First Plinth: Public Art Award 2027

First Plinth: Public Art Award is the Royal Society of Sculptors' award for sculptors who want to move into public art. It is open to sculptors anywhere in the world who have not yet had a public commission of this scale and budget. The winner receives £20,000 to create a new work for the sculpture terrace at Dora House, the society's home in South Kensington, London, and a second site still to be confirmed. The 2027 theme is RENEWAL, and the deadline is 12 January 2027.

Public art commissions are notoriously hard to break into: most go to artists who have already delivered one. The award exists to give sculptors that first step.

Who Can Apply to First Plinth?

Sculptors based anywhere in the world who have not yet had a public art opportunity of this scale and budget. It is particularly relevant to:

• Sculptors with a strong studio practice who want to work in public space
• Recent graduates and mid-career artists without a major commission yet
• Artists working with materials that can withstand outdoor display

Theme: RENEWAL

Proposals should respond to the theme RENEWAL. It can be read through ecology, materials and reuse, urban regeneration, personal or collective recovery, or the renewal of sculptural traditions. A strong proposal links the theme to the specific site and its public.

Entry Fees

• Standard: £34
• Early bird: £17

What Do Winners Receive?

• £20,000 for the winning artist to create the work
• A gallery show in dialogue with another artist of the winner's choice
• Shortlisted artists receive funding to make a maquette (the listing gives both £500 and £1,000; check the official page)

Submission Requirements

Apply through the Royal Society of Sculptors website. Read the full brief for the site details and exactly what the application must include before you start.

Why Apply?

A completed public artwork in London, with £20,000 to make it, is a career-changing credential. Even being shortlisted gives you funded time to develop a maquette, and a proposal that can be reused for other public art calls.

How to Write a Public Art Proposal

Public art juries look for ideas that work in their place: how people will encounter the sculpture, how it relates to the building and the street, and how it will survive weather and touch. Show that you understand scale and materials with drawings, renderings or photos of models. Be realistic about the budget: list fabrication, transport, installation and insurance, and keep a contingency. Explain how the work answers the theme in one or two clear sentences.

About the Royal Society of Sculptors

The Royal Society of Sculptors, founded in 1904, is the largest membership organisation for sculptors in the UK. It is based at Dora House in South Kensington, where it runs exhibitions, awards and professional development programmes for sculptors at all stages.

Is Public Art Right for You?

Public art is a different discipline from studio sculpture. The work must be safe, durable and meaningful to people who did not choose to see it, and the process involves planners, engineers and community conversations. If you enjoy that kind of collaboration and want your work to live outside the gallery, this award is a well-supported way to start.

Things to Consider

• First public commission: the award is for sculptors who have not yet had one of this scale.
• Theme: RENEWAL.
• Apply early: the early bird fee is half price.
• Deadline: 12 January 2027.

Apply to the Open Call

Ready to apply?

Apply to First Plinth

For the full brief and application form, visit the official Royal Society of Sculptors website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 28, 2026