Acknowledgement of Country

Ballarat International Foto Biennale acknowledges the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and create. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and honour the deep traditions of storytelling, culture and connection held by First Nations peoples across Australia.

Ballarat Youth Photography Prize launches at the National Centre for Photography

The Ballarat Youth Photography Prize is now open at the National Centre for Photography, marking the completion of Stage 1 of the landmark cultural development.

Launching on Sunday 20 September, the exhibition brings together 96 photographs by young people aged 12–25 from across Ballarat and surrounds. Presented by the Ballarat International Foto Biennale and developed with its youth council, GroupFoto, the Prize celebrates the creativity and perspectives of the region’s next generation of photographers. The exhibition also offers the first opportunity for audiences to experience the newly completed Stage 1 spaces at the National Centre for Photography.

Every eligible entry has been printed and installed in a salon-style exhibition, giving young photographers the opportunity to see their work presented publicly. At the end of the exhibition, each entrant will be gifted their professionally printed photograph to take home, extending the experience of seeing their work exhibited at the National Centre for Photography.

The Prize includes four judged awards across two age groups—12-17 years and 18-25 years—and two categories: Connected and Open.  Congratulations to the winners, and to every young photographer who entered this year.

  • Winner Connected Category: 12-17 years – Nia Wolfshorter, Age: 15, Untitled, 2026
  • Winner Connected Category: 18-25 years – Amee, Age: 18, Untitled, 2026
  • Winner Open Category: 12-17 years – Ava Yovich, Age: 15, Sparks, 2023
  • Winner Open Category: 18-25 years – Haylee Canfield, Age: 20, Last Light, 2024

Visitors also have the opportunity to have their say. Voting for the UFS People’s Choice Award continues throughout the exhibition, with the winner announced following the close of voting on Friday 2 October.

 

Ballarat Youth Photography Prize, National Centre for Photography, 4 Bath Lane, Ballarat Central

Entry is free.

The Ballarat Youth Photography Prize exhibition is open on weekdays between 10 am–12 pm from 21 September and 2 October 2026, excluding the Grand Final public holiday.

People’s Choice voting is open from 20 September to 2 October 2026, with the UFS People’s Choice Award announced on 6 October.

The Ballarat Youth Photography Prize is an initiative of GroupFoto and is supported by the Victorian Government via Youth Fest, the Department of Education through the Strategic Partnerships Program, and UFS.