The winners of the 2026 Maldon Landscape Prize will be announced at Cascade Art Gallery at Maldon tomorrow September 26.
The annual competition is proudly presented by the Maldon Artists Network (MANet) and Cascade Art Gallery and the community is warmly invited to attend the exhibition opening at 2pm tomorrow.
This year’s theme is ‘Essence of Place’ invited contemporary artists to explore our enduring relationship with landscape and environment.
Cascade Art Gallery director Kareen Anchen said since the earliest human markings on cave walls, clay, stone and bark, artists have sought to capture the places that shape our lives.
“Today, this impulse remains as relevant as ever. In a rapidly changing world marked by urbanisation, environmental challenges and evolving cultural identities, artists continue to examine what place means and how it influences our sense of belonging, memory and connection,” she said.
“Landscape is more than scenery. It is where we live, gather, reflect and interact with the natural world. For contemporary artists, ‘place’ can be physical, emotional, cultural or imagined. It can be expressed through figurative, abstract, conceptual, spiritual or experimental approaches, reflecting the many ways we experience and interpret our surroundings.
“Throughout history, artists have reimagined landscape to reflect the ideas of their time, from the Romantic notions of the Pastoral and the Sublime to the innovations of Impressionism, Modernism and beyond. Today’s artists continue this tradition, bringing fresh perspectives to the shifting relationship between people and the environment.”
The 2026 Maldon Landscape Prize celebrates these diverse responses, inviting audiences to consider not only what a place looks like, but what it means and how it feels to be there.
“We welcome everyone to visit, engage with the artworks and support the artists by voting for the ‘People’s Choice Award,'” Kareen said.
This year there were 326 entrants and 46 finalists. Get along to tomorrow’s opening to learn who will win the $10,000 major prize as well as the Emerging Artist Award of $2000 for artists aged 18 – 30 years of age, plus two highly commended awards of $1000 each.
Two $500 prizes will be allocated for People’s Choice. Voting in person for the finalists throughout the duration of the exhibition ($500) and online, once opened, for all the entrants ($500).
All entrants will be able to be viewed online at maldonartistnetwork.org.au following tomorrow’s official opening.
The prizes are generously sponsored by the Hillary Merkus Ricordati Foundation.
Essence of Place will feature at Cascade Art Gallery at 1aFountain Street, Maldon until October 25 and is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10am to 5pm.