Celebrating creativity, connection and character: the 2026 Carey Archibald Award

The 2026 Carey Archibald Award once again showcased the remarkable artistic talent of Carey’s Senior School students, while celebrating the values that sit at the heart of our community: Care, Growth and Respect.

Inspired by the renowned Archibald Prize, the Carey Archibald Award invites students to create a portrait of a staff member who has made a meaningful impact on their learning journey. More than a portrait competition, the award encourages students to build creative connections with members of staff, engaging in conversations and observations that help them capture not only a likeness, but also the character, personality and influence of their chosen muse.

Throughout the process, students demonstrated the value of Care through thoughtful collaboration with their subjects, listening to stories, sharing ideas and developing portraits that reflected genuine appreciation and understanding. The experience also embodied Growth, as students challenged themselves technically and conceptually, refining their artistic skills while exploring the complexities of portraiture. Underpinning every interaction was Respect, evident in the trust and enthusiasm shared between students and staff as they worked together to bring each portrait to life.

This year’s competition attracted an outstanding range of entries, making the judging process particularly challenging. The quality of work reflected the dedication, creativity and technical ability of our young artists, as well as the strong relationships that exist within the Carey community.

Congratulations to our 2026 Carey Archibald Award winners:

• Winner: Blake in Year 12 for his sculpture of Mr Carver
• Runner-up: Amy in Year 12 for her painting of Mr Gregory
• Principal's Encouragement Award: Elizabeth in Year 11 for her photography of Ms McCafferty

Their portraits impressed the judging panel through their artistic excellence, originality and ability to capture the unique qualities of their chosen subjects.

The 2026 Carey Archibald Award exhibition is currently on display in the Senior School Project Gallery throughout Term 3, providing students, staff and families the opportunity to experience this exceptional collection of portraits. The exhibition is a celebration not only of artistic achievement, but also of the meaningful connections between students and staff that help shape learning and personal growth at Carey.

We congratulate all participating students for their commitment, creativity and willingness to embrace the challenge of portraiture, and we thank the staff members who generously took part as muses. Together, they have created an inspiring exhibition that reflects the very best of Care, Growth and Respect in action.

Simon Carver
Leader of Learning – Art and Design