General News
24 April, 2026
Warrnibald returns to the racecourse
THE Warrnibald Festival of Arts will return to the Warrnambool Racecourse from May 15-20.
The festival will once again bring together artists and the community for six days, celebrating creativity across the region.
The festival showcases a diverse program of exhibitions, competitions and creative experiences, with artists from southwest Victoria invited to participate.
A highlight of the festival will again be the Warrnibald Portrait Prize, a long-running and much-loved event that celebrates significant community volunteers and philanthropists from the Warrnambool, Moyne and Corangamite areas who contribute to the strength of the region.
Last year’s winner, Harley Manifold, produced a striking portrait of Helen Bunyon, a tireless volunteer from The F Project.
The 2026 portrait prize offers a major prize valued at $5,000, including a trip to Italy with tutoring from Italian artist Emanuele Capozza, or $3,000 cash, kindly donated by FSR Quip.
Additional awards include $300 for second place and a $1,000 People’s Choice Award.
New to the festival this year will be a live portraiture competition, where artists will create a portrait in just four hours in front of a live audience.
The festival will also introduce a photography competition, expanding opportunities for visual artists to participate.
Other sections include the general art competition, which encompasses all mediums (including ceramics and sculpture) with a $2,000 major prize, and additional awards across categories.
Special recognition will also be given in the Inclusive Art sections, encouraging broad community participation.
The festival will also feature a wide range of activities, including sip and paint classes, artists in residence, children’s art workshops and a secondary school portraiture program delivered by the inspiring GreenPrint Project.
An inclusive ‘creative day’ in collaboration with Find Your Voice Collective’s new art division, Real Colour, will be themed around the belief that everyone is an artist.
Adding to the creative atmosphere, the event will run alongside the Warrnambool and Southwest Artist Studio Tour, offering visitors even more opportunities to explore local art and artists across the region.
The Warrnibald Festival of Arts proudly supports Warrnambool and District Community Hospice, a local not-for-profit organisation that helps people spend their end of life at home in comfort while also supporting their families and carers.
Funds raised through the festival help cover the ongoing costs of delivering this compassionate service free of charge to people across the region.
More than 800 visitors attended the festival last year, and organisers expect even greater interest in 2026 with the continued popularity of the Warrnibald Portrait Prize and the addition of new competitions.
Following the festival, the Warrnibald Portrait Prize exhibition will continue at The F Project, where the portraits will be on display from May 27 to June 21.
This extended exhibition provides the community with another opportunity to view the works and celebrate the remarkable volunteers and philanthropists represented in the competition.
Entries close on Friday, May 1.
Artists can enter at warrnamboolhospice.org.au.
