J Davies Wins the 2026 Midsumma Art Award
Midsumma Festival is proud to announce J Davies (they/them) as the winner of the 2026 Midsumma Art Award, one of Australia’s leading awards celebrating contemporary LGBTQIA+ visual art.
Davies received the $6,000 cash prize for their work A Tender Revolt (2024–2025), created using instant photography formats including Polaroid, Instax, and Instax Wide. The work explores themes of queer intimacy, resistance, and identity through a deeply personal and immediate photographic process.
Karen Bryant, CEO at Midsumma Festival, said the award highlights the strength and diversity of queer artistic voices.
“The Midsumma Art Award exists to champion LGBTQIA+ artists and ensure their stories, perspectives, and creative contributions are recognised and supported. J Davies’ work is both intimate and powerful, capturing the emotional complexity of queer experience with extraordinary care and authenticity.”
Presented in partnership with Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre, the award supports artists at critical stages of their careers while contributing to Australia’s evolving queer cultural landscape.
The 2026 Bundoora Homestead Art Prize was awarded to Chira Grasby (she/they), who receives a $1,000 cash prize and an artist development opportunity with Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre.
The People’s Choice Award, voted by exhibition audiences, was awarded to Ulises Resendiz (he/him) for From two Worlds (The kangaroo & the axolotl). Resendiz receives a $1,000 cash prize, recognising the work’s strong public impact and connection with audiences.
The 2026 Midsumma Art Award finalists were:
- Todd Fuller
- J Davies
- Jack Lee
- Ulises Resendiz
- Matthew Schiavello
- Jess Angwin
- Ali Choudhry
- Hans Van Hans
- Kelly Manning
- Bonnie-Jean Whitlock
- Martin John Lee
- Roshan Ramesh
- Suzanne Phoenix
- Chiranjika (Chira) Grasby
- Rosie Carr
- Alana Taylor
- Simon Welsh
View 2026 Finalist Art Work Descriptions and Photos >>
The 2026 finalists represented a diverse and dynamic group of artists whose work explored identity, belonging, culture, and queer futures across a range of mediums and perspectives.
The Midsumma Art Award continues to play a vital role in supporting LGBTQIA+ artists, providing financial support, professional development opportunities, and a platform to share their work with new audiences.
Through initiatives like the Midsumma Art Award, Midsumma Festival remains committed to celebrating queer creativity and strengthening Australia’s LGBTQIA+ arts ecology.
