SAM’s 2026 Urbach Prize: Kate Lewis Takes the Crown, Local Artists Shine

Victorian-based artists working in the field of Australian landscapes were honoured in this art prize.

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) has unveiled the 2026 recipient of The Theodore Urbach Landscape Prize and Studio Scholarship, awarding Melbourne-based artist Kate Lewis the prestigious $10,000 prize and scholarship, alongside local artists Philip Hickingbotham and Creagh Manning, who were named as the runners-up.

Now in its third year, the Shepparton Art Museum art prize and scholarship initiative focuses on Victorian artists who operate in the area of Australian landscapes, offering a monetary award to continue their creative endeavours.

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A runner-up for The Urbach in 2025, Lewis’ success this year marks a triumphant return. The artist, who graduated with a Masters in Contemporary Art from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2022, is known for her expressive oil paintings and process-driven use of recycled and found materials. Her work explores the emotional contrasts of the Australian landscape, capturing both its inherent beauty and the profound sense of loss it evokes.

“I am so thrilled and proud to be the winner of the Urbach prize and scholarship for 2026. I cannot wait to fully immerse myself into the impressive SAM community and to be painting in collaboration with the surrounding grass and wetlands as our seasons change,” said Lewis, reflecting on her achievement.

The 2026 finalists were selected from fourteen applicants for the prestigious award. Five artists from a pool of twenty-three were shortlisted, ultimately presenting their applications to an expert judging panel. Chaired by SAM’s Artistic Director Danny Lacy, the panel also included Dr. Drew Pettifer (Associate Professor at RMIT and SAM Ltd Board member), Dr. Suzanne Fraser (Coordinator of the Centre of Visual Art at the University of Melbourne), and Blair French (CEO of Murray Art Museum Albury [MAMA]).

Blair French noted the exceptional calibre of work from all the shortlisted artists, remarking, “The standard of work being undertaken by all the shortlisted artists for the Urbach was very impressive. The Urbach highlights the continuing significance of landscape painting as a contemporary practice connected to both history and evolving relationships to place and Country. I look forward to following the work of all the shortlisted artists over coming years.”

SAM Curator – Community and The Urbach coordinator, Caroline Esbenshade, shared her enthusiasm for the award’s growing success. “Coming into our third year, the program is really establishing itself. It was wonderful to have several prior applicants re-submit this year to great success, and it’s been very gratifying to see the number of competitive, local artists in the application pool. I’m looking forward to working with Kate Lewis; her practice has been growing rapidly the last few years, and I’m eager to see how she responds to our landscape, and how she will render our wetlands in her painting practice.”

As the winner, Lewis will receive a $5,000 cash prize along with a $5,000 scholarship stipend to support her three-month residency at SAM’s on-site artist studio from 3 March to 3 June 2026. During her residency, she will focus on the wetland ecosystems, particularly Gemmill Swamp and Reedy Swamp, exploring their distinctive light, flora, and rhythms.

Runners-up Philip Hickingbotham and Creagh Manning will each be awarded a $2,500 cash prize in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the application process.

The Urbach Prize continues to inspire and elevate Australian landscape painting, supporting both established and emerging artists as they explore and interpret the evolving relationships to place and Country.

To find out more about Shepparton Art Museum, their prizes and upcoming exhibition program head here.