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 will be chosen on Thursday 10 September by the Arts House Trust Curatorial Team and this year’s Guest Judge (soon to be announced).

National Secondary School Art Awards 2025 (installation view). Photo by Sam Hartnett.

National Secondary School Art Awards 2025 (installation view). Photo by Sam Hartnett.

Prizes

To be announced soon.

Key Dates

  • Entries Open: July 27, 9AM

  • Entries Close: August 14, 11:59PM

  • Finalists Notified: August 17

  • Artwork Shipping Deadline: September 1

  • Finalists Opening Afternoon Tea
    & Announcement of Winners:
    September 10, 3:30 - 5PM

  • Finalists Exhibition:
    September 10 - October 18

Who Can Enter

  • Year 11, 12 & 13 arts students from secondary schools in New Zealand.

How It Works

  1. 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, moving image, digital art, ceramics, sculpture, or soft materials.

  2. Finalists are chosen and asked to post or hand deliver the physical work to The Arts House Trust gallery in Hillsborough, Auckland.

  3. 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.

  4. The finalists’ work is exhibited at the gallery between September 10 - October 18.

  5. 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.

Receive updates on the National Secondary School Art Awards

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Spread the Word

The Secondary School Art Awards are an amazing opportunity for high school art students. Please share this event with Art Teachers and their Year 11, 12 & 13 students by sharing the link for this page, or downloading a poster to print and display in the Art Department.

Previous Winners

  • 2024 Second Place: Albert Siasau, ‘Ofa ki Tutua nga kava’, Liston College, Year 13

  • 2024 People's Choice Award: Omedetou' by Misaki Nakamura

  • 2024 Third Place: Lucy Berman, ‘Chambers of Life’, St Cuthberts, Year 12

  • 2024 First Place: Mung Lian Zaw, ‘Zo Lai Leng’”, Liston College, Year 13

  • 2023 First Place: Audrey Goggin, 'Stitching Together Memories'

  • 2023 Second Place: Chang Liu, 'Lotus Incarnate'

  • 2023 Third Place Equal: Braiden Leituala 'The Evolution Of Si va Afi : 'A Warrior's Dance'

  • 2023 Third Place Equal: Daisy Wilson, 'Fake Fish'

  • 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.