Greg Wellington has won the $5,000 Open / Overall Award at the 2026 Maari Ma Indigenous Art Awards, announced at Broken Hill City Art Gallery on Friday 30 October.
Artists, families and community members gathered to celebrate the award recipients and the opening of the exhibition, presented in partnership with Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation and West Darling Arts.
Wellington's winning work, Dancing in the rain, is an acrylic painting depicting lizards celebrating the rain. Guest judge, artist and cultural leader Bibi Barba, praised its colour, movement and use of dots to represent water.
"Beautiful balance of colour and movement. Love the rain dots that symbolise water, pointillism at its best!" Barba commented.
The $2,500 2D Award was presented to Anthony Haywood for Contemparoo, an experimental work marking a new direction after many years working with wood and other traditional materials.
Drawing inspiration from Jean-Michel Basquiat and Slawn, Haywood brings traditional cultural foundations together with contemporary expression, exploring what contemporary art can look like in Far West NSW and seeking to inspire emerging artists.
"Geometric patterns, zig zag lines - merging the background within the animal body. It presents almost misleading into a style that can be unfinished but yet complete," Barba commented.
Broken Hill High School's Aboriginal Art Cultural Education Sistas (AACES) Group received the $2,500 Sculptural Award for Imprints in the Paroo.
The clay rock forms were made during a two-day workshop on Barkindji and Paakantji Country at Paroo-Darling National Park. Working with visiting artists Barbara Campbell-Allen OAM, Belinda Piggot, Dinah Taprell and Gomathi Suresh, the young women used feathers, grass and horsehair to create burned impressions on heated clay surfaces.
Each piece carries individual patterns and marks, while together the works reflect the group's shared experience of learning, creating and connecting with Country.
"The colour of clay and contrast between the natural earthy shape, creates shadows, pressed patterns - fossils of tactile depth - knowledge," Barba commented.
Barbara Quayle received the $2,000 Nhuungku Award for Pride of Kiira.
"Powerful, cultural strength that brings together generations of protecting culture. The bark with deep scaring is again a symbol of survival," Barba commented.
Tyrieke Grocke won the $2,000 Emerging Award for Mundi Mundi Lookout. Barba recognised the digital artwork's connections between river, creek and path, highlighting its matte texture and choice of colours.
Gallery and Museum Manager Kathryn Graham said the awards recognised the breadth of First Nations artistic practice across the region.
"These awards celebrate the creativity, cultural knowledge and individual voices of artists across the Far West, from young people exploring new skills to established artists taking their practice in new directions," Ms Graham said.
"We congratulate every award recipient and thank all participating artists for sharing their work and stories. It was wonderful to see families and community members come together on opening night to celebrate their achievements."
2026 Maari Ma Indigenous Art Awards recipients
- Open / Overall Award - $5,000: Greg Wellington, Dancing in the rain
- 2D Award - $2,500: Anthony Haywood, Contemparoo
- Sculptural Award - $2,500: AACES, Imprints in the Paroo
- Nhuungku Award - $2,000: Barbara Quayle, Pride of Kiira
- Emerging Award - $2,000: Tyrieke Grocke, Mundi Mundi Lookout
- School Combined Entry - $2,000 Art Prize Pack: Wilcannia Central School, Stage 5
- Young Artist (16-21) - $1,000 Art Prize Pack: Rakell Webster, Pillilyla
- Young Artist (Under 15) - $500 Art Prize Pack, supported by West Darling Arts: Statiera Power, All roads lead to community
Voting for the $2,000 People's Choice Award is now open, with visitors encouraged to view the exhibition and vote for their favourite artwork.
The 2026 Maari Ma Indigenous Art Awards exhibition continues at Broken Hill City Art Gallery until Sunday 7 February 2027.
