Mia Nethery from Mackellar Girls Campus has impressed the community at the Manly Art Gallery & Museum’s (MAG&M) Out Front Exhibition, taking home the 2026 KALOF People’s Choice Award for her painting, A Sunday Afternoon at Hartley.

Drawing inspiration from the Blue Mountains, Mia’s artwork explores the comfort and isolation of retreat, blending memory and atmosphere through layered oil glazes and traditional techniques.

At this year’s exhibition, the community got right behind their favourite young artists, casting a whopping 1,344 votes and sparking plenty of conversation about the exceptional talent on display.

Mia received a $500 prize thanks to Council’s KALOF youth social media (Keep A Lookout For), recognising her creative achievement during Youth Week NSW.

The Out Front Exhibition has been running for 32 years, continuing to shine a spotlight on the best HSC works from Northern Beaches schools. From paintings and sculptures to video and photography art, it’s all about celebrating the creativity and skill of our students.

Council is proud to support young artists and looks forward to seeing even more amazing works in future exhibitions.