SAM announces winner of Archibald Prize 2026 People's Choice Award
19 October 2026
FINAL WEEKS TO SEE ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2026 AT SHEPPARTON ART MUSEUM
Announcing the winner of the People’s Choice Award
Art lovers have just weeks remaining to experience the Archibald Prize 2026 at Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), the only Victorian venue on the prestigious exhibition’s national tour.
On display until Sunday 1 November, the popular exhibition brings together 59 portraits from the 2026 Archibald Prize, Australia’s celebrated annual portraiture award, offering visitors a rare opportunity to encounter the country’s leading artists and the people who inspire them.
Today SAM is pleased to announce Nick Stathopoulos’ A brilliant career (Margaret Fink) has been voted the winner of Archibald Prize 2026 People’s Choice Award by the visitors to SAM’s presentation of the exhibition.
Image: Archibald Prize 2026 finalist Nick Stathopoulos, A brilliant career (Margaret Fink), installation view, Shepparton Art Museum. Photo: Leon Schoots
The portrait celebrates Margaret Fink, a pivotal figure in the resurgence of Australian cinema in the 1970s. Best known for producing the 1979 classic film My Brilliant Career, which launched the careers of director Gillian Armstrong and actor Judy Davis, Fink’s other credits include The Removalists (1975), For Love Alone (1986), and Candy (2006) which starred the late Heath Ledger.
Now in her early nineties, Fink proved a spirited subject for Stathopoulos, a self-taught artist celebrated for his hyper-realistic and heavily details portraits. This is his tenth time as an Archibald Prize finalist. In 2016, Stathopoulos won the People’s Choice Award for his portrait of Sudanese refugee and lawyer Deng Adut.
Selected by visitors to SAM, the winning work reflects the unique connection between artists, their sitters and the audiences who experience their work. The People’s Choice Award gives visitors an opportunity to have their say, celebrating the portrait that resonates the strongest.
Danny Lacy, SAM Artistic Director, says of the winning work:
“This portrait captured the imagination of many visitors to the Archibald Prize with its detail and history. Stathopoulos’ painting captures Fink’s distinctive style, including extraordinary detail and patterns. It’s a powerful work that draws you in, as demonstrated by its clear popularity with our visitors, many of who have shared their astonishment with the painting’s realism and lifelike detail.”
Artist Nick Stathopoulos says of his portrait:
“Margaret proved to be a lively and stylish subject, and she was every bit as spirited as she presents in the final painting. A tour guide from the Art Gallery of New South Wales told me the late Sam Neill, who starred in Fink's production of My Brilliant Career, was seen admiring the painting. I'm delighted viewers have responded so positively with the work.”
The exhibition of the Archibald Prize 2026 provides a compelling reason to visit Shepparton, with the city’s vibrant arts and cultural scene making it an ideal destination for a regional day trip or weekend getaway.
Whether visitors are returning to see their favourite portraits or experiencing the Archibald Prize for the first time, the exhibition invites audiences to look beyond the canvas and discover the stories, personalities and perspectives captured by contemporary Australian portrait artists.
Archibald Prize 2026 is showing at Shepparton Art Museum until 1 November. To book tickets and programs visit sheppartonartmuseum.com.au
Archibald Prize 2026 is an Art Gallery of New South Wales touring exhibition, and the regional tour is supported by major partner Optus.
About SAM:
Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is located on Yorta Yorta Country, Shepparton, Victoria.
Serving as a dynamic cultural and community hub for the Greater Shepparton region, SAM is one of Australia’s leading regional art museums and the newest purpose-built collecting institution in regional Victoria. SAM houses one of the nation’s most significant collections of Australian ceramics and regional holdings of South Eastern Indigenous Art, and presents an inclusive museum experience that inspires creativity, forges meaningful connections, and celebrates the unique stories of our region.
Through its programs, events, collection, and temporary exhibitions, SAM creates opportunities for artists and creatives to engage audiences with contemporary ideas and issues, allowing the stories of our country’s ancient cultures and contemporary multicultural Australia to be discovered and exchanged.
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Media enquiries, please contact: Ali Webb, House of Webb Publicity
p: +61 438 190 328 e: ali@houseofwebb.com.au
Top image: Visitors to Shepparton Art Museum viewing Stathopoulos’s Archibald Prize 2026 entry. Photo: Shepparton Art Museum
Local students celebrated at SAM as winners of Young Archie Shepparton art exhibition announced
19 October 2026
From depicting the daily ritual of father-son conversations to an emotive portrait of a beloved grandparent, the winners of Shepparton Art Museum’s Young Archie Shepparton highlight the abundant creativity and keen observational talent that lives within the next generation of Greater Shepparton.
On the evening of Wednesday 14 October, the artists of Young Archie Shepparton gathered with their families at SAM to celebrate their exhibition and to discover who among them had been selected as winners of the Primary and Secondary School prize categories, and who had been voted as the winner of the People’s Choice Award.
In the Primary School category, eight-year-old Xavier Viney and ten-year-old Milo Rose were selected for their respective portraits Morning Chats with Dad and My pa, the flower farmer. In their artist statements, Xavier described his portrait as portraying his ‘favourite part of the day’, when he and his father enjoy a conversation over breakfast ahead of their day, while Milo explains the special connection he shares with his grandfather and their bond over beekeeping and tending to their chickens as the reason behind his choice of subject.
In the Secondary School category, fourteen-year-old Abbie Higgins and seventeen-year-old Alicia Kazayi were selected for their respective portraits Pop and Colour Blind. Created in clay on paper, Abbie’s portrait is a stirring, textured ode to her great-grandfather, with the artwork attempting to capture the way in which his lifetime of experiences is written in his expressions and weathered skin. In contrast to the earthy tones of Abbie’s portrait, Alicia’s drawing of a family friend uses vibrant colour to portray a close friend who has become a brotherly figure to her, whose youthful energy and curiosity she finds infectious.
Twelve-year-old Armaan Singh was announced as the winner of the People’s Choice Award for his portrait of his mother entitled My hero, my mum (pictured, left). Armaan’s entry, which features an intricate paper collage depicting his mother smiling, attracted hundreds of votes from visitors to the exhibition over September and October.
Gabriella Calandro, Head of Engagement at Shepparton Art Museum, says of the event:
“We were thrilled to welcome many of the artists of the Young Archie Shepparton and their families to SAM to celebrate their contributions to this exhibition. The portraits, and the stories that accompany them, have brought us and our visitors so much joy over the past few weeks, and it’s always a privilege to offer local young creatives opportunities to share their talent with the community. Everyone who created an artwork for this exhibition should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved, and we extend our congratulations to the winners who were announced in each category.”
Winners were awarded prize packs from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which included art activities, craft materials, and books.
Young Archie Shepparton is now showing at Shepparton Art Museum until 1 November 2026 with free entry.
Young Archie Shepparton award winners
People’s Choice Award winner: Armaan Singh, My Hero, My Mum
Primary school category winners:
- Xavier Viney, Morning Chats with Dad
- Milo Rose, My Pa, the flower farmer
Secondary school category winners:
- Abbie Higgins, Pop
- Alicia Kazayi, Colour Blind
ENDS
About SAM:
Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is located on Yorta Yorta Country, Shepparton, Victoria.
Serving as a dynamic cultural and community hub for the Greater Shepparton region, SAM is one of Australia’s leading regional art museums and the newest purpose-built collecting institution in regional Victoria. SAM houses one of the nation’s most significant collections of Australian ceramics and regional holdings of South Eastern Indigenous Art, and presents an inclusive museum experience that inspires creativity, forges meaningful connections, and celebrates the unique stories of our region.
Through its programs, events, collection, and temporary exhibitions, SAM creates opportunities for artists and creatives to engage audiences with contemporary ideas and issues, allowing the stories of our country’s ancient cultures and contemporary multicultural Australia to be discovered and exchanged.
Media enquiries, please contact Mikela Guseli, SAM Communications Coordinator.
p: (03) 4804 5009 e: mguseli@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au