Graduate art shows 2026: Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane
A first look at new artists and designers, from campus studios to graduate exhibitions. Start with the confirmed shows below; check the school’s programme before travelling.
2026 graduate shows: confirmed dates first
Graduate exhibitions bring together work made at the end of an art or design course. They can be a chance to meet emerging artists, compare very different practices and explore a school’s studios and galleries. Exhibition dates, public opening hours and launch nights are separate details: a launch may happen before the main public run.
This guide covers confirmed November and December shows in Sydney and Melbourne and records where Brisbane announcements still need checking. It is a developing selection, not a claim that every school has announced its programme. Entry is shown only where the school or its ticketing page confirms it.
Current and upcoming outings
Selected for this guide, with dates and visitor details from the linked organisers. The suggestions are ours. Completed events drop out of this list; check each organiser for opening days and current availability.
National Art School: The Postgrad Show 2026
- When
- 6 Nov – 15 Nov
- Where
- National Art School
- Entry
- Free
Postgraduate work across the school’s studio disciplines.
Before you go: Public exhibition 6–15 November; opening night is a separate date.
RMIT Design Grad Shows 2026
- When
- 11 Nov – 19 Nov
- Where
- RMIT Design Graduate Exhibitions
- Entry
- Free
Design work across exhibitions, screenings and presentations.
Before you go: Multiple venues and individual sessions; use the school’s programme.
MADA Now 2026
- When
- 19 Nov – 3 Dec
- Where
- Monash University, Caulfield campus
- Entry
- Free
Art, design and architecture across the Caulfield campus.
Before you go: Closed Sundays; the launch is on 18 November.
RMIT School of Art Graduate Exhibition 2026
- When
- 24 Nov · 25 Nov · 26 Nov · More dates on event page
- Where
- RMIT University, City Campus
- Entry
- Free
A view of emerging practices at RMIT School of Art.
Before you go: No public session is listed for Sunday 29 November.
UTS Design and Society Student Showcase 2026
- When
- 26 Nov – 4 Dec
- Where
- UTS City campus — individual venues to be confirmed
- Entry
- Varies
Student and graduate work across design, architecture and communication.
Before you go: Register with UTS for ticket releases and public visitor arrangements.
National Art School: The Grad Show 2026
- When
- 4 Dec – 13 Dec
- Where
- Third Space, Building 25, National Art School
- Entry
- Free
New work by Bachelor of Fine Art graduates.
Before you go: Opening night 3 December; public exhibition begins 4 December.
UNSW School of Art & Design: The Annual 2026
- When
- 7 Dec – 13 Dec
- Where
- UNSW Paddington campus (multiple galleries/spaces)
- Entry
- Varies
Art and design work across UNSW’s Paddington campus.
Before you go: Public hours and entry details still need the school’s announcement.
Sydney: NAS, UNSW and UTS
At National Art School in Darlinghurst, the Postgrad Show runs 6–15 November, daily 11am–5pm, with free entry. Its opening night is 5 November; check the school for the evening’s times. The Grad Show follows on 4–13 December, also daily 11am–5pm and free. Its opening night is 3 December, 6–9.30pm.
UNSW’s The Annual is scheduled across the Paddington campus for 7–13 December. The school confirms the exhibition dates, but public visiting hours, admission and opening-night details are not yet specified on the current programme. Installation dates listed for students are not visitor dates.
UTS Design and Society’s showcase runs 26 November–4 December, with its Fashion and Textiles showcase on 1 December. The university is taking registrations for updates; public session times, tickets and individual venues are still to be announced.
Melbourne: Monash and RMIT
MADA Now runs at Monash’s Caulfield campus from 19 November to 3 December. Entry is free; hours are Monday–Friday 10am–4pm and Saturday noon–4pm, with Sundays closed. The launch is Wednesday 18 November, 5.30–9pm. Check the campus map for the three exhibition buildings.
RMIT School of Art’s opening is Tuesday 24 November, 5–8pm. Public sessions follow on 25–27 and 30 November, 11am–4pm, and Saturday 28 November, noon–4pm. No Sunday 29 November session is listed. Use the school’s registration link for updates and confirm the building before travelling.
RMIT’s School of Design has a separate programme on 11–19 November, spread across several city-campus venues. Its exhibitions, screenings and presentations have different sessions; use the official programme to choose a venue and time.
Brisbane and other schools: announcements to check
Current official searches did not establish November–December 2026 visual-art graduate exhibition dates for QUT or Griffith’s Queensland College of Art and Design. They remain outside the dated shortlist until an official announcement is available. QCA and QCAD refer to the same Griffith school for this research; they are not counted as separate events.
We are also checking Sydney College of the Arts and the Victorian College of the Arts. An older exhibition page, a graduation ceremony or a student scholarship deadline is not confirmation of a 2026 public graduate show.
If you want to buy work
Ask the artist or exhibition team whether a work is for sale, who handles payment and when it can be collected. Some pieces need to stay in the show until it closes. Ask about framing, editions, installation and delivery before committing. An exhibition listing is not a promise that every work is available to buy.
- Save the artist’s name and the exact work details you discuss.
- Check access and public hours for the particular building.
- Use the school’s current booking link for any ticketed launch or special session.
Sources & checking
This guide combines practical Art Fairs advice with the references below. It is not a report of a first-hand visit or an artist interview.
- NAS Postgrad Show: organiser listing ↗
- RMIT: School of Design programme ↗
- Monash: MADA Now 2026 ↗
- RMIT School of Art: official ticket schedule ↗
- UTS: Design and Society showcase ↗
- National Art School: The Grad Show 2026 ↗
- UNSW: The Annual programme ↗