London, UK – Laisul Hoque is set to present a solo exhibition at the Nunnery Gallery in Bow in 2026, a significant component of his prize for winning the 2025 East London Art Prize. This upcoming exhibition follows a series of recent announcements recognizing artistic talent across various competitions, including the Packing Room Prize in Australia, the Wattle Range Art Prize in South Australia, the Young Archie awards, and the Bank Windhoek Triennial in Namibia.
Hoque secured the second iteration of the East London Art Prize, earning a substantial £15,000 in addition to the prestigious solo show. His winning entry, an interactive installation titled 'An Ode to All the Flavours' (2024), captivated judges and positioned him as a prominent artist to watch in the coming year.
Across the globe, the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, recently announced Abdul Abdullah as the recipient of the 2025 Packing Room Prize. Abdullah was honored for his compelling portrait of fellow artist and friend Jason Phu. This announcement precedes the highly anticipated reveal of the 2025 Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prize winners, scheduled for the following week.
In South Australia, the 2025 Wattle Range Art Prize celebrated a diverse group of artists. Anne Miles achieved a remarkable double win, securing both the overall Wattle Range Art Prize and the Drawing & Printmaking Award. Other notable winners included Peter Dunn for the Painting Award, Jo Jo Spook for the 3D Sculpture Award, Briony Pridham for the Ceramics Award, Jo Fife for the Textile Art Award, and Kristi Biezaite for the Mixed Media Award. Diana Ashworth received the Mayoral Award, Max Burnett was recognized as the First Time Entrant Winner, and Ryan Ojeda and Max Bobbington were acknowledged in the Youth Awards categories.
Further recognition for young talent came with the announcement of the Young Archie 2025 winners on July 5. From over 3,200 entries across Australia, 70 finalists were selected. Jasmine Rose Lancaster Merton took home the top prize in the 16–18 category for her evocative self-portrait, 'My name is Jazz'.
Completing the round of significant art accolades, the 2025/2026 Bank Windhoek Triennial in Namibia named Josef Madisia as its overall winner. Loide Ashipala was awarded second prize and the Emerging Artist Award, while Gideon Magameno Kashile secured third prize. Nambowa Malua also received a Judges’ Special Mention, highlighting the depth of artistic excellence in the region.