Young artists take centre stage

A young artist's depiction of Lake Samsonvale has captured the public's attention, taking out the People's Choice Award at the 2026 Moreton Bay Youth Art Awards.

Ariana Amiri, a Prep to Year 3 student, won the award for her artwork Lake Samsonvale, which was among 239 entries showcasing the talents of school-aged artists across the City of Moreton Bay.

The annual competition attracted 217 individual artworks and 22 collaborative projects, with young creatives exploring everything from painting, photography and printmaking to collage and sculpture.

Their work was displayed in a professional gallery setting before the winners were announced, giving students an opportunity to share their ideas and artistic skills with the wider community.

Acclaimed Australian artist Joe Furlonger, who judged the awards, was impressed by both the standard of the entries and the confidence of the young artists behind them.

"The calibre of work is incredibly high. You can see the quality of instruction, education and creative thinking behind every piece," Joe said.

"There are clear influences spanning traditional and contemporary art styles, from classical techniques to pop art and everything in between. What stands out most is the intention behind the work and the confidence with which these young artists express their ideas."

Individual awards were presented across eight categories, recognising two-dimensional and three-dimensional works from Prep through to Year 12.

Among the first-place winners were Mahli Raedel for The "Me", Leo Bayne for Moth, Georgia Ennis for Little Weirdo Girl (Self-portrait) and Sienna Luxford for Portraits.

Local schools also featured among the winners, with Albany Hills State School recognised for Our Patchwork Neighbourhood in the Prep to Year 3 collaborative category.

Humpybong State School won the Years 4 to 6 category for Redcliffe Jetty Pop Art, while Clontarf Beach State High School took out the Years 7 to 12 award for Cabin in the Snow.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said the awards provided an opportunity for young people to develop their creativity and gain valuable exhibition experience.

"Every participant should be incredibly proud. The work they displayed demonstrates not only artistic ability, but also the confidence, curiosity and originality of our young people," Mayor Flannery said.

Joe said the variety of artistic styles and perspectives on display was an encouraging sign for the city's creative future.

"The exhibition reveals an impressive breadth of perspectives, stories and artistic approaches. It's exciting to see such a strong future for the arts here in Moreton Bay."

The annual awards are open to school-aged artists who live in or attend school within the City of Moreton Bay.

More information is available on the City of Moreton Bay website.