Royal Society of Portrait Painters Open Call: RP Annual Exhibition 2027

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters invites artists from around the world to submit portraits for its RP Annual Exhibition 2027 at Mall Galleries in London. Paintings, drawings and original prints are all eligible, and selected works hang alongside those of the Society's members. The prize fund is over £35,000, led by the £20,000 William Lock Portrait Prize. Submissions close at 12 noon on Tuesday 2 February 2027.

The exhibition is one of the main annual showcases for portraiture in the UK. Works are often sold, and commissions are placed during the show.

Prizes

• The William Lock Portrait Prize: £20,000 for the most timeless portrait with a real feeling for paint, plus two special mentions of £2,500
• The Almenara Collection Award: a £5,000 purchase prize for a work for sale at up to £5,000
• Drawing prize: £5,000 for the most distinguished drawing
• The de Laszlo Foundation Award: £3,000 for the best portrait by an artist aged 35 or under, plus four £500 commendations
• The Raw Umber Studios Prize: £2,000
• The RP Prize for the Best Small Portrait: £2,000 for a work no larger than 38 × 30.5 cm unframed
• Daler-Rowney Materials Prize: materials worth £1,000

Who Can Enter the Portrait Painters Open Call?

Any artist aged 18 or over, from anywhere in the world. You do not need to be a member of the Society. It suits:

• Painters working in oil, acrylic, watercolour or mixed media
• Artists who draw portraits in graphite, charcoal or pastel
• Printmakers making original portrait prints
• Emerging artists, who have their own award and a lower fee

Fees

The submission fee is £22 per work, or £14.50 per work for artists aged 35 or under. It is non-refundable and includes free admission to the exhibition. Fees support the not-for-profit programme at Mall Galleries, run by the Federation of British Artists, a registered charity.

How to Enter

Register on the Mall Galleries online submission system and upload up to four works. For each work, add one image of the whole piece in JPEG or PNG under 5 MB, with up to two optional detail images. You also give the title, medium, size in centimetres, year of completion and price if it is for sale. Works do not have to be for sale.

International Artists

International entries are selected online only. If your work is chosen, you ship it to the gallery on a date announced later, framed and ready to hang. Many international artists use a specialist art shipper. UK-based artists who pass pre-selection deliver their work for a final selection in person.

Tips for Entering

Photograph your work in even daylight, without glare or a frame edge cutting into the image, and check that the colours match the original. Choose your strongest works rather than the maximum of four. Frames must be strong enough to take mirror plates, and works that arrive different from the submitted image are withdrawn. Read the full terms before entering.

Choosing Your Works

The exhibition shows portraits in many styles, from traditional commissioned portraits to loose, expressive studies and small intimate heads. The selectors look for a real sense of the sitter and confident handling of paint or line, so choose works where both come through. Enter the piece you believe in most rather than the one you think the Society wants. If you are 35 or under, you pay the lower fee and are eligible for the de Laszlo Foundation Award as well as every other prize.

Things to Consider

• Fee per work, lower for under-35s.
• Shipping and framing costs if selected.
• No feedback from the selection committee.
• Deadline: 2 February 2027, 12 noon UK time.

Submit Your Portrait

Ready to show your portrait in London?

Enter the RP Annual Exhibition 2027

The full call, prizes and terms are on the Mall Galleries website.

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

Last verified: November 3, 2026