Open Calls for Artists in the United Kingdom

Burlington Contemporary Art Writing Prize

1,000 GBP and magazine publication

The Burlington Contemporary Art Writing Prize seeks unpublished reviews of contemporary art exhibitions from emerging writers. The award recognizes critical writing that illuminates contemporary artistic practice. Judged by artist Amy Sillman and art historian Richard Shiff, the winner's review will be published on Burlington Contemporary and has opportunities for future publication in The Burlington Magazine. This prize is dedicated to nurturing new voices in contemporary art criticism and supporting emerging writers in the field.

The Old Lock Up Gallery Residency 2026

Self-directed week-long residency with 24/7 gallery studio and accommodation; a fully funded place is available for eligible UK artists

The Old Lock Up Gallery in Cromford, Derbyshire, near the Peak District National Park, offers self-directed week-long artist residencies several times a year. Residents have 24/7 access to a well-equipped gallery space with lighting, a log-burning stove, kitchenette and separate toilet, with overnight stays in the gallery owner's home. The standard residency carries a fee of around £495-£530 per stay, while a fully funded place is available for UK artists who meet specific financial criteria. The setting offers a quiet rural base for focused work surrounded by countryside.

Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2026

Selection for exhibition at Mall Galleries, London (Sept 2026); awards presented at the show

The Royal Society of Marine Artists holds its Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries in London, seeking art inspired by the sea and the marine environment - harbours and shorelines, traditional craft and contemporary shipping, creeks, beaches and coastal wildlife, in short anything involving tidal water. Artists submit through the Open Exhibition Submission System, with a non-refundable fee of £22 per work or £14.50 for artists aged 35 or under, which includes free admission. Selected works are delivered in early September and shown at the gallery later that month. The open call runs from April 13 to July 24, 2026, and is open to all.

RP Drawing Prize: Revealing the Human 2026

Grand Prize: GBP 5,000 cash. Up to 120 works selected for exhibition at University of Hull Art Gallery (September 18 – October 18, 2026), with sales opportunity via dedicated online catalogue.

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP) Drawing Prize 2026 invites UK and international artists of all ages and skill levels to submit drawings on the theme 'Revealing the Human.' Up to 120 works will be selected for a group exhibition at the University of Hull Art Gallery, running September 18 to October 18, 2026. Works may be sold through a dedicated online catalogue with a 30% + VAT commission. Young artists aged 35 and under benefit from a reduced entry fee of GBP 12 per work.

CRASSH - Knowledge in a Fractured World

Selection for a group exhibition at the Alison Richard Building (Oct-Dec 2026); no commission taken on sales

To mark its 25th anniversary, CRASSH at the University of Cambridge invites artists and creatives to submit work to the exhibition "Knowledge in a Fractured World," held at the Alison Richard Building from October 5 to December 11, 2026. The theme can be interpreted in the widest sense, from personal to global, examining how knowledge is produced, contested and translated into action amid political polarisation, technological disruption, environmental crisis and shifting global power. Artists may submit up to two works in 2D, 3D, video/film or sound. Entry is free, CRASSH takes no commission on sales, and artists are notified by the end of August. The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2026.

British Council Fellowships at V&A East

£25,000 total per Fellow (£5,000 for research in South Asia and London, £20,000 for producing a new work)

The British Council and V&A East invite applications for Fellowships responding to the theme South Asia Everywhere. Each Fellow receives £25,000, split between research in South Asia and London and the production of a new work. The Fellowship runs from Summer 2026 through June 2027 and combines fieldwork in South Asia with research into the V&A collection. Applicants must be residing in the UK or plan to reside in the UK during the Fellowship period.

Knowledge in a Fractured World: CRASSH 25th Anniversary Call for Art

To mark its 25th anniversary, CRASSH invites artists and creatives worldwide to respond to the theme Knowledge in a Fractured World. Selected works will be shown from 5 October to 11 December 2026 at the Alison Richard Building in Cambridge. Entry is free and CRASSH takes no commission on any sales, so all purchase proceeds go directly to the artist.

Daisy Chain Artist Commission

Artist fee of £4,200 (inclusive of VAT), plus travel, paid in instalments, with additional budget for materials, workshops and exhibition outputs.

Corridor Projects invites individual artists to apply for Daisy Chain, a commission to create new moving image and 2D collage work with LGBTQIA+ young people aged 15 to 26 in Adur, West Sussex. Six artists will be commissioned in total, three in the UK and three in Czechia, with the resulting works shared through exhibitions, screenings, workshops and talks across both countries throughout 2027. Applicants must be UK-resident, over 18, and have safeguarding experience working with young people.

The British Art Prize 2026

GBP 2,000 cash prize plus prizes worth over GBP 10,000; solo London exhibition; magazine feature

Organised by Artists & Illustrators magazine, the British Art Prize 2026 is an international open call welcoming amateur, emerging and professional artists worldwide. Entries are accepted in painting, drawing, printmaking, textile and mixed media, with AI-generated works excluded. The entry fee is GBP 24 for the first artwork and GBP 19 for each additional work, up to 20 entries. The overall winner receives a GBP 2,000 cash prize as part of a prize package worth over GBP 10,000, including a solo exhibition at a leading London gallery and a feature in the magazine. Shortlisted works are exhibited at OXO Gallery in London in October 2026, with a People's Choice vote opening in September. Submissions are made digitally through the ArtOpps portal.

The British Art Prize 2026 – International Open Call for Artists and Illustrators

Total prize fund over GBP 10,000. First Prize: GBP 2,000 cash + solo exhibition + art materials + six-page magazine feature. Second Prize: GBP 500 cash + GBP 750 voucher. Third Prize: GBP 750 voucher. Portraiture Prize: GBP 750 cash. People's Choice Award: GBP 1,000.

The British Art Prize 2026, presented by Artists and Illustrators magazine, is an international competition open to amateur, emerging, and professional artists of all ages. Works will be exhibited at OXO Gallery and Panter and Hall's Cecil Court Gallery in London. Original works in all media are accepted; AI-generated work is excluded. The first prize winner receives GBP 2,000 cash, a solo exhibition, art materials, and a six-page feature in the magazine. Up to 20 submissions per artist are allowed.

Society of Wildlife Artists - The Natural Eye 2026 (63rd Annual Exhibition)

Prizes and awards worth over GBP 5,000; selected works exhibited at Mall Galleries, London

The Society of Wildlife Artists holds its 63rd Annual Exhibition, The Natural Eye 2026, at the Mall Galleries in London. The open call seeks fine art that depicts wildlife subjects and evokes the spirit of the natural world, with prizes and awards worth over GBP 5,000. Subjects can include any living creature except domestic animals and botanical art, spanning invertebrates and vertebrates. Any artist aged 18 or over may enter from anywhere in the world, submitting up to six works completed within the last three years and not previously shown at Mall Galleries. Submissions are made online via the Mall Galleries Open Exhibition Submission System, with entry registration open from 1 May 2026. The exhibition is a leading showcase for fine art inspired by the natural world.

Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) 2026 – International Open Call

Howden Art Award: GBP 2,000; Simon Gillespie Studio Painting Prize: GBP 2,000; People's Choice Prize: GBP 500; NG Art Creative Residency: two-week placement in Provence, France.

Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) 2026 invites UK and international artists aged 18 and over to submit work in any fine art medium for its annual exhibition at Wells Cathedral, one of the UK's most prestigious contemporary art venues. Up to four works per artist may be submitted. The exhibition offers prizes including the GBP 2,000 Howden Art Award and a three-week creative residency in Provence, France. Fine art students under 26 benefit from reduced entry fees.