Paul Spiro is a highly respected Brisbane businessman, but who knew he was a bikie? Maybe I should rephrase that. He is a motorcycle enthusiast and that has been revealed for all to see as the Brisbane Portrait Prize finalists are announced.

Adam Southgate’s portrait of Paul Spiro pictures him suited and grinning, perched on his GasGas dirt bike in the doorway of the former Spiro Grace Art Rooms, which he co-founded.

Spiro is a respected figure in Brisbane’s business, legal and arts community. As head of Gadens in Brisbane for two decades, he built a substantial in-house art collection and pioneered the firm’s support for the arts.

Chair of the Brisbane Economic Development Association and former chair of Brisbane Festival, he was recently awarded the 2026 QAGOMA Medal, a prestigious honorary award recognising transformative contributions to the gallery and Queensland’s cultural landscape.

But many may not know about his passion for motorbikes, and this is one of those revelations a portrait can make. There are plenty of others, too, this year.

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Brisbane Portrait Prize finalists for the 2026 exhibition feature 63 artists selected from more than 600 entries by finalists’ judges – curator Christine Clark and artist Bridget Garay. Expect the usual recriminations from some quarters but the fact is that not everyone can make the cut.

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Finalist artists are vying for recognition across nine categories, with a total of $115,000 in prizes and grants to be distributed directly to artists, including the coveted $50,000 Lord Mayor’s Prize.

Brisbane Portrait Prize chair Anna Reynolds says this year’s portraits reflect a snapshot of the people of our city and the times in which we live.

“The value of this prize year after year is the variety of human stories it showcases and the collective story it tells of a time and a place,” Reynolds says.

“2026 sees some big shifts. The artworks are large and confident, with a strong sense of compositional structure and intent. The gazes are often direct, showing a yearning for authenticity and real connection. And the styles are both innovative and rich in historical nuances, showcasing the experimentation and originality of Brisbane artists.”

Leading figures in the arts, law, business and medicine are portrayed, as well as local heroes, sports stars, parents, children and partners.

As the only place-based portraiture prize in the country, the city of Brisbane features strongly with some real river water used in the development of one digital work and the brilliant summer sunshine portrayed in a typical backyard.

Brisbane’s thriving arts scene is well represented, with musicians, performers, comedians and even an artistic director featured.

“With our youngest next-gen finalist just five years old, this year’s artist cohort reveals how creativity and storytelling exits within us our whole lives, and it will be fantastic to see a mix between experienced and up-and-coming artists in the spotlight in this year’s exhibition,” Reynolds says.

As well as Paul Spiro, notable sitters this year include multi-media artist Mona Ryder; heavyweight champion Stevan Ivic; comedian and writer Alice Fraser; and inaugural Brisbane Portrait Prize Lord Mayor’s Prize winner Leonard Brown. Well-known artists including Pat Hoffie, David Paulson, Lewis Miller and Gerwyn Davies are among the finalists.

Brisbane Portrait Prize finalists’ exhibition, State Library of Queensland, September 19 to November 8. The winner will be announced on September 18 by chief judge Jonathon McBurnie, director of Launceston’s Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and former director of Rockhampton Museum of Art. To see this year’s finalists , go to:

brisbaneportraitprize.org