Featured Opportunities

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Women in Art Fair invites women and women-identifying artists of any age, nationality, and medium to apply for exhibition at WIAF 2026, running 7th-10th May in Central London. Now in its fourth year, WIAF dismantles systemic gender imbalance in the art world—where only 3-5% of global auction sales are by women artists, who earn just 10-20% of male artists’ income and achieve median auction prices less than half that of male artists.

Submit up to five works in any medium to showcase your practice and themes. This year features the WIAF Prize 2026 with three significant cash prizes plus sustained promotional support. Entry fees: £20 for one work, £35 for two, £50 for three, £55 for four, £60 for five. Selected works must be for sale with 30% commission to WIAF. Successful applicants notified 17th April 2026.

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Freelands Foundation invites UK visual art organisations to apply for prestigious awards championing commitment to art education. Three winners will each receive £100,000 grants for recent or ongoing projects demonstrating progressive art education approaches with demonstrable impact. Winners also receive funding for collaborative video case studies showcasing their work and invitations to a London celebration event in November 2026.

Over five years, Freelands Foundation commits £1.5 million to these awards, recognising outstanding art education work across galleries, museums, and visual art organisations. Funding can support programming costs, staff/freelance wages, capital development, equipment purchases, or organisational overheads including rent and utilities. The two-stage application involves a written Expression of Interest followed by judging panel visits in summer 2026.

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Batsford, the leading independent art book publisher established in 1843, invites UK undergraduate, postgraduate, and foundation students to enter The Batsford Prize 2026 exploring the theme “Connections.” Over £4,000 worth of prizes are available across four categories: Applied Art and Textiles, Book Illustration (sponsored by Spring Literary), Fine Art, and The Geoffry Powell Award for Architecture.

Prizes include £300 cash per category winner, £300 additional cash for overall winner, £100 Batsford books for winners, £300 books for winners’ colleges, £80 copy of Artists of the East London Group per category winner, £50 books for two runners-up per category, and £30 copy of The Book Cover for runners-up. All shortlisted candidates invited to exhibit entries for a two-week exhibition at Batsford Gallery in May 2026, with awards event and private view on 13th May, public exhibition opening 14th May.

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Newcastle Art Space invites artists to submit work for Freshwater to Fatbergs, a group exhibition exploring water use, conservation, and urban water system pressures. Running 8th-31st May 2026, this provocative exhibition juxtaposes the value of clean freshwater and healthy catchments with the consequences of misuse, creating an accessible entry point for communities to engage with complex water issues—from tap to drain.

The exhibition encourages smarter water use, improves understanding of catchments, highlights the impacts of fats, oils, and wipes on sewer systems, and promotes shared responsibility for protecting water resources. Open to all 2D and 3D media including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and digital media. Works must respond to the theme and not exceed 150cm × 100cm (max 1.5 square metres). Selected artists announced 2nd April 2026. Sales incur 30% commission. Artists responsible for delivery/collection and insurance.

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New Contemporaries invites applications from emerging and early-career artists aged 21+ based in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales for their Artist Development Programme running September 2026 to June 2027, culminating in a major group exhibition at Focal Point Gallery and partner venues across Southend-on-Sea, opening June 2027.

Selected artists receive a structured monthly programme (online and in-person sessions) including two mentoring sessions, peer networking, workshops, and talks; exhibition in the June 2027 group show with contribution opportunities to public programmes; artist fee; travel and accommodation bursary for in-person sessions and exhibition opening; access support where required; and opportunity to sell work during the exhibition (30 June-11 September 2027).

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The Curator’s Salon invites established visual artists worldwide to submit work for Art Seen Magazine’s Summer 2026 edition, publishing in May 2026. This international curated publication features artist profiles, interviews, and studio visits ranging from half-page to six-page spreads, offering artists the chance to reach audiences beyond their existing following. Each inclusion is accompanied by social media posts, giving your work fresh exposure in a high-quality print and digital format distributed globally through Amazon.

Ideal for artists working in painting, printmaking, drawing, mixed media, collage, fiber art, fine art photography, installation, ceramics, and sculpture. This opportunity suits mid-career and established artists comfortable discussing their work and process—not suitable for emerging artists or those seeking curatorial guidance. Submit four images at 300dpi, properly labeled with artist name, artwork title, medium, and dimensions. A website is required. Submission fee doesn’t guarantee selection or include a magazine copy. Successful applicants will be contacted for additional images and written features.

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Freelands Foundation launches the seventh edition of the annual Freelands Painting Prize, celebrating outstanding painting by final-year students at UK art schools and universities. Higher Education institutions offering BA Fine Art or Painting courses are invited to nominate one final-year student from the 2025-26 academic year. Submissions must include paintings, though work operating as “painting in the expanded field” is welcome – acknowledging contemporary painting’s diverse approaches beyond traditional definitions.

An independent jury anonymously reviews all submissions, shortlisting artists to participate in an exhibition at Freelands Foundation in Autumn 2026. For the first time in 2026, the jury will also select an individual winner from the shortlisted group. In partnership with Wallace Seymour (makers of high-quality painting and drawing materials), the winning artist receives a consultation and £1,000 worth of materials – invaluable support for emerging painters developing their practice.