Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2026 | Award Winners
/ Royal Society of Portrait Painters
On behalf of the President and Council of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, congratulations to the award winning artists at the RP Annual Exhibition 2026:
The William Lock Portrait Prize
£20,000 for the most timeless portrait with a real feeling for paint and its aesthetic potential. Plus two runner-up prizes of £500 each.
Winner: James Lloyd, Portrait of Ishbel
Special Mention: Julia Hawkins NEAC ROI, Portrait of Emma
Special Mention: Antony Williams NEAC VPRP, Jean
The Almenara Collection Award
A £5,000 purchase prize will be awarded to a picture which is for sale (at a price not exceeding £5,000) and which, in the opinions of the nominated RP panel and representatives of the Almenara Collection, is agreed to be a worthy addition to the Almenara Collection.
Winner: Sam Dalby RP, Self Portrait
The Faringdon Prize
£5,000 for the most distinguished drawing in the annual exhibition.
The Raw Umber Studios Prize
Raw Umber Studios believes that the most exciting contemporary portraiture lies at the intersection of technical excellence and creative expression. Their annual prize, inaugurated in 2023, encourages and rewards such work. Value £2,000.
Winner: Hillary Butterworth, Aimee
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) unframed.
The RP President's Prize
An award of £2,000 to an artwork selected by the Society's President
Daler-Rowney Materials Prize
Daler-Rowney materials to the value of £1,000 will be awarded to the artist who in the opinion of the judging panel has submitted a picture to the annual show which is exceptional, either in terms of its imaginative response to the sitter or its technical achievement.
Winner: Olivia Pang, Matteo
The de Laszlo Foundation Award
£3,000 for the most outstanding portrait by an artist aged 35 years or under, plus four Highly Commended awards of £500 each.
Winner: Ruth Fitton ROI, What in the World?
Highly Commended: Hillary Butterworth, Aimee
Highly Commended: Emily Hughes, Portrait in Lausanne
Highly Commended: Celia Liberace, Arnold in Blue
Highly Commended: Ada Weng, A Friend
The RP Critical Writing Prize 2025
A prize designed to provide a platform for aspiring writers on the visual arts and specifically to spark intelligent conversation about the contemporary portrait. Awarding a first prize of £500 and two special mention prizes of £250.
Winner: Enxi Liu, The Privilege of Slowness
Special Mention: Ruth O'Connell, Portrait of a Changing Nation: Ireland’s Presidential Portraits
Special Mention: Emecheta Christian, When Portraits Become Mirrors
Applications for The RP Critical Writing Prize 2026 are now open and further details can be found here.
Browse and Buy
All of the award winning works featured in this news item are available to browse online and some are available to buy, alongside many other works at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2026.
