contemporary small sculpture award

Established in 2009, the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award is presented by the Art Collection and Galleries Unit at Deakin University. It celebrates contemporary sculpture by artists from across Australia and culminates in an annual exhibition of shortlisted works held from August to October at the Deakin University Art Gallery.

Each year, a rotating panel of judges selects around 40 finalists from an increasingly competitive pool of entries, with 735 submissions received last year alone. The panel also determines the Acquisitive First Prize supported by Michael and Emily Tong, and a Highly Commended award supported by UniSuper. The winning work is acquired into the Deakin University Art Collection.

In 2026, the award will introduce an inaugural Emerging Sculptors Award, expanding its support for early career artists. The finalists’ exhibition runs for 6 to 8 weeks at the Deakin University Art Gallery on the Melbourne Burwood campus. At the conclusion of the exhibition, visitors vote to determine the People’s Choice Award recipient.