The People’s Choice Winners of Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe’s 2026 Exhibition Announced

Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe wraps up this week after 18 days on the shore of the Indian Ocean. It was a triumphant return for the exhibition, which organisers say welcomed 230,000 visitors. 

The exhibition concludes today, while the winners of the People’s Choice and Kids’ Choice awards were announced yesterday.

Tim Storrier won the $5000 People’s Choice Award for Emperor of the Abrolhos, a sculpture of a proud pelican perched on the rocks halfway out to sea. The pelican’s stainless-steel mirror finish bounces a constantly changing reflection of sunshine and waves back at visitors.

Storrier is an Archibald Prize-winning painter, who first exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea Bondi in 2025 and made his Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe debut this year. His works are featured in collections at The Met in New York City, the Louvre and the Tate in London, as well as the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Australia.

The $2000 Kids’ Choice Award went to Drew McDonald, an emerging artist from Ocean Shores in New South Wales, for his piece Soma, a toaster spring-loaded with dolphins.

The $10,000 critical prize was announced on March 8. It went to Stephen Tepper for Suddenly Everything’s Changed, a blue chain that stretches from the sand towards the water.

To see the exhibition in full, check out Broadsheet’s gallery of Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe from photographer Danica Zuks.

@sculpturebythesea