The 2026 Mosman Art Prize artist talks are giving art lovers something a little different this year — a chance to pull up a chair, pour a glass of wine, and hear directly from the painters themselves about what drives their work.
Mosman Art Gallery is hosting two evening sessions of short artist presentations, with five exhibiting artists taking to the floor at each event. Each talk runs between 10 and 15 minutes, keeping things brisk and conversational rather than lecture-like — the kind of format that tends to spark real discussion. The sessions are supported by Colormaker Industries.
The first evening takes place on Wednesday 26 August, featuring artists Ham Darroch, Tina Havelock Stevens, Archy Obradovic, Nicola Smith, and Morgan Stokes. A second session follows on Wednesday 7 October, with Robby Bennett, George Goodnow, Hayley Megan French, Elizabeth Pulie, and Yuanzhou Zheng presenting their work.
It’s the kind of event that rewards curiosity. Visitors to the gallery may admire a painting on the wall without knowing the hours of uncertainty, revision, or personal history behind it. An evening like this changes that. Hearing an artist describe the exact moment a work clicked — or didn’t — tends to shift how you see it entirely.
The Mosman Art Prize, established in 1947, is considered one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious local government art awards, with its primary purpose being to build a municipal art collection and encourage an interest in the arts in the local community. The prize is a national acquisitive award of $70,000, funded by Mosman Council.
The artist talks are free to attend and held at Mosman Art Gallery, 1 Art Gallery Way, Mosman. For more information, contact the gallery on 02 9978 4178.
Published 23-August-2026
