Threadneedle Prize 2012: Analysis of entries / selected artists

Each year, as The Threadneedle Prize matures as an art competition we see a change in the process and/or the results.

Last year, the major change was the huge increase in submissions from artists based in the regions as the cost of entry was slashed due to the use of digital submission.

Back in early March I highlighted the Call for Entries for £30000 Threadneedle Prize 2012. The entries have now been judged and this post provides an analytical overview of the result at this stage.

This year there are THREE major changes - with more artists and more artwork in the exhibition which is excellent news for all aspiring prizewinners!

1. the number of artists who will be exhibiting has more than tripled from 45 to 145 - that's an increase of 322%!
2. Plus many more works have been selected for the exhibition.  This year the exhibition will include 153 works compared to 59 works in 2011 - which is an increase of 260%
3. The shortlist of six artists will not be announced until at the Private View on 25th September 2012 at the Mall Galleries in September - which should provide a considerable incentive for artists to show up!

The Threadneedle Prize: The beginning of the Artists' Reception 2011 
In the foreground:
Lewis McNaught, Director of the Mall Galleries, talks to Henrietta Simson, the winner of the Threadneedle Prize 2011

Threadneedle Prize - the Art Competition

Here are some of the statistics.  

In 2011:

• 4,350 works were submitted 
• by 2,377 artists
• an average of 1.83 works per artist
• and 52 works were selected for exhibition
• which equates to 1.4% of the artwork submitted was selected for exhibition
• by 45 artists 
• just 2% of those who submitted work

In 2012:

• 4,062 works were submitted (a decrease of 7%)
• by 2,441 artists
•  an average of 1.66 artworks per artist
• 740 works (18% of the entry) were invited to travel to London for further review by the selectors.  There were so many works to look at "in the flesh" that the Mall Galleries had to arrange an overflow space in the ICA next door!
• 153 works were selected for the exhibition in the Mall Galleries in September
• which means 3.8% of the artwork submitted was selected for exhibition.
• by 145 artists 
• which is a 322% increase on 2011.

The exhibition this year will include a much larger number of 3-D works.  37 sculptures have been selected for the exhibition and these vary in scale from the tiny to the huge.

I'll be posting the names of the selected artists just as soon as the organisers can provide them.  They'll be busy informing the artists right now!

Threadneedle Prize - the 2012 Selectors

This year's Selectors are:

• Peter Randall-Page - British Artist and Sculptor http://www.peterrandall-page.com/
• Christopher Riopelle - Canadian Curator of post-1800 paintings, The National Gallery
• Nicholas Usherwood - Curator, Art Critic and Writer / Features Editor of Galleries Magazine

The works were selected for their quality of execution as well as their strong, contemporary, and sometimes challenging, interpretation of figurative painting and sculpture.

Threadneedle Prize - The Exhibition

The Threadneedle Prize is the UK's leading showcase for contemporary figurative and representational painting and sculpture. Our aim is to promote and display works that use a variety of different mediums, styles and approaches, with an overall focus on the quality and confidence of the finished work. The competition sets out to promote and encourage excellence.

The Threadneedle Prize Exhibition at the Mall Galleries (The Mall, near Trafalgar Square, London SW1Y) will open to the public on 26 September 2012 and close on 13 October 2012.  The exhibition is open daily 10am-5pm (closes 3pm on final day) and admission will be free

Throughout the exhibition, visitors will be able to vote on ALL the works for the Visitor’s Choice Award of £10,000.

Threadneedle Prize - The Prizewinners

The Threadneedle Prizes 2012 total £46,000 and comprise:

• The Threadneedle Prize: £30,000
• The Visitors’ Choice: £10,000
• The Threadneedle Prize Finalists (5 awarded): each £1,000
• Visitors' Choice Finalists (2 awarded): each £500

The winners of the two major prizes will be announced at the Awards Dinner on 10 October 2012.

LINKS:

• Threadneedle Prize | Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD Tel: 44 (0) 20 7930 6844 threadneedleprize@mallgalleries.com
• Directions to Mall Galleries
• Mall Galleries | The Mall, London SW1 | Tel: 020 7930 6844 | info@mallgalleries.com

2011 Exhibition:

• MAKING A MARK: Threadneedle Prize 2011 - a new selection process 26 Apr 2011
• MAKING A MARK: Shortlist for Threadneedle Prize 2011 dominated ...08 Sep 2011
• MAKING A MARK: Threadneedle Prize: The Making a Mark Select ...26 Sep 2011
• MAKING A MARK: Review: Threadneedle Prize Exhibition 2011 22 Sep 2011
• MAKING A MARK: Henriette Simson wins Threadneedle Prize 2011 06 Oct 2011

Other information about art competitions in the UK

• Art Competitions in the UK