The West Australian Pulse 2026

WA’s talented young artists are celebrated in this yearly showcase, gauging the pulse of young people who will influence, empower and shape the world we live in.

The selected works provide a window into young people’s private, social and artistic concerns. It is an inspiring, rewarding and insightful look at the world through the minds of our most talented young artists.

The West Australian Pulse 2026 celebrates 34 years and features 63 works by 2025 Year 12 Visual Arts graduates from 43 schools across WA. This year’s exhibition delivers an exciting range of artistic approaches with the final selection showcasing the highest calibre of artworks produced across the State.

The works were selected by a judging panel including Isobel Wise, AGWA Associate Curator of Contemporary Art; Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, Artist; and Lisa Bowden, Principal Consultant, Visual Arts, School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).

The 2026 exhibiting artists examine themes ranging from self-identity – including cultural intersections, neurodiversity, sexuality, and mental health – through to processing loss, environmental concern, racial and societal inequality, and social pressures of conforming and performing through school and beyond.

Meet the Artists in Person
2-4pm, Saturday 16 May 2026 | FREE
Enjoy meeting a selection of the Pulse finalists. Audiences are invited to ask questions about the concepts and processes in students’ works and, now that Year 12 is done, what the future looks like for them.