Visual Art Open 2027

About this call

The Visual Art Open, now in its 12th annual edition and run with the Visual Artists Association, is an art prize open to amateur and professional artists at every stage, in the UK and internationally. Its £10,000 prize fund includes an overall winner's prize of £2,000 with a solo show at a London venue, an exhibition at the London finalists show, a VAA Premium Annual Membership, the VAA Annual Mentorship Programme and the VAA Momentum Programme, and a certificate. Category winners in Painting, Sculpture, Drawing and Illustration, Mixed Media, Collage and Printmaking, Photography and Digital Art, Student Artist and Art Educator receive £250, a VAA Premium Annual Membership, a VAA creative course, a place in the finalists exhibition and additional online promotion. All finalists are invited to exhibit in Central London, and a selection of entries is promoted on the organizers' social media and to their email subscribers. Works are judged anonymously on originality, technical skill, creativity and a clear artistic vision. The longlist is announced in June 2027, the shortlist and finalists in July 2027, and the winners in October 2027.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Painting / Drawing / Printmaking / Photography / New Media / Sculpture / Video / Mixed Media
• Entry fee: £20
• Open to amateur and professional artists aged 14 and over at the time of submission; entrants under 18 must provide written authorisation from a legal guardian. Artists living outside the UK are welcome. Up to five artworks per person, with up to five images per artwork; each work needs title, dimensions, materials, a description of at most 50 words and a price. Accepted media are drawing, printing, painting, photography, digital art, sculpture and video; installations and performance are not eligible unless they can be presented as a single visual artwork. Work must have been completed within the last three years, must not be larger than 2.4m along its longest dimension including frame or plinth, and must not have been sold before entry. AI-generated or AI-assisted work is not eligible. Entry fees: during the early bird period, until December 17, 2026, £15 for one artwork and £10 for each additional one (£55 for five); after that until March 25, 2027, £20 for one artwork and £10 for each additional one (£60 for five); Student Artist and Art Educator entries cost £10 for one to £35 for five, with proof of status. Fees are non-refundable. Only longlisted, shortlisted and finalist artists are notified. Works submitted for exhibition should be available for the exhibition period and for sale; a 40% commission applies to sales through the exhibition. Finalists are responsible for delivery, collection, framing and insurance of their work, and the organizers do not cover travel, personal expenses or visas. Artists keep copyright and grant the organizers the right to reproduce images for publicity.