Now in its 10th year, the awards focus on art from emerging and mid-career artists in Canterbury.
The 2026 awards ceremony was held at Rokowhiria Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum.
Director Shirin Khosraviani said she was thrilled to see the awards grow in recognition and popularity as it reached its decade milestone.
There were 84 entries - 23 finalists were selected from 47 entries for the Premier Award, while 23 entries were featured in a Young Generation Award category, for those aged 16 to 20.
The Premier Award was won by Miranda Parkes from Christchurch for her work Dreamchaser.
In her artist statement, Miranda described her work as being supported by "a weighty industrial shipping pallet".
"The pallet’s three-dimensional face, covered with ridges and indentations, offers a highly textured surface."
Parkes navigates the topography of this surface, "sometimes following the concave valleys or convex protrusions, sometimes departing from them in organic, overlapping pools".
"Once an object of industrial service, dreamchaser now inhabits the space of art, drawing attention to the way we place value on objects."
Judge Anna McLean said she and fellow judges Bridie Lonie and Kim Pieters had their work cut out for them, with ‘‘diverse and exciting’’ entries.
She said Parkes' Dreamchaser painting stood out from the beginning.
"The vibrancy and depth within this work provided a refreshing escape that is hopeful and joyous.
"The quality of the work and the artist's critical approach allowed us to see this work easily siting within the context of a solo exhibition.’’
Along with a cash prize of $4000, Parkes won the opportunity to create a solo exhibition at Rokowhiria in 2027.
The ZAWAA26 Young Generation Award went to Georgia Swale of Christchurch for her painting Wairua.
The judges described the work as having a ‘‘strong sense of self, and a clear creative direction into the future’’. They also noted the work’s connections to both Georgia’s Pa ¯keha ¯ and Ma ¯ori whakapapa , which they described as thoughtful and timely.
The ZAWAA awards exhibition will be on display until April 19.
Visitors to the gallery are encouraged to choose their favourite artwork for the People’s Choice award.
Julia Holderness won the ZAWAA25 Premier Award with her exhibition Botanical Correspondents: Crossing time with Julia Holderness and Emily Cumming Harris is also on display.
Emily Cumming Harris (1837-1925) is best-known for painting the indigenous flora of Aotearoa, producing hundreds of artworks in her studio in Nelson.
One hundred years after her death, her remarkable paintings continue to invite audiences to contemplate the beauty of the natural world. In this exhibition, Holderness responds creatively to her life, work and artistic practices.
Botanical Correspondents will also run until April 19.
The awards exhibition is delivered through a partnership between the Zonta Club of Ashburton and Rokowhiria, and generously supported by local organisations including Ashburton District Creative Communities.
- The ZAWAA26 and Botanical Correspondents exhibition will run until April 19.
