To celebrate the anniversary of our first commission, the National Portrait Gallery is giving the power to the people – have your say on who should be the subject of our next commissioned portrait.
To celebrate the anniversary of our first commission, the National Portrait Gallery is giving the power to the people – have your say on who should be the subject of our next commissioned portrait.
Stephanie Gilmore
World Champion, Ocean Health Hero, Surf Legend
Surfer and world champion Stephanie Gilmore is the greatest female surfer in history. Born and raised in Kingscliff, NSW, Gilmore was named World Champion at the Women’s World Surf League eight times and represented Australia in surfing for its debut appearance in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Outside of competing, she led the WSL to achieve equal pay for women and advocates for ocean conservation.
Melanie Perkins
Tech Entrepreneur, Advocate, Killer Kitesurfer
Billionaire technology entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of online design software Canva, Perth-born Melanie Perkins is one of Australia’s richest women. Launched in Sydney in 2013, Canva has over 60 million monthly users. In 2023, The Australian Financial Review assessed Perkins’ and husband Cliff Obrecht’s joint net worth as $13.18 billion. The Canva Foundation has given millions of dollars to charities worldwide to help eradicate global poverty.
Sarah Snook
Emmy Winner, Power Broker, Stage Star
Adelaide-born Sarah Snook is an award-winning actor. After graduating from NIDA in 2008, Snook performed on stage and in films before scoring her big break in HBO’s Succession. For her role as Shiv Roy, Snook won a slew of accolades, including an Emmy. In early 2024, she starred in the Sydney Theatre Company’s West End run of The Picture of Dorian Gray, adapted as a one-woman show. This role won her the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress.
Miranda Tapsell
Stage & Screen Superstar, Writer, Top End Girl
Larrakia and Tiwi woman, actor, writer and producer Miranda Tapsell is passionate about storytelling and challenging perceptions of First Nations women. After beginning her career on stage, Tapsell rose to fame with a starring role in The Sapphires, and several stints on acclaimed television shows. She also co-wrote, produced and starred in the box office hit Top End Wedding (2019) and has written a memoir, Top End Girl (2020).
Usman Khawaja
Clinical Cricketer, Outspoken Activist, People’s Champ
Usman Khawaja is a Pakistani-born cricketer who has represented Australia in all three forms of the game – tests, one day and T20 internationals. A left-handed batsman, Khawaja is the captain of the Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls. Khawaja is also the Founder and Patron of the Usman Khawaja Foundation, which provides education and cricketing opportunities for youth from disadvantaged communities, including new immigrants and refugees.
Waleed Aly
Project Staple, Guitarist, Academic
Waleed Aly is a Walkley Award-winning journalist, broadcaster, author and academic. In 2016, he won the Gold Logie Award for his role as co-host of Channel Ten’s The Project. He is also co-host of Radio National’s The Minefield, and his social and political commentary appears in several newspapers. In his spare time, he is a lecturer in politics at Monash University in the Global Terrorism Research Centre and is lead guitarist for the rock band Robot Child.
Baker Boy
Yolŋu Rapper, Anime Lover, Role Model
Yolŋu rapper, dancer, artist and actor Danzal Baker OAM, aka Baker Boy, is the first indigenous artist to have mainstream success by incorporating both English and Yolŋu Matha language into his music. His acclaimed 2021 debut album Gela won three ARIA Music Awards and Album of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards. Using his platform, he advocates for and inspires First Nations young people to embrace their culture. A portrait of Baker by Matt Adnate won the 2024 Packing Room Prize at the Archibald Prize.
Hannah Gadsby
Complex Comedian, Writer, LGBTQIA+ Advocate
Tasmanian-born Hannah Gadsby is a comedian, writer, and actor. With award-winning stand-up shows such as Nanette, Douglas, Something Special and Woof!, Gadsby has reshaped comedy with their fierce honesty about sexuality, identity, neurodiversity, homophobia, misogyny and gender-based violence. In addition to an Emmy, Gadsby has won a Peabody, an AACTA Award, and the most outstanding show awards at numerous comedy festivals.
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Diaspora Writer, Broadcaster, Social Advocate
Sudanese-Australian writer, broadcaster and social advocate Yassmin Abdel-Magied writes and speaks on politics, society, culture and technology. She has published five books, written two plays, is developing projects for the screen, and has delivered keynotes and workshops in 25 countries. Her TED talk ‘What does my headscarf mean to you?’ has been viewed over 2.8 million times and is recognised as one of TED’s top 10 ideas.
Anna Plunkett & Luke Sales
Creative Geniuses, Collaborators, Style Mavericks
Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales founded celebrated fashion label Romance Was Born in 2005. Fusing storytelling and design, Romance Was Born is known for flamboyant use of colour, prints, texture and embellishment, and lavish runway shows. Romance Was Born designs are held in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, the Powerhouse Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria.
Poh Ling Yeow
Culinary Queen, TV Presenter, Avid Artist
Malaysian-born cook, artist, actor, author and television presenter Poh Ling Yeow found fame as runner-up on the first season of MasterChef Australia. Yeow emigrated to Adelaide with her family as a child and became a full-time artist in 2002 post-university. Since MasterChef, she has presented several cooking shows, including Poh’s Kitchen, and released numerous cookbooks. Yeow re-joined the MasterChef team in its sixteenth season as a permanent host and judge.
Emma Watkins
Joyous Dancer, Filmmaker, Auslan Champion
Children’s entertainer, singer, dancer, filmmaker and former Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has been dancing since the age of 3. In 2013, Watkins replaced Greg Page, becoming the first female Wiggle. In 2021, she left the group to complete a PhD in sign language, dance and film. Through her children’s character Emma Memma, she continues to improve access for the Deaf community. Watkins is also an outspoken advocate for endometriosis.
Kirli Saunders
Award-Winning Writer, Singer-Songwriter, Fierce Advocate
Kirli Saunders OAM is a Gunai woman, writer, artist, singer-songwriter and consultant who advocates for the environment, gender and racial equality, and LGBTIQA+ rights. She is the author of award-winning books The Incredible Freedom Machines, Kindred, Bindi, Our Dreaming and Returning. Saunders was the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2020, and in 2022 was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her contribution to the arts, particularly literature.
Tony Armstrong
Logie Winner, All-Rounder, Master of the Mo
Tony Armstrong is Barranbinya man, television presenter, writer and former professional AFL player. He played for the Adelaide Crows, Sydney Swans and Collingwood Magpies for seven years before transitioning into a successful career in media. The sport presenter on ABC TV’s morning program News Breakfast in 2021, his talent has been recognised with a Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent (2022) and Most Popular Presenter (2023). Armstrong presented the television series A Dog’s World with Tony Armstrong, Great Australian Stuff and Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things. He also hosts a podcast, The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong.
Costa Georgiadis
Gardening Guru, TV Presenter, Beard Cultivator
Landscape architect, environmental educator and author Costa Georgiadis is the much-loved host of the award-winning ABC series Gardening Australia. Georgiadis grew up in North Bondi with his Greek grandfather’s market garden inspiring his holistic approach to gardening, sustainability and regenerative agriculture. He is a Junior Landcare Ambassador, has won numerous Logie Awards and released his first book, Costa’s World: Gardening for the Soil, the Soul and the Suburbs, in 2021.
Hunter Page-Lochard
AACTA Winner, Play School Host, Screenwriter
Actor, dancer, writer and director Hunter Page-Lochard is a descendent of the Nunukul people of the Munaldjali clan of the Yagambeh tribe. Son of dancers Stephen Page and Cynthia Lochard, as a child he danced with Bangarra Dance Theatre before making his film debut at 17. Page-Lochard has since appeared in numerous films and on stage. In 2024, he won an AACTA Award for his work on The Newsreader.
Carly Findlay
Appearance Activist, Wordsmith, Fashionista
Award-winning writer, speaker and appearance activist Carly Findlay OAM identifies as a proud disabled woman. Born in Albury with ichthyosis, a rare genetic skin disorder, Findlay writes and presents on disability and appearance diversity issues for news outlets and as a speaker at events. Her memoir Say Hello was released in 2019, and she edited Growing Up Disabled in Australia (2021). She also works part time as an Access Advisor at Melbourne Fringe.
Georgie Stone
Changemaker, Actor, Trans Rights Advocate
Georgie Stone OAM is an actor, writer and award-winning transgender rights advocate. At the age of 10, Stone was the youngest person in Australia to be given access to hormone blockers, when the Family Court ruled she could begin her gender transition process. Stone has shared her story and perspectives across all media platforms, including a documentary of her life, The Dream Life of Georgie Stone, and as Neighbours’ first transgender character played by a trans actor.
Dylan Alcott
Athlete Extraordinaire, Activist, Motivational Speaker
Former world number one wheelchair tennis champion and 2022 Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott AO retired from tennis in 2022. By this time, he had won 23 Grand Slam titles, including 15 in singles; four Paralympic gold medals; and three ITF World Champion crowns. Off the court he advocates for inclusion and accessibility, establishing the Dylan Alcott Foundation, start-up Get Skilled Access, and accessible music festival Ability Fest.
Ronni Kahn
Social Entrepreneur, Advocate, Food Waste Warrior
Ronni Kahn AO is a South-African born social entrepreneur, advocate and activist who founded Australia’s leading food rescue charity OzHarvest in 2004. The following year, she and a team of lawyers successfully lobbied government to have the Civil Liabilities Amendment Act passed to allow good food to be given away for free. Beyond rescuing food in their yellow vans, OzHarvest delivers sustainability education to schools and programs for vulnerable youth. In 2020, Kahn released her memoir, A Repurposed Life.
Chanel Contos
Consent Activist, Leader, Grassroots Campaigner
Chanel Contos is the founder of Teach Us Consent and author of Consent Laid Bare: Sex, entitlement, and the distortion of desire (2023). In 2021, Contos launched a petition calling for consent education to be mandatory in all Australian schools which has since been embedded in the Australian Curriculum. Contos received the 2021 Australian Human Rights Commission Young People’s Medal and was NSW’s Young Woman of the Year 2023.
The Wiggles
Musicians, Fruit Salad Connoisseurs, Educators
Anthony Field AM, Murray Cook AM, Greg Page AM and Jeff Fatt AM formed the original Wiggles in 1991. Since then, the Wiggles have sold over 30 million albums and DVDs, 8 million books, and accumulated over 2 billion music streams, making them the world’s number one children’s entertainment group. Field is the only original member still in the group full-time, with the other three retiring in 2006 (Page) and 2012 (Cook and Fatt).
Joe Brumm
Bluey’s Bestie, Animator, Fabulous Filmmaker
Animator, director and writer Joe Brumm is the creator of Australian children’s TV juggernaut Bluey. A global phenomenon, the animated series was inspired by Brumm’s childhood dog, a blue heeler named Bluey, and debuted on the ABC in 2018. In 2023, it was the most-streamed title for Disney+, with almost 44 billion minutes watched. Worth an estimated $2bn, the Bluey franchise has spawned merchandise, books, albums, video games, live stage shows and theme park attractions.
Courtney Act
Drag Icon, Fluidity Advocate, Multi-Hyphenate Artist
Drag queen, singer, TV personality, Drag Race star and advocate Courtney Act first came to prominence as a semi-finalist on Australian Idol in 2003. Competing as a male vocalist under her birth name Shane Jenek, the show shared her talent with the nation and, since then, she has had a stint on UK Celebrity Big Brother and the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars. She has worked with LGBTQIA+ organisations such as Equality Australia to advocate for queer rights and acceptance.
Rosé
K-Pop Icon, Dancer, High-Fashion Influencer
Born in Auckland and raised in Melbourne, singer Roseanne Chae-young Park MBE (known as Rosé) is a solo artist and member of K-pop phenomenon BlackPink. The video for her debut single ‘On The Ground’ received over 41.6 million views in 24 hours, breaking the record for the most viewed YouTube music video by a K-pop soloist. Rosé has 73 million followers on Instagram and has obtained several accolades throughout her career, including two Guinness World Records.
Baker Boy
Yolŋu Rapper, Anime Lover, Role Model
Yolŋu rapper, dancer, artist and actor Danzal Baker OAM, aka Baker Boy, is the first indigenous artist to have mainstream success by incorporating both English and Yolŋu Matha language into his music. His acclaimed 2021 debut album Gela won three ARIA Music Awards and Album of the Year at the National Indigenous Music Awards. Using his platform, he advocates for and inspires First Nations young people to embrace their culture. A portrait of Baker by Matt Adnate won the 2024 Packing Room Prize at the Archibald Prize.
Curious about The People’s Portrait? Check out our FAQs to find out more. Voting closes Sunday 15 December 2024.