Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours: RI Exhibition 2027 Open Call

About this call

The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) invites artists to submit work for the RI 215th Exhibition at Mall Galleries in London, shown alongside the work of its elected members. The RI is looking for the best in contemporary watercolour and water-based media painting, from emerging and established artists working in traditional and experimental ways. Selected works are shown in the gallery and online, and selected artists can win prizes and awards worth over £15,000, are invited to the Private View and can sell their work. Judging is a single online stage; selected works are delivered to Mall Galleries on 13 March, and the exhibition runs from 24 March to 10 April.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Painting
• Entry fee: £22
• Any artist aged 18 or over may enter, from anywhere in the world. Up to six works per artist, of which up to four may be selected. Works must have been completed within the last three years, be an original creation by the artist, and be no larger than 240 cm high and 150 cm wide including the frame. Acceptable media: watercolour or water-soluble mediums including watercolour, watercolour pencil, acrylic, ink or gouache (excluding water-soluble oils) on any appropriate support; state the support and the medium. Non-refundable submission fee of £22 per work, or £14.50 per work for artists aged 35 or under; it includes free admission to the exhibition. Submissions are online only through the Open Exhibition Submission System (OESS): one image per work showing the complete work, up to two optional detail images, JPEG or PNG under 5MB, with title, medium, size (cm), year of completion and price. Selected works must be suitably framed (no metal or clip frames) and glazed with picture glass, with fittings removed; perspex only for works from abroad or frames over 100 cm on the longest side; unframed work only for a genuine aesthetic or technical reason and at the artist's own risk. Selected works are delivered unwrapped on 13 March and collected on 15 April at Mall Galleries; delivery and collection costs are the artist's. All work must be for sale, at a minimum price of £350; the price must include 45% commission plus VAT. Artists without a UK residence must register with HMRC for a UK VAT number and supply it (or proof of application) before Receiving Day, or the work may be withdrawn. Sales to such artists are not paid until the VAT number is supplied; registration can take up to 4 weeks. Selected works that arrive damaged, with unacceptable framing, differing in size from the submission, not as shown online, or judged not in the spirit of watercolour painting are withdrawn and must be collected at the artist's expense. Uncollected works are stored by a courier at the artist's expense and may be disposed of after 12 months. Selection decisions are final and no feedback is given.