Awarded to the best painting of a notable Australian, the Archibald Prize is a who’s who of Australian culture, from politicians to celebrities and from sporting heroes to artists. Prestigious and controversial, the Archibald Prize is Australia’s foremost portraiture prize.

The Archibald Prize awards $100,000 prize money for the winning artist. In its 96th year, the Archibald Prize has been held annually since 1921. An open competition, the Archibald Prize is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Entries to the Archibald Prize must be painted in the past year from at least one live sitting.

Finalists are exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales before embarking on a year-long regional tour. In the early years, all entries were hung. An Art Gallery of New South Wales touring exhibition.