National Secondary School Art Awards 2026
Now in its 14th consecutive year and open to Year 11, 12, and 13 art students nationwide, the National Secondary School Art Awards celebrate the imagination, skill, and creativity of Aotearoa New Zealand’s young artists.
Shortlisted finalists are invited to send their work to be exhibited at The Arts House Trust, Pah Homestead where the winners are chosen on Thursday 10 September by the Arts House Trust Curatorial Team and this year’s Guest Judge, renowned artist and educator Judy Darragh.
WINNERS
1st Place: Koromiko Ellwood with Concrete Guitars (Year 13, Westlake Girls High School)
2nd Place: Chloe van Schalkwyk with Painted Reality (Year 11, Saint Kentigern College)
3rd Place: Alexandra Poor with Maea (Year 13, Rutherford College)
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Prize: Ezra Tevaga with Tuiga series (Year 13, Liston College)
National Secondary School Art Awards 2026: Awards Ceremony. From left to right: Anita Tótha (Director of The Arts House Trust); Chris Daya (Freemasons Ara Lodge 348 I.C.); Alexandra Poor; Jeremy Bain (PACK & SEND Takapuna); Ezra Tevaga; Chloe van Schalkwyk; Koromiko Ellwood; Judy Darragh; Tony Rayner (Rotary Club Maungakiekie); Leonie Hynds (Hynds Foundation); Gurtej Singh (McDonald’s Lynfield); and Bill Appleton (Rotary Club Maungakiekie). Photo by Francesca Brugnoli.
National Secondary School Art Awards 2026: Finalists’ Exhibition (installation view). All photos by Sam Hartnett.
National Secondary School Art Awards 2025 (installation view). Photo by Sam Hartnett.
Prizes
First Place: $2,000 — Sponsored by Rotary Club Maungakiekie
Second Place: $1,500 — Sponsored by PACK & SEND Takapuna and The Arts House Trust
Third Place: $1,000 — Sponsored by Hynds Foundation
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Prize: $1,500 – Sponsored by Freemasons Ara Lodge 348 I.C.
People’s Choice: $500 – Sponsored by McDonald’s Lynfield
Key Dates
Entries Open: July 27
Entries Close: August 14, 11:59PM
Finalists Notified: August 17
Artwork Shipping Deadline: September 1
Announcement of Winners:
September 10Finalists Exhibition:
September 10 - October 18
Who Can Enter
Year 11, 12 & 13 arts students from secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand.
How It Works
Entrants submit a digital entry of the one piece of work they would like to submit. Each student may submit one artwork in any of the following mediums: painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, moving image, digital art, ceramics, sculpture, or soft materials.
Finalists are chosen and asked to post or hand deliver the physical work to The Arts House Trust gallery in Hillsborough, Auckland.
Winners are announced on Thursday 10 September at the opening of the Finalists’ Exhibition. Judging will be conducted by staff from The Arts House Trust along with a guest judge.
The finalists’ work is exhibited at the gallery between September 10 - October 18.
Following the exhibition, finalists can either collect their work from the gallery after the closing or have it returned in prepaid courier envelope supplied with entry of physical work.
Shortlisted Finalists for 2026
Aaliyah Jack-Midgley
Alexander Moore
Alexandra Poor
Alicia Li
Amadeia D'souza
Amana Chadha
Amelia Ozaki
Amjayden Tafatoa Mauga
Arahia Tahitahi
Arjun Saini
Benji Godsmark
Bonnie Hu
Boris Blazic
Brandy Veatupu
Catherine Ju
Cheilem Etisone
Chloe van Schalkwyk
Cj Tandaan
Damien Bull
Deyuan Yang
Diya Patel
Elena Holdaway
Ella Owen
Emily Anderson
Emma Arwanitis
Emma Zheng
Ezra Tevaga
Felix Anderson-Goldsmith
Frida Gardiner
Frishta Mosavi
Grace Anne Ejertima
Hana Eiamsittiphan
Henry Liu
Igor Komarov
Isabella Li
Isabella Yee
Jack Olson-Carsons
Jason Huang
Jeantine Dixon
Jess Downes
Jiwoo Son
Joanne Xu
Jude Caudeville
Julian Leach
Kenny Deng
Koromiko Ellwood
Kristin Algie
Krysten Kan
Lucy Yovich
Lucy Lu
Lucy Wray
Mandy Yuan
Nico Glucina
Nico Harrison
Noah Vodde
Olivia Maire
Olivia Turner
Owen Micklewright
Penitani Lotoa'atu
Regan Broughton
Rhea Chen
Rohan Batra
Rokamae Vaiula
Ruby Berghan
Shannon Yu
Sophia Zhao
Summer Leong
Tané Roos
Toby Honig
Trinity Gai
Tyler Moss
Vanessa Wu
Violette Ramsay
Yanni Zhang
Yun Pan
Sponsors of the National Secondary School Art Awards 2026
Event Sponsors
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Previous Winners
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2025 First Place: Giovanni Siasau, 'Api II', Liston College, Year 13
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2025 Second Place: Sean Wilson, 'Perditus', Selwyn College, Year 13
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2025 Third Place: Isabella Chen, 'The Four Holy Beasts', Botany Downs Secondary College, Year 12
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2025 People's Choice Award: Ronald Wang, 'The World is Served', Hobsonville Point Secondary School, Year 11
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2024 Second Place: Albert Siasau, ‘Ofa ki Tutua nga kava’, Liston College, Year 13
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2024 People's Choice Award: Omedetou' by Misaki Nakamura
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2024 Third Place: Lucy Berman, ‘Chambers of Life’, St Cuthberts, Year 12
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2024 First Place: Mung Lian Zaw, ‘Zo Lai Leng’”, Liston College, Year 13
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2023 First Place: Audrey Goggin, 'Stitching Together Memories'
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2023 Second Place: Chang Liu, 'Lotus Incarnate'
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2023 Third Place Equal: Braiden Leituala 'The Evolution Of Si va Afi : 'A Warrior's Dance'
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2023 Third Place Equal: Daisy Wilson, 'Fake Fish'
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2023 People's Choice: Echo Huang, 'Where Do I Belong?'
About The Arts House Trust
The Arts House Trust is dedicated to showcasing and supporting contemporary art and artists from Aotearoa New Zealand. Established in 2023, the Trust is the kaitiaki of one of the country’s largest private collections of contemporary New Zealand art, comprising nearly 9,000 works.
Based at the historic Pah Homestead in Hillsborough, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, the Trust presents a dynamic selection of exhibitions and public programmes, as well as concerts and events that reflect the breadth and vitality of the contemporary arts sector.
