National Contemporary Jewellery Award

29/05/2026

Calling all contemporary jewellery artisans across Australia!

The National Contemporary Jewellery Award (NCJA) is back and inviting entries from talented jewellery practitioners nationwide. This prestigious biennial event, hosted by Griffith Regional Art Gallery, celebrates the innovative and unique creations of Australia’s finest contemporary jewellers.

Founded in 1992 by Griffith City Council, the NCJA is a national acquisitive prize aimed at showcasing contemporary jewellery and enriching the National Contemporary Jewellery Collection housed at the Gallery.

There are two (2) prize categories in the 2026 National Contemporary Jewellery Award competition:

✨National Contemporary Jewllery Award - a $5000 acquisition award.
✨Design Excellence Award - a $1000 non-acquisition award.

Entries are now open until 11 September 2026! For more information on how to enter please visit https://bit.ly/NCJA2026

The finalists works will be exhibited from Saturday 14 November, with winners announced at the gala opening on Friday 13 November 2026.
Judges to be announced.

Terms and conditions apply.

Image: NCJA 2024 Winner - Juanita McLaughlan, ”Dhurrin / green unripe”, Woollen blanket bush dyed, possum fur/skin, cotton thread.

08/11/2024

Design Excellence Award of NCJA 2024: Susan Buchanan, "Crack Flower #4", Mild steel, vitreous-fired enamel. Image courtesy of Chris Bowes.

Congratulations Susan!

Check out this and all the rest of the incredible finalists from NCJA 2024 at Griffith Regional Art Gallery before 22 December 2024.

08/11/2024

HIGHLY COMMENDED NCJA 2024: Melinda Young.
'Tracelines Series (Reflections on Guynah) - Quench & Night Ripple Neckpieces. Made of copper (embossed, rolled, patinated) and hand spun jute cord. Image courtesy of the Artist.

Congratulations Melinda!

Check out this incredible piece and the other finalists at Griffith Regional Art Gallery before 22 December 2024.

08/11/2024

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY AWARD 2024:
Juanita McLaughlan, "Dhurrin / green unripe", Woollen blanket bush dyed, possum fur/skin, cotton thread. Image courtesy of the Artist.

Congratulations Juanita!

Exhibition on display until 22 December at Griffith Regional Art Gallery

08/11/2024

08/11/2024

Congratulations to Juanita who won the National Contemporary Jewellery Award for 2024!!

A huge congratulations to our 2024 winner of the biennial National Contemporary Jewellery Award, Juanita McLauchlan. Her beautiful winning entry was called Dhurrin / green unripe.

A special picture here of Juanita with her family in front of her work.

18/10/2024

These pieces will be on display during our 2024 National Contemporary Jewellery Award exhibition at Griffith Regional Art Gallery from 8th November 2024.

A dazzling display of almost 40 pieces of Australian contemporary jewellery from the National Gallery will travel to Visit Griffith at Griffith Regional Art Gallery as part of the Sharing the National Collection initiative. 💍

The pieces – including brooches, rings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets and more – were created by Australian artists from the 1970s to the 2010s.

Catch the display alongside the opening of the National Contemporary Jewellery Awards on 8 November 2024.

Credit: Catherine Truman, Fish neckpiece number 2, 1987, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased from Gallery admission charges 1988 © Catherine Truman

18/10/2024

And the 2024 NCJA finalists are....