New UK art prize is open to all
Howard Lake | 21 May 2026 | News
The Artist Prize is inviting entries from UK artists working in any medium and at any stage of their career.
The winner will receive £30,000 and a solo exhibition at Firstsite in Colchester, Essex in 2028.
Announced today in The Guardian and on Instagram, this is “one of the largest open-submission art competitions in the UK”.
Advertisement
![[ad] Revolutionise - Great Fundraising Masterclass 18-19 June 2026. Glasgow.](https://fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Great-Fundraising-Masterclass-Glasgow-20260618-300x250-1.png)
It has been co-founded by Sally Shaw, director of the Firstsite gallery in Colchester, and Guy Armitage, founder of Zealous, the submissions management platform that helps reduce administration for creative organisations.
Shaw told the Guardian:
“The Artist Prize will create a pathway for artists to show in a major gallery, perhaps for the first time, and be part of a national conversation about what’s happening in contemporary art right now”.
She added:
“For audiences, it’s a chance to encounter a wide range of new artists from across the UK”.
While one winner will receive the full amount and solo show prize, 20 shortlisted artists will be exhibited together at Firstsite between February and May 2027.
A panel of about 80 judges assess the entries. Judges include Jeremy Deller, Louisa Buck and Ekow Eshun. They will announce a longlist of 200 artists in August this year. The winner will be announced in March 2027.
The prize is designed to offer “full transparency”, with open submissions and no need for nominations. Entry fees start at £10.
Entries close on 8 July 2026 at midday. To enter simply post ‘ARTIST’ in a comment on the announcement on Instagram.
- New funding initiatives among recommendations for ensuring future of performing arts sector (23 January 2025)
- Artwork criticises public funding of the arts (10 July 2015)
- Inaugural Big Give Arts campaign launches (19 March 2024)
Related posts
Funding awarded to make more London theatres accessible for deaf people
BBC creates £4m fund in new partnership with UK arts councils
Arts Impact Fund announces fourth & final round of investments
Wigmore Hall “no longer requires public funding” after successful appeal
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.