as winner of the 2026 Archibald Prize

Richard Lewer has won this year’s Archibald Prize for a portrait of Iluwanti Ken, a Pitjantjatjara elder and artist from Tjala Arts in South Australia’s APY Lands.

Archibald finalists

Archibald Prize 2026 as it happened: Richard Lewer wins for Iluwanti Ken portrait; Gaypalani Wanambi claims Wynne Prize, Lucy Culliton takes out Sulman Prize

Follow along as our arts writers deliver rolling coverage of the portraiture show that “stops a nation”.

  • Linda Morris, Nick Galvin and Kayla Olaya
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Then and now: The change in Archibald Prize subject matters comes with a dash of colour and cheek.

The brown suits of the Archibald Prize are gone. Here’s what’s replaced them

Melbourne artist W.B. McInnes won the first Archibald Prize for a sober portrait of an architect who sat stiffly beside a table of architectural drawings and objets d’art. This year’s cohort is something else.

  • Linda Morris
Top 50 Australian movies of all time: and animation showing all the genres

Now for a change of pace: Movies, art and a boost to our books coverage

The launch of a special interactive feature on the top 50 Australian films of all time caps off a busy week for the Herald’s culture team.

  • Jordan Baker
Winning artist of the Archibald Packing Room Prize 2026, Sean Layh, with his work, an in-performance portrait of actor Jacob Collins as Hamlet.

Self-taught artist wins Packing Room Prize with Shakespearean scene

Sean Layh’s portrait of actor Jacob Collins is one of 59 finalists in the running for this year’s $100,000 Archibald Prize.

  • Linda Morris

Archibald ditches the selfie and returns to form: Which one is your winner?

The art prize that stops the nation has made a welcome return after the chaos of last year.

  • Michaela Boland