Emerge Youth Art Awards 2026

The City of Nedlands is happy to announce that the Emerge Youth Art Awards is returning to Tresillian Arts Centre in 2026. Now in its 14^th year, the award provides outstanding opportunities for exposure and celebration to young artists and is open to any West Australian artist between the ages of 12 – 25 years old.

This is the biggest event in the City's youth program, attracting emerging young artists from across the state to showcase and celebrate their talent for a public audience. Enter the awards as an artist for an opportunity to have your work recognised by our judges with one of several cash prizes.

For our local community, the exhibition is an opportunity to immerse yourself in creativity while supporting young and early career artists. The exhibition will be free to view at the City's much-loved Tresillian Arts Centre and visitors will be given the opportunity to vote for their favourite piece in the People's Choice Award.

Important info for Emerge entrants

Key dates 2026

23^rd March	Entries open at 5pm
29^th June at 5pm	Entries close at 5pm
3^rd July	Artwork drop- off between 3pm - 7pm at Tresillian Arts Centre
Sat 25^th July	Exhibition opening event 4-6pm at Tresillian Arts Centre
21^st August	Exhibition closes
21^st August	Artwork collection 4pm – 7pm at Tresillian Arts Centre
25^th July – 21^st August	Exhibition dates Mon – Fri 9am – 4pm, Sunday’s 1pm – 4pm

Conditions of Entry 2026

Click here to view the 2026 Emerge Conditions of Entry

Submission Form

Please submit your entry via the form below:

ENTRY FORM Emerge Youth Art Awards 2026 Entries Close 5pm 29 June – Fill in form

Artwork Label

Artwork Label PDF

Need more info?

Please contact Tessa Dorotich, Community Development Officer Arts & Culture via email: tresillian.exhibitions@nedlands.wa.gov.au

Emerge Youth Art Awards 2025 prize winners

Winner	Prize	Artwork title
Eva Pious	Open Award – 1^st prize	Coffee
Chiara Riolo	Open Award – Commendation	On The Inside
Miriam Skenedy	Resident's Award – 1^st prize	Blonde
Mathushika Kawryshanker	Resident's Award – Commendation	Limbo
Alicia Italiano	People's Choice Award	Impilati Sul Terreno (Stacked On Soil)
Erin Niu	Under 18 Award – 1^st prize	Midnight Snacks

Judges 2026

Robert Gear

Robert Gear was born in Nelson, New Zealand, on April 9, 1957. He was educated at Scotch College and Guildford Grammar School. In 1978 he completed a teaching diploma and in 1981 a Bachelor of Fine Art from Curtin University. In 1983, Robert accepted a teaching position with the Education Department, where he worked both full-time and part-time until his retirement in 2021.

Gear's work as an artist is embedded in the belief that painting offers a means of making sense of the world. His oil paintings explore landscapes, transforming the everyday into spaces of unsettling beauty and existential significance. He seeks to portray landscapes not only as physical spaces but also as vessels of memory, meaning, and emotion, where history and humanity intersect.

Through his landscapes, Gear reflects on personal and collective histories, addressing the challenges of global and social crises. His paintings create dreamlike worlds, inviting viewers to consider their role in shaping the future and our deep connection to the mysteries of life and history.

Gear exhibited at Art Collective WA in 2020 and 2024 and has participated in numerous group exhibitions and national art prizes. His work is represented in both private and institutional collections.

Jana Vodesil-Baruffi

I was born in the Czech Republic during the communist era, and from a young age, I developed a passion for art. After completing five years of study in Interior Design, I made a life-changing decision in 1981 to escape to the West.

Art has always been an integral part of who I am. Through art, I have found a way to express my emotions, thoughts, and values in a language deeper than words.

My artistic journey is centred around two primary themes: portraiture and landscapes. Each of these areas serves a distinct purpose in my work. Portraits allow me to explore and capture the essence of individuals. Landscapes serve as a visual diary, reflecting the beauty and diversity of the world around me.

Oil paint is my medium of choice.

Over the years, I have held more than 20 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows and competitions.

One of my most notable projects was Permanent Impressions, a series of 50 portraits featuring prominent Western Australian women. Other accomplishments include winning the Lester Prize in 2017, the People’s Choice Award, and being a finalist seven times. I have also been a finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery, as well as in prestigious awards like the Melville Art Award, Canning Art Award, Shirley Hannan Award, and the American Art Award.

Charlotte Robinson

Charlotte Robinson is a Boorloo (Perth)–based expressionist painter and a founding member of Holmes Studio, an artist collective in Forrestfield. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in 2022 and currently works across the not-for-profit and arts sectors in Perth.

Through her painting practice, Charlotte explores how expressive imagery and colour can evoke emotional responses within portraiture. Her portraits are interpretive and often vividly coloured, combining figurative illustration with elements of realism. Alongside portraiture, her practice extends to figurative works that depict everyday settings and lived experiences.

Charlotte was awarded the Louise Macphie Painter’s Award at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in 2020, received the City of Belmont Emerging Artist Award in 2023 and was a Finalist for the Jury Art Prize in 2025. Her work has been exhibited at ECU, the Courthouse Gallery, Nyisztor Studio, Ellenbrook Arts, and Lost Eden Creative.