For many artists, opportunities rarely arrive fully formed — they are built through applications, experimentation and consistently putting work out into the world. Open calls, art exhibitions and competitions remain one of the most practical ways for artists to gain visibility, develop confidence and connect with new audiences, galleries and collaborators.
Whether you are an emerging maker, established artist, ceramicist, photographer or multidisciplinary creative, 2026 is already offering a wide range of open calls and opportunities to showcase work across the UK and internationally.
Exhibitions, residencies and competitions are about far more than prizes. They create momentum, encourage experimentation and open the door to new professional relationships and creative communities. Whether you are applying for a major open exhibition or submitting work for the first time, every opportunity helps build experience and visibility.
Our Featured Opportunities & Open Calls for June
Last chance to enter:
The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize
This art competition is the UK’s leading annual open exhibition dedicated to contemporary drawing practice. The prize has built an international reputation for championing excellence in drawing across all disciplines. Open to emerging and established artists, designers, and makers across the UK, the exhibition showcases selected works chosen by an expert panel from original submissions. The exhibition launches in London before touring nationally, celebrating innovation and diversity within contemporary drawing today.
- Entrance to Trinity Buoy Wharf in London from 17 September – 4 October 2026
- Closes 9 June 2026
Inprint
The Imprint Fair is a contemporary art fair dedicated to print and editions, championing printmaking as an accessible gateway to collecting contemporary art. Bringing together galleries, publishers, institutions and independent artists, the fair highlights the diversity and innovation of contemporary print practice within a professional curatorial and commercial setting. Through its Artist Open Call, selected artists present work directly to collectors, curators and industry professionals. The judges welcomes original prints, including screenprint, etching, lithography, woodcut and experimental techniques. Artists at all career stages may apply with completed or in-progress works.
- Completed and in-progress works accepted
- Open to emerging and established artists
- All printmaking techniques welcome
- Closes 9 July 2026
RP Drawing Prize
The RP Drawing Prize: Revealing the Human, presented by The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, returns for its second year as an international open call celebrating contemporary drawing practice. The prize welcomes all styles and techniques exploring portraiture and the human form in its broadest sense. Artists are encouraged to submit bold, original interpretations of what a portrait can be. Up to 120 selected works will be exhibited at the University of Hull Art Gallery, with opportunities for sales and commissions.
- £5,000 main prize plus additional awards
- International open call
- Open to all drawing styles and techniques
- Exhibition at University of Hull Art Gallery
- Closes 28 July 2026
The Landscape Open
The Landscape Open is a contemporary art exhibition at Salisbury Museum celebrating creative responses to landscape in all its forms. The open call welcomes UK and international artists working across any medium. Artists are invited to explore rural, urban, imagined or abstract interpretations of landscape. Around 75 selected works will be exhibited in the historic King’s House, opposite Salisbury Cathedral, chosen by an eminent judging panel. Inspired by Wiltshire’s rich artistic heritage and connections to artists including John Constable, the exhibition combines historic setting with contemporary visual practice.
- Contemporary responses to landscape encoura
- Open to UK and international artists
- All media and styles considered
- Around 75 works selected for exhibition
- Exhibition hosted at Salisbury Museum
The Discernng Eye Exhibition
The Discerning Eye Exhibition 2026 is now open for entries, continuing its reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive and accessible open art exhibitions.Organised by The Discerning Eye, the exhibition invites UK-based artists to submit work across a wide range of media for selection by six invited curators, artists and critics. Selected works will be exhibited at Mall Galleries from 13–21 November 2026, alongside an online virtual gallery featuring curator commentary. All exhibited works will be available for sale, with prizes awarded at the exhibition opening.
- The deadline for entries is 27 August 2026
- Open to UK-based artists
- Selected by six leading art professionals
- Exhibition at Mall Galleries, London
- Online virtual gallery included
Wales Contemporary
Wales Contemporary / Cymru Gyfoes is an international open exhibition celebrating contemporary art connected to Wales. Now in its sixth year, the competition supports emerging and established artists working across 2D and 3D media, including painting, sculpture, photography, film and animation. Open to artists worldwide, applicants must demonstrate a connection to Wales through heritage, subject matter or creative practice. The 2026 exhibition opens on 29 August at The Waterfront Gallery, with awards presented at Sybil House, Port of Milford Haven. Alongside £6,000 in prizes, artists can benefit from solo exhibition opportunities, mentoring and professional exposur.
- Artists worldwide eligible with Welsh connections
- £6,000 prize fund
- Solo exhibitions and mentoring opportunities
- Closing date 29 June 2026
Get Your Work in a Magazine with Open Calls
Not every opportunity needs to be a major national exhibition. Smaller magazine-led competitions and showcases can be an excellent way to test new work, build confidence and start submitting professionally. Alongside exhibition opportunities, many established magazines now run regular open calls that place artists directly within editorial contexts and reach engaged creative audiences. We’ve selected a range of the most reputable and well-established magazine competitions currently open.
The downside can be that magazines may want you to subscribe to enter. The magazine’s targeted audience may be other artists – but having your work professionally laid out in a magazine is great publicity that you can user wider.
International Artist Competitions
The International Artist magazine holds a continuing series of juried art competitions created to champion the finest talent in the art world today. Open to artists working in all painting and drawing media.
Your work is published in International Artist alongside a four-page editorial feature in the prestigious American Art Collector read by leading collectors and galleries seeking new talent in the world’s largest art market.
- Open internationally
- Dedicated printed feature
- Regular competitions
Artists Talk magazine
This is an unusual one in that you submit work for a paid-for magazine feature – and if your piece isn’t selected, they refund any costs. This might be the way to go if want something for the coffeee table. This is a great competition to have a look at as they supply a lot of information about submission
Their next competition closes 9 July 2026
