Kyneton Daffodil Art Prize
About
The Kyneton Daffodil Art Prize is open to artists working across a range of styles and mediums. All entries are displayed as part of the Visual and Photography Art Exhibition at The Old Auction House during the festival.
The 2026 exhibition sees the introduction of new prize categories and an expanded prize pool, with special categories for artworks including a Daffodil and artworks depicting the Kyneton Botanic Gardens, as well as Open Theme categories in specific mediums
The exhibition will be on display from Friday September 4th - Monday September 14th, 2026.
Winners will be announced at the Festival Opening on Friday, 4 September.
WHO CAN ENTER?
Entry is open to all Australian Artists aged 16+ and works can be both 2D or 3D with a maximum of four pieces per artist.
Each artwork can be entered in one (1) Prize category which include:
- The Esther Rose Memorial Watercolour Prize: provided by Ken Rose in celebration of his lovely wife, who was a talented watercolour artist.
- Oil Painting
- Acrylic Painting
- Works on Paper
- Photography / Digital Art
- Other Medium / Sculpture
Artworks that depict a daffodil or image of Kyneton Botanical Gardens will be automatically eligible for that category as well.
THE EXHIBITION
The annual Art Prize is hosted by The Old Auction House, 52-56 Mollison Street, Kyneton, and runs throughout the Kyneton Daffodil & Arts Festival.
In 2026, the exhibition will be open daily from Friday, 4 September to Monday, 14 September, 10am to 4pm.
Prize winners will be announced at the Festival Opening, held at The Old Auction House on Friday, 4 September from 7:30 pm. All entrants are warmly invited to attend the opening event.
prizes and categories
Total Prize Pool - $4,000
Open Medium, Specific Theme
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Daffodil Prize - $1,500 Cash -
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Overall Best Piece Containing a Daffodil, Open Medium
** INCREASED PRIZE VALUE **
-
Daffodil Prize - $750 Cash - Highly Commended Piece Containing a Daffodil, Open Medium
** NEW PRIZE CATEGORY **
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Friends of Kyneton Botanic Gardens - $250 cash - Piece Containing an image of Kyneton Botanic Gardens, Open Medium
** NEW PRIZE CATEGORY **
-
Esther Rose Watercolour - $250 cash
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Oil Painting - $250 cash
-
Acrylic Painting - $250 cash
-
Works on Paper - $250 cash
-
Photography/Digital Art - $250 cash
-
Other Medium/Sculpture - $250 cash
Full Conditions of the 2026 Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival Exhibition Art Prize
Open Theme, Specific Medium
Winners of the 2026 Kyneton Daffodil Art Prize:
The Winner of the 2026 Kyneton Daffodil Festival and Art Prize is Denise Martin, for her piece ‘I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud’. The judge was impressed with the character and life in the daffodils of the painting and the way she used the texture in the background to highlight the flowers.
Full List of Winners:
Daffodil Prize Winner - Denise Martin for their piece I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud
Daffodil Prize Highly Commended - Heather Mills for their piece Daffy Dills
Friends of the Botanic Gardens Prize Winner - Deidre Bain for their piece Tree of Life with Daffodils
Watercolour Winner - Tina Wilson for their piece Study in Repose #3
Watercolour Highly Commended - Maureen Anderson for their piece Circle of Life
Oil Painting Winner - Jo Reitze for their piece Spring Flowers
Oil Painting Highly Commended - Claire Wilson for their piece Gathered Together
Acrylic Painting Winner - Deidre Bain for their piece Poppy - Inside Out
Acrylic Painting Highly Commended - Judy Perfect for their piece Wattle & Daffodils
Works on Paper Winner - Jo Reitze for their piece Spring Garden
Works on Paper Highly Commended - Janine Frith for their piece Persephone's Return
Photograghy Winner - Linda Reiss for their piece Morning's Breath, Killawarra
Photograghy Highly Commended - Jenny Orford for their piece Pelican
Other Media/Sculpture Winner - Fran Spain for their piece Wordsworth Delight
Other Media/Sculpture Highly Commended - Rebecca Mignone for their piece Spread A Little Sunshine
