Art competitions are a great way for artists to promote themselves and their artwork with the chance for coverage, exhibitions and even some cash prizes. There are thousands of art competitions throughout the year from painting competitions, textiles, ceramics, photography and sculpture. Here’s our list of art competitions for 2024. Bookmark the page as it is regularly updated with new competitions.
Bookmark this page as we will update it with more competitions throughout the year. You can also sign up for our free newsletter, which features new competitions weekly.
Live in the UK? Check out our guide to the best art competitions in the UK
And before you begin the entry process, check out our guide on how to win art competitions.
Missed the deadline? Don’t despair!
Most art competitions are annual and held at the same time each year. If you’ve missed an art competition, plan ahead and add the date to your calendar so you can be early the following year!
We’ve put together a couple of handy guides Your cut out and keep list of annual competitions and Monthly Competitions that will raise your profile
Artweb’s pick of best international art competitions for 2024
The Lumen Prize
The not-for-profit Lumen Art Projects behind this competition brings together the visual arts and technology with a global competition worth $14,500. All art is eligible as long as it engages with technology in some form. You can sign up for updates on their website.
- Deadline: TBD
- More information: https://www.lumenprize.com/
BBA Artist Prize 2024
This prize is a chance to exhibit in Berlin during one of the biggest events for contemporary art in Germany. Entrants can be in any medium including sculpture and original prints. Head to the website to find out more about the kinds of work they are looking for.
- Deadline: February 19, 2024
- More information: https://bba-prizes.com
The Homiens Art Prize
This international art prize and online exhibition offer $400 to its 10 finalists as part of a $24,000 prize pot. There’s also a show online featuring around 20 artists. The prize is open to artists of all ages, nationalities, abilities and stages of career working in any media.
- Deadline: February 29, 2024
- More information: https://www.homiens.com/
Jackson’s Art Prize
Fill up on art supplies with this international competition showcasing original 2D works in any painting, print or drawing media. There’s a mix of cash and materials on offer in a wide range of categories. Head to the competition website to see more.
- Deadline: March 1, 2024
- More information: https://www.jacksonsart.com/paintingprize/
Contextile 2024 – Contemporary Textile Art Biennial
This competition is looking for international textile art to display in various cultural spaces and public areas of Guimarães, Portugal. The competition theme is “To Touch.” There are cash prizes and 50 artists will be selected for exhibition.
- Deadline: March 8, 2024
- More information: https://contextile.pt/en/contextile-2024-open-call/
The Almenara Art Prize
International representational painting competition with more than €27,000 in cash awards and other prizes — including €10,000 first prize and a show in Cordoba, Spain, in November. Works of many different genres and styles will be accepted, such as hyperrealism, impressionism, photorealism, plein air painting and any kind of representational painting.
- Deadline: June 30, 2024
- More information: https://www.thealmenaracollection.com/page/25921/the-almenara-art-prize
Embracing Our Differences
This is a BIG show, quite literally, as it features 50 billboard-sized images celebrating diversity and inclusion. Artists are asked to submit their interpretation of the theme “Embracing Our Differences.” Your art should be horizontal and fit an aspect ratio of 12.8” wide by 8.8” high (325.12 mm x 223.52 mm). Winning works will go on show at multiple locations in Southwest Florida in Spring 2024.
- Deadline: July 2, 2024
- More information: https://www.embracingourdifferences.org/
Sunny Art Prize
You name the medium, and you can probably enter it into the Sunny Art Prize. It’s also open to artists at the start of their career as well as those well established. The contest accepts work from all 2D or 3D art styles, including prints, painting, photography, mixed media, and even experimental or installation works. There are no limits on the theme.
The contest shortlists 30 artists and picks three winners who receive cash prizes and solo exhibition at the Sunny Art Centre in London. Winners and some from the shortlist will also be able to exhibit their work in galleries throughout China. Prize winners may also be selected for a one-month artist residency in China that established Chinese art institutions organize.
- Deadline: June 30, 2024
- More information: https://www.sunnyartcentre.co.uk/artprize/apply-n
The Fine Art Textiles Award
The Fine Art Textiles Award (FATA) returns for its sixth year in 2024 with a prize of £5,000 for the winning piece. The Fine Art Textiles Award recognizes the creative talents and skills of a broad community of high-caliber artists (including quilters) and celebrates textiles’ rightful place in fine art. Entries for 2024 will open soon.
- Deadline: TBD
- More information: www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/the-fine-art-textiles-award/
Tabernacle Art Competition
This annual exhibition takes place at MOMA Machynlleth with a different theme each year. For 2024, it’s “On a Windy Day.” Artists can enter one piece of new work inspired by the theme. Artists can enter any 2D work, including photography. More details are still to come from the organizers, so bookmark the link below.
- Deadline: TBD
- More information: https://moma.cymru/en/e/tabernacle-art-competition-2024-on-a-windy-day/
Luxembourg Art Prize
Set yourself up with a candidate space for this annual international art prize from Luxembourg-based Pinacothèque Museum. There’s a pot of €35,000 in prizes on offer. Welcomes entries from a wide range of art mediums including drawing, printing, installation, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed techniques and the decorative arts.
- Deadline: Fall 2024 (for reference, September 30 in 2023)
- More information: https://www.luxembourgartprize.com/en/
YoungArts National Arts Competition
YoungArts hosts a visual, literary, and performing art contest for 15- to 18-year-olds. The 10 disciplines covered are classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, and writing. The 2025 competition opens in June 2024, so plenty of time for young artists to get work ready. In previous years there were prizes of up to $10,000, with mentorship and professional support opportunities.
More information: https://youngarts.org/apply/
2024 Contemporary Art Gallery Online
This commercial gallery has a range of competitions worth entering, from abstract to botanical art, cityscapes to landscapes and seascapes. Each competition offers a group show at the Contemporary Art Gallery Online.
- Deadline: Various
- More information: https://www.contemporaryartgalleryonline.gallery/2024-cago-art-competitions
International Original Print Exhibition
Established by the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers at the Bankside Gallery to showcase the best in contemporary printmaking across all techniques. Any forms of original printmaking are eligible.
- Deadline: Further details and closing dates are yet to be announced
- More information: https://www.re-printmakers.com/
Surreal Visions
The competition is looking for artists to join an exhibition at the Limner Gallery working in any media and anywhere in the world. The theme for entries is ‘Surreal Visions‘.
Closes: June 30, 2024
Find out more
Arte Laguna Prize 2024
The Cultural Association MoCA (Modern Contemporary Art) is an international prize aimed at celebrating contemporary art with cash prizes and space on the walls (or plinths) of the Arsenale Nord in Venice.
Closes: July 31, 2024
Find out more
European Photography Awards 2024
If you are working in fine art photography, The European Photography Awards 2024 is more than worth a look. Organised by International Awards Associate Inc (IAA), it aims to ‘recognises exquisite and artistic content while honoring vast arrays of genres in the photographic medium, extending the reaches of your talents all across the globe’. Read that sentence a few times before you choose your entries…
Closes: July 31, 2024
Find out more
GIRAF 20 International Festival of Independent Animation
Something of a palate cleanser, the Quickdraw Animation Society is looking for independent animation from across the world to show at the GIRAF 20 International Festival of Independent Animation.
Closes: August 1, 2024
Find out more
Aesthetica Art Prize 2024
The prestigious Aesthetica Art Prize 2024 is open to international artists across the world with one simple aim: to celebrate excellence across the artworld. Intrigued? Explore more about the Aesthetica magazine
Closes: September 30, 2024
Find out more
Communication Arts 2025 Interactive Competition
This Interactive Competition is billed as one of the world’s most prestigious digital competitions for interactive media. If you don’t know what that means, it’s probably not the competition for you. But it’s fascinating to look at the entries. It is aimed at any interactive project created for digital distribution on desktop, interactive installation, handheld device, online service. Is it art? Will leave you to decide…
Closes: October 25, 2024
Find out more
Ongoing competitions
Artists Network
One of the largest collections of competition opportunities can be found at Artists Network, the group that brings you Artists Magazine. They have an extensive catalogue of rolling competitions. Themed contests vary based on media and subjects.
Artists Network is a membership site. While many competitions are open to the general public, members get early-bird pricing and an early-bird deadline for submissions. Members also get access to an extensive library of how-to videos, magazine archives, and ebooks.
- Deadline: Ongoing
- More info: https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-competitions/
Fine Art America Online Art Competitions
Fine Art America is an online community of members who create pop-up art contests. The prizes aren’t much, but it’s a great way to feel part of a community of artists. Informal online competitions can pad your artist CV and encourage you to try something new by working within various themes, from floral painting to Christmas cards.
Some contests have cash prizes, but many offer online promotional opportunities. Members of the site can start a new competition anytime.
- Deadline: Ongoing
- More info: https://fineartamerica.com/contests.html
Art Maze Magazine Open Call
This competition comes with a chance to become a cover story for the UK-based Art Maze Magazine. The artist-run and ad-free publication aims to promote artists and their work from across the world. Any visual arts medium is welcome, and you can submit up to five works simultaneously.
- Deadline: Ongoing
- More info: https://artmazemag.com/call-for-art/
NYAC: New York Art Competitions
The 38th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition offers more than $70,000 in prizes. The Competition is open to visual artists from around the world at any stage of their career working in painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, mixed media, and print.
Part of the New York Art Competitions, which hosts four annual international art contests to promote artists’ careers and bring their work to a bigger audience.
- Deadline: Ongoing (Next deadline: May 14, 2024)
- More info: https://nyartcompetitions.com/
Feeling inspired?
Check out our series on art competitions:
