2026 Awards | Winners Announced

Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with David Thompson (Royal Historical Society of Victoria), winner of Volunteer of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Bernadette Dennis OAM (The Johnston Collection), highly commended Volunteer of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Peter Haby (Hawks Museum), winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Dr Gaye Sculthorpe with Charlotte Botica, winner of the Roslyn Lawry Award (2024). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Dr Gaye Sculthorpe with Adelle Talarico, winner of the Roslyn Lawry Award (2025). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Fay Quilford from Wonthaggi and District Historical Society, winner of Volunteer-run Project of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Stephanie Rosestone from Museum of Future Water, highly commended Volunteer-run Project of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Katie Potter and Katherine Timms from National Trust of Australia (Victoria), winner of Small Project of the Year (Museum). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Rachel Arndt from Wangaratta Art Gallery, winner of Small Project of the Year (Gallery). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Amber Stuart from Counihan Gallery, Merri-bek City Council, highly commended Small Project of the Year (Gallery). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Barat Ali Batoor (artist) and Georgia Goud from State Library Victoria, highly commended Small Project of the Year (Gallery). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Angela Henricksen (Archival Survival) with Susannah Day from The Torch, highly commended Small Project of the Year (Gallery). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Kate Colas-Spinks from the Shrine of Remembrance, winner of Medium Project of the Year (Museum). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Miriam La Rose from Greater City of Dandenong, highly commended Medium Project of the Year (Museum). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Louise Tegart from Art Gallery of Ballarat, winner of Medium Project of the Year (Gallery). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Angela Connor from the Museum of Australian Photography, winner of Medium Project of the Year (Gallery). Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Judith Ryan and Shanysa McConville from Potter Museum of Art, The University of Melbourne, winner of Large Project of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Georgia Goud from State Library Victoria, winner of Large Project of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Janty Blair with Gail Harradine from Koorie Heritage Trust, winner of First Nations Project of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

L-R) Kimba Thompson, Maree Clarke (artist) and from Blak Dot Gallery, highly commended First Nations Project of the Year. Photo: Peter Casamento.

Photo: Peter Casamento.

Photo: Peter Casamento.

Photo: Peter Casamento.

The 2026 Victorian Museums and Galleries Awards were announced at a gala ceremony held on Tuesday 28 April at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), hosted by Janty Blair – proud Butchulla, Mununjhali and Woppaburra woman, artist, comedian, and playwright.

Now celebrating their 32nd year, the Awards acknowledge and highlight outstanding achievements across the museum, gallery and community collecting sector. There were 21 awards presented during the evening.

• Volunteer of the Year

  WINNER: David Thompson, Royal Historical Society of Victoria

  For over 25 years, David has brought an engineer's eye and a quiet generosity to his volunteer work with the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. He’s an outstanding and invaluable volunteer.

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bernadette Dennis OAM, The Johnston Collection

• Lifetime Achievement Award

  WINNER: Peter Haby

  Peter's leadership of the Hawks Museum has left an indelible mark on the community, and he should be recognised not only for the breadth and tenure of his work, but the impact of his contributions.

  WINNER: Andrew Hiskens

  Andrew is highly respected across the sector for his intellect, his generosity, and his belief in what GLAM institutions can do for communities. It is a privilege to recognise his contributions tonight and thank him for all that he has given to our sector over 40 years of service.

• Roslyn Lawry Award

  WINNER: Charlotte Botica, 2024 recipient

  WINNER: Adelle Talarico, 2025 recipient

• Volunteer-run Project (Museum/Gallery)

  WINNER: Wonthaggi & District Historical Society, 15 Minutes of History

  Wonthaggi and District Historical Society achieved significant outcomes with very limited resources. Their creativity, passion and commitment shone through the nomination, making them a worthy winner of this category.

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: Museum of Future Water / Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre, Museum of Future Water

• Small Project (Museum)

  WINNER: National Trust of Australia (Victoria) / Heritage Victoria, Traces of Girlhood

  The judges celebrated the filling of historical voids through close collaboration and the platforming of other voices. Accomplished on a limited budget, this project has genuine heart. Its creative use of 'mundane' objects brings significant artefacts into context and honours lives with care and respect. The donation of the artworks represents lasting impact for the Dja Dja Wurrung community — a meaningful demonstration of genuine engagement and enduring legacy.

• Small Project (Gallery)

  WINNER: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Overland Matthew Harris

  Presented in his hometown, Matthew Harris’s first solo exhibition challenged prevailing historical narratives and marked the first time artworks addressing the Oxley Plains massacre – located just kilometres from Wangaratta – were shown locally. The judges commended the project’s sensitive approach, including accessible programming for children and young people that supported broad community engagement. They applauded such an ambitious and brave undertaking.

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: Counihan Gallery, Marvellous Mythical Mates: A Menagerie of Dream Pet

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: State Library Victoria, Searching for Sanctuary: A journey of survival by Barat Ali Batoor

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Torch, Future Dreaming

• Medium Project (Museum)

  WINNER: Shrine of Remembrance, Taste of Combat: The Evolution of Military Food

  This project revealed refreshingly new aspects of military service in particular the contribution of the catering corps with its emphasis on nutrition, food technology and research. These less explored narratives were presented in a variety of formats which were relatable and experiential with the act of eating taking place at the Shrine alongside the exhibition. Beautifully presented the exhibition connected intangible and tangible aspects of military service experience and provided audiences with a glimpse of contemporary military life.

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: City of Greater Dandenong, HOME 25

• Medium Project (Gallery)

  WINNER: Art Gallery of Ballarat, Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar

  This is an incredible project, evidencing strategic and innovative approaches to exhibition programming. Well-constructed and successfully deployed, Medieval to Metal used interactive and multisensory elements effectively, achieving strong economic returns, significant media coverage, and a broad audience reach that is well aligned to Ballarat's local culture, community, and music identity.

  WINNER: Museum of Australian Photography, The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-81)

  This project stands out for its strong research-driven approach, presenting important curatorial insights into a formative movement in Australia’s – and specifically Victoria’s – photographic history. Closely aligned with the museum’s mission, it offers both a compelling local story for audiences and a valuable resource for practitioners and researchers. The acquisition of 280+ works fills a significant institutional gap, ensuring lasting impact for current and future generations.

• Large Project (Museum/Gallery)

  WINNER: Potter Museum of Art, The University of Melbourne, 65,000Years: A Short History of Australian Art

  The exhibition offers a beautifully designed, compelling experience for ages 10 and up. Through innovative storytelling and immersive elements, it creates a meaningful, interactive journey. By blending truth-telling with moral lessons, it connects historical narratives with contemporary learning, inspiring empathy and behavioural change. The exhibition effectively engages visitors with Holocaust survivors' stories, making it especially relevant and impactful for younger audiences. Its success is reflected in the positive feedback from students and teachers, showcasing it as a best practice for ageappropriate, emotionally engaging museum experiences.

  WINNER: State Library Victoria, Make Believe: Encounters with Misinformation

  Awarded for its thoughtful and engaging approach, this project explores misinformation as both a cultural and cognitive phenomenon, bringing together historical material, contemporary practice, and interactive elements to consider how belief is formed. Rather than positioning audiences as passive recipients of truth, the exhibition encourages gentle critical reflection, revealing the emotional and psychological dimensions of knowledge in a way that feels both accessible and highly relevant.

• First Nations Project (Museum/Gallery)

  WINNER: Koorie Heritage Trust, Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time

  An exceptional exhibition and nomination that strongly speaks to the importance of Victorian Aboriginal art and cultural histories. This exhibition not only showcases the beauty and technique of this incredible craft, but tells a powerful story of cultural resilience through honoring knowledge holders and an Elder who so deftly retained cultural practices in a time where those practices were forcibly removed. The commissioning of new work has important impact, directly speaking to the conceptual underpinnings of weaving regeneration and cultural continuum and the vital role Aunty Connie played in this legacy.

  HIGHLY COMMENDED: Blak Dot Gallery, EXCHANGE