Artists over 18, from the UK and beyond, are invited to submit works for exhibition alongside members of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters at their Annual Exhibition 2020.
The Society welcomes paintings, drawings and original prints, for which it offers prizes and awards worth over £20,000 (see 'Prizes & Awards' below).
How to Submit
ALL work must be submitted online. Pre-selection from online entries will take place, after which pre-selected entries should be delivered to Mall Galleries, London, for final selection:
- Upload images of work at mallgalleries.oess1.uk between Monday 4 November 2019 and Friday 17 January 2020, 12 noon [Note: Images must be in JPEG format and under 5MB]
- Check mallgalleries.oess1.uk on Friday 24 January, from 12 noon, to see if your work has been pre-selected
- If pre-selected, deliver your work on Saturday 22 February, 10am to 5pm, to Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD
- Check this page (mallgalleries.org.uk) on Tuesday 25 February, from 12 noon, to see if your work has been accepted to the exhibition
- If unaccepted, collect your work from Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD on Thursday 27 February, 10am to 5pm
Important Dates
Submissions open: Monday 4 November 2019, 12 noon
Submissions close: Friday 17 January 2020, 12 noon
Pre-selection notification: Friday 24 January, 12 noon
Receiving Day (if pre-selected only): Saturday 22 February, 10am to 5pm
Acceptance notification: Tuesday 25 February, 12 noon
Collection of unaccepted work: Thursday 27 February, 10am to 5pm*
Exhibition open: Thursday 7 May, 10am to 5pm (7pm on Tuesdays)
Exhibition closes: Friday 22 May, 5pm
Collection of unsold work: Thursday 28 May, 10am to 5pm*
*Due to a shortage of storage space at the gallery, any work uncollected by 5pm will be removed and stored at a separate location for which artists will be charged a storage fee.
Conditions of Entry
Eligibility
- Any artist over 18 may submit.
- Acceptable media: Any medium including original prints but excluding sculpture and photography.
- Submission fee: £18 per work (or £12 per work for artists aged 35 or under), which includes Free Admission to the exhibition (normally £5).
- Work must have been completed in the last three years and not been exhibited in London previously.
- Minimum sale price: £300 (Although works may be 'NFS', not for sale - if your work is not for sale, please input the price as '0' when prompted).
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The price of works for sale must include 45%+VAT commission.
- Maximum of three works submitted.
- Maximum of three works selected.
- Works should not be larger than 2.4m along the longest dimension.
- Note that artists accepted for exhibition will be invited to advertise portrait commissions through our Commissions department on which a commission will be payable.
Delivery & Collection
- Packaging from delivered works cannot be retained and must be taken away at the point of delivery.
- We are unable to wrap works or provide wrapping materials for any works being returned.
- Paintings should be completely dry at the time of delivery.
- Any work uncollected on the specified collection date/s will be stored at a separate location and the artist will be charged a storage fee.
Selection
- The Selection Committee is formed of artist members of the Society and rotates annually.
- Please note that selectors' decisions are final and we are unable to offer feedback.
International Entrants
- Artists from outside the UK may need to register for VAT, please check with HM Revenue and Customs: https://www.gov.uk
- Artists sending work from abroad should use a picture carrier. Many artists use Picture Post Art as they offer a packing and delivery service for our exhibitions (we do not accept any liability for their services). Picture Post Art - Tel: 0044 (0)1302 711011 / Mobile: 07833 450788 / Email: info@picturepostcompany.co.uk
Terms & Conditions
- For full terms and conditions, click here.
Prizes & Awards (subject to final confirmation)
There are many prizes and awards available to win, including:
The Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture: £10,000 plus the Society’s Gold Medal awarded for the most distinguished portrait in the Society’s annual exhibition
The RP Award: £2,000 will be awarded to the artist whose work best represents the year's chosen theme - which for 2020 is 'Movement'. The judges will be looking for the most interesting and engaging interpretation of the idea of 'Movement' within the parameters of portraiture.
NEW The RP Prize for the Best Small Portrait: A prize of £2,000 for the best small portrait in the exhibition, measuring not more than 38 x 30.5 cm (15 x 12 inches) framed
The de Laszlo Foundation Award: £3,000 plus a Silver Medal for the most outstanding portrait by an artist aged 35 years or under
The Prince of Wales's Award for Portrait Drawing: £2,000 and framed certificate for a portrait in any recognised drawing medium
The Burke’s Peerage Foundation Award for Classically Inspired Portraiture: The Burke’s Peerage Foundation Award, established by its founders William Bortrick and Mark Ayre in 2015, is presented for Classically Inspired Portraiture in the RP Annual Exhibition. It is presented each year with a certificate and a cheque for £2,000.
The Smallwood Architects Prize: £1,000 for a portrait in which architectural or interior features play an important part