Compete Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize
Opportunity Description
International Deadline: May 2, 2025 – The Self Portrait Prize invites artists to submit original and innovative self-portraits that explore personal identity, expression, and the human experience.
The Self Portrait Prize celebrates artistic excellence and the evolving concept of self-representation in contemporary art. The winner will have an opportunity to exhibit their work at Southampton City Art Gallery and receive a cash prize of £10,000. Shortlisted entries will be included in a highly respected group exhibition.
ELIGIBILITY
Artists of all backgrounds, established and emerging, are invited to enter. Even if this is your first ever self-portrait or artistic creation we welcome your contribution. Individuals under the age of 16 wishing to enter are required to have consent from a parent or legal guardian.
- The artwork must be a self-portrait. All variations of work – figurative or abstract, alone or in a group, from life or from memory – will be accepted.
- The artwork must have been created in the year of or after 2015.
- There are no restrictions of size of work. If submitting a very large work we suggest you submit images showing the detail in addition to the main entry showing the whole artwork inone image.
- We welcome a wide variety of media, including but not restricted to; painting, drawing, digital art, photography, sculpture, tapestry and ceramics. If you are unsure about whether your practice qualifies please contact us.
- Multi-part works, i.e. works in the form of a diptych or triptych etc., are eligible and will be regarded as one work. The main image on the entry should show the whole artwork or only the first part will be considered as the entry.
JURY
An eminent panel of judges will select the winner and a shortlist of distinguished entries. Judges for 2025 include
- Alan Carr, television presenter and comedian
- Dr. Sarah Turner, Director of the Paul Mellon Centre Simon Vincent CBE, British art collector, businessman and hospitality executive, best known for his leadership at Hilton Europe, Middle East & Africa
- Sir Peter Bazalgette, cultural leader, author and former chairman of Arts Council England
- Colin Davidson, previous prize winner and internationally renowned artist
- A member of the Borchard family
AWARDS
The £10,000 cash prize will be awarded by the judges. In the rare instance they are unable to determine a single winning work the prize fund may be split between two artists.
ENTRY FEE
£40.00 from UK. International Entry Fee £50.00.
DOWNLOAD PROSPECTUS / APPLY ONLINE
Ruth Borchard Collection and Self-Portrait Prize are funded by a charitable foundation and the submission fee goes a small way to covering the cost of running the Prize.
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