2026 artX Metro Awards: Celebrating Winners and Inclusion

The annual genU art exhibition provides artists with an opportunity to showcase their work, connect with new audiences and gain recognition, while building confidence and celebrating creativity and inclusion. 

The highlight of the 10-day exhibition was the well-attended awards night, where a distinguished panel of judges faced the difficult task of assessing entries on originality, use of materials, artistic elements and composition.

Organised by the genU Inclusion team, Joanne Forssman was thrilled with the quality of artwork on display and the strong community support shown throughout the exhibition. 

"Picking this year's winner was a real challenge as all the pieces were of a high calibre. The passion of every artist shines through the outstanding artwork in the exhibition. The way clients embrace their creativity and express themselves has made this year's exhibition a total success," Ms Forssman said. 

The winner, runner-up and highly commended works were announced by genU CEO Chelsea Tobin at a packed Darebin Arts Centre on Thursday 10 September. There was plenty of excitement, laughter, and even a few tears of joy from the celebrated artists and their supporters. 

🏆 Winner: Greg Krolikowski, The Stranger 
🥈 Runner-up: Paul Campbell, Birdie Num Num 
⭐ Highly Commended: Anthony Romagnano, Amy 
⭐ Highly Commended: Sarah Veli, I Wear My Sunglasses at Night 
⭐ Highly Commended: Bill Roubos, The Camera Man 

After meeting with artists and viewing the exhibition, Ms Tobin said the success of the event extended beyond the awards themselves, with strong demand from buyers throughout the evening. 

"On behalf of genU, I want to congratulate all the artists featured in this year's artX Metro. Their creativity, dedication and talent made the exhibition a tremendous success, with almost 40 artworks finding new owners on the night. It's a wonderful demonstration of both the quality of the work and the community's enthusiasm for supporting our artists," Ms Tobin said. 

Since launching in 2021, artX Metro has grown into a celebrated annual exhibition that provides a platform for artists to share their stories, perspectives and talents with the wider community. genU Inclusion Manager Joanne Forssman said exhibitions such as artX Metro form part of a broader commitment to creating opportunities for artists with disability to reach new audiences and potential buyers. 

"Inclusive events like artX Metro are only possible thanks to partners who go above and beyond to support genU clients and their artistic ambitions," she said. 

This year's artX Metro was proudly supported by Godfrey Hirst Commercial (GH Commercial) and the City of Darebin.

If you or your organisation are interested in partnering with genU to showcase future artwork and celebrate inclusion, please contact genuinclusion@genu.org.au. 

artX Metro 

Now showing at Darebin Arts Centre,  
401 Bell St, Preston VIC 

Open every day until 17 September, 5:00pm AEST