A closer look at the 2026 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize
Thirteen photographs from Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf show how much can happen at a small scale. The 25th annual prize is open now; the new children's exhibition opens on 4 November.
Small sculptures, wide range
This year marks 25 years of the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize. The judges selected 49 finalists from 724 entries. Each work must fit within 80cm in any dimension, but the materials and ideas vary sharply across the rooms.
The photographs here are from 24 October. Hamish Bassett's tiny ceramic tea set asks you to step close; Lois Basham's rows of yellow figures make a different use of repetition. Valissa Butterworth's Sourdough, pictured above, pairs a rough upright form with clear glass bubbles. Seven works from the wider exhibition appear here. The prize winners are listed separately.
Seven works from the 2026 finalists
Our photos also show Kelly Fatseas's pale head and fabric form, Saxon Reynolds's assembled object with its glass lens, Christian Atichian's marble vessels and Bryant Chitsey's densely worked Thunderstorm. The captions follow the gallery's published finalist list and the wall labels photographed on the day.
The 2026 awards
Mark Booth won the $25,000 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize for Nascent State: (hot pink). Francheska Coenraads received the $2,000 Special Commendation for Palomo, and BJ Kim received the $1,000 Mayor’s Award for do Geese see God?.
Visitors can vote for the $1,000 Viewers’ Choice award until 29 November. The gallery plans to announce that result on 30 November. The winning works are listed here for context; none is pictured in our photo selection.
The first Super Small Sculpture Prize for children
The 25th anniversary also brings a new prize for primary-school-aged artists. Their sculptures must be no larger than 15cm. The two age groups are 5-8 and 9-12, with a prize in each group and a separate Viewers’ Choice award.
Dan photographed the children's works on 24 October, before the published public exhibition dates. The gallery says the Super Small Sculpture Prize exhibition runs from 4 to 29 November, with the launch and age-category winners announced on 4 November from 5pm to 7pm. The photos below show works present on the day. The official children's exhibition opens on 4 November, and no pictured work is identified as a prize winner.
Five young artists in the gallery
A pair of yarn-wrapped figures, a pink animal, a capybara with its smaller companion, a bowl of pasta and a woolly sheep show the range of entries in the room. The names and titles below are taken from the labels in the photographs. Valentina Valdivia’s label did not show a title.
Dates, admission and location
The main Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize exhibition runs from 2 October to 29 November 2026. The children’s exhibition runs from 4 to 29 November. Both are at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf, 548 New South Head Road, Double Bay. Admission is free.
The gallery lists Wednesday 1pm-6pm, Thursday and Friday 10am-6pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. It is closed on public holidays. Check the gallery before you leave, particularly for events or changes to opening hours.
Sources & checking
Dan d'Auvergne supplied the photographs, captured on 24 October 2026. Adult artwork names were checked against the gallery's finalist images and, where photographed, wall labels. Children's names and titles are from labels visible in the supplied photos. Exhibition dates, winners and visitor details were checked against Woollahra Council and Woollahra Gallery on 30 October 2026. The photographs show a selection of finalists. Confirm current hours before travelling.
- Woollahra Council: 2026 winners and exhibition
- Woollahra Gallery: adult prize, finalists and voting
- Woollahra Gallery: Super Small Sculpture Prize
- Woollahra Gallery: visit and opening hours
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