Top Art Competitions 2025

Discover current open calls for national and international art competitions.

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  • Clear overview of the best grants, prizes, residences
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  • Deadline reminders and agenda
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Deadline

June 22, 2025

Information

Royal Scottish Academy of Art - William Littlejohn Award

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Painting / Drawing / Graphic
Theme: Water-based media

Reward

2,000 £ + Exhibition

Location

Edinburgh
United Kingdom

Eligibility conditions

Resident of Scotland (GB)
Nationality: Scottish
In the case of students applying, entrants must either be graduating in 2024 or currently studying at postgraduate level at one of the art schools in Scotland

Deadline

June 26, 2025

Information

Innovate Grants for Art + Photo

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Painting / Drawing / Photography / Video / Graphic / Installation / Performance / Sculpture / Textile Art / Ceramics

Reward

Grant to a Visual Artist: 1,800 $
Grant to a Photographer: 1,800 $

Location

Chicago
United States of America

Eligibility conditions

Born from 2007 (included)

Deadline

June 27, 2025

Information

Cork County Council - LHQ Impact Award

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Painting / Drawing / Photography / Video / Graphic / Installation / Sculpture / Textile Art / Ceramics

Reward

5,000 € + Exhibition + 3,000 € Production Budget

Location

Cork
Ireland

Eligibility conditions

No students
Resident of Ireland
For artist based in Cork County

Deadline

June 29, 2025

Information

Grsaeznfubi pahcrert fa

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Painting / Drawing / Photography / Video / Graphic / Installation / Performance / Sculpture / Textile Art / Ceramics
Theme: nSetuf

Reward

5,000 € + Exhibition
2,000 €

Location

Fasfharecgbnu
Germany

Eligibility conditions

Resident of Bayern (DE)
Artist related to Aschaffenburg, DE

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

Oikrsenijm'zp e gatrcntwus

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Sound / Painting / Drawing / Photography / Video / Graphic / Installation / Performance / Sculpture / Textile Art / Ceramics

Reward

15,000 CHF
5,000 CHF

Location

Rben
Switzerland

Eligibility conditions

Resident of Bern (CH)
Only for female artists

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

C aeupi sdotirsz

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Painting / Photography / Sculpture / Textile Art / Ceramics

Reward

£6,000 for the costs of a studio

Location

Odnlon
United Kingdom

Eligibility conditions

Nationality: German, British, French, Spanish, Italian, Australian, Austrian, Belgian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Cypriot, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Icelander, Irish, Latvian, Liechtensteiner, Lithuanian, Luxembourger, Maltese, New Zealander, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovakian, Swedish
Entrants must be UK, EEA, Australian, or New Zealand nationals with UK residency rights for 2025–2026, and current or recent (within four years) graduates of undergraduate or postgraduate art courses

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

Ceerple rc iz a-tntoipnnga rhdr o

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Painting / Drawing / Graphic

Reward

5,000 £
2,000 £
500 £

Location

Ondnol
United Kingdom

Eligibility conditions

Resident of United Kingdom

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

niaccs psa :esl if-evs aselt piau eeua ieaur utçtitstdrssnbhr

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Painting / Architecture / Drawing / Photography / Graphic
Theme: sdseluslNf ae oc pwo re

Reward

5,000 € + Exhibition
3,000 € + Exhibition
2,000 € + Exhibition

Location

Irenbl
Germany

Eligibility conditions

No students
Resident of France, Germany

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

Enan t cbknerhitaknigzlbf e rt -rprulruuer

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Painting / Drawing / Video / Graphic / Installation / Performance / Sculpture
Theme: nnafrrbeeÜk

Reward

7,000 € + Solo Exhibition
2,000 €
1,000 €

Location

Zrbguwür
Germany

Eligibility conditions

No students
Resident of Bayern (DE)
For artists based in Unterfranken (DE)

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

Agiséemimeiaostiofasr he s-faucrrlcuimmmer rrt aoprh smsatt idz c s sd neotmamo oi

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital
Theme: Dat iAtirgl

Reward

15,000 $

Location

Imima
United States of America

Eligibility conditions

From, based in, or working on new digital art projects that engage with South Florida, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the African Diaspora

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

Alewrod arliuoc

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Painting
Theme: uesmèriL

Reward

1,500 € + 4 Exhibitions
Residency

Location

Ouoerclil
France

Eligibility conditions

Resident of France

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

toudgaein ry anawatrnroge

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Digital / Painting / Drawing / Photography / Video / Graphic / Installation / Performance / Sculpture / Textile Art / Ceramics

Reward

10,000 € + 500 € production budget + Exhibition
4 x: 3,000 € + 500 € production budget + Exhibition

Location

Nra trnuf iamamfk
Germany

Eligibility conditions

Born between 1990 (included) and 2007 (included)

Deadline

June 30, 2025

Information

Paodi ccwra

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Painting / Drawing
Theme: Copci

Reward

1,500 $ + 358 Copic Markers
1,000 $ + 358 Copic Markers
358 Copic Markers

Location

.na.
Japan

Eligibility conditions

Your artwork must have been created using Copic products

Deadline

July 1, 2025

Information

Sz&|t isrke pitla-m uhgwdnx adgrtirraswh mazlreareokee- u

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Sound
Theme: eumntorro ldc iauiE casntdcsn

Reward

10,000 €
2 x: 5,000 € + Residency

Location

Aehsrrluk
Germany

Eligibility conditions

Deadline

July 2, 2025

Information

-uko nema aanr lrtsfdloridi paw

Genre: Art Competition
Art field: Literature / Video
Theme: ayMtdAd nraries areLit

Reward

25,000 $

Location

Lornpdta
United States of America

Eligibility conditions

Born between 1950 (included) and 1995 (included)
Resident of Oregon (US)
For Oregon residents for last 5 years

Art Competitions – Prizes, recognition and exposure

Art competitions are great opportunities for artists, offering cash prizes along with the rewards of exposure and recognition. By validating your artistic practice, they increase your visibility in the art world. Art competitions can serve as a catalyst that accelerates an artist's progress to success. Visit our website to view the best current art competitions.

Are you looking for open calls for art competitions in a specific country or city? Check our carefully chosen selections:
FAQs: Art Competitions

Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding art competitions here:

What is an art competition?

Art competitions are events where artists are invited to submit their work based on a particular theme or category. Organized by a variety of entities such as institutions, galleries, or other art organizations, these competitions aim to identify, acknowledge, and support talented artists. A panel of judges typically awards prizes, exhibitions, publications, or other forms of recognition to the best entries. Winning art competitions offers artists crucial exposure and recognition.

What are typical prizes of art competitions?

Art competitions offer artists a variety of prizes. These can range from cash awards, to opportunities in order to exhibit works and gain exposure. Some competitions also offer artist residencies, scholarships, as well as art supplies or equipment as prizes. Winners may have their work featured in a catalog, an art magazine, or on an online platform, increasing recognition and exposure. Ultimately, winning awards become a valuable addition to an artist's resume.

The list of art competitions on our website specifies in each case clearly what the “prize“ entails.

How does the judging process work?

The jury panel generally consists of a number of distinguished persons from the art world, who, over the course of several rounds, individually decide which applications to eliminate or pass on to the next rounds. Shortlisted works are then subjected to further scrutiny. The process concludes with the panel collectively deciding on the winners.

How do I apply for an art competition?

Most open calls for art competitions require artists to submit a comprehensive application, including a portfolio, an artist statement, and a resume. The number of applicants for art competitions is often high, especially for the more prestigious prizes. Therefore, your application needs be impactful, clear, straightforward, and inviting to review.

Do you need help in these matters? Check our online courses “How to make a portfolio” and “How to write an artists statement” which serve as step-by-step guides giving you all the tools you need to build a strong application for art competitions.