BP Portrait Award

Penzance Life Class October 1997
11" x 11" pencil and coloured pencil in Daler Rowney black sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

The rules have changed for the BP Portrait Award 2007. The Portrait Award, now in its 28th year, is dedicated to encouraging artists to focus upon and develop the theme of portraiture. In previous years entry to the competition has been limited to artists under the age of 40. In 2007, the competition is now going to be open to everyone aged 18 and over

".......in recognition of the outstanding and innovative work currently being produced by artists of all ages working in portraiture"

In addition, entry is now also possible online as well as by post. Visit www.npg.org.uk/bp for more information.

Note that the competition rules state that:

• artists from around the world can enter
• they must be aged 18 and over - and to be eligible for the BP Young Artist Award they must be 30 years of age or under on 1 January 2007
• The competition is limited to one entry per artist - which must have been completed after 1 January 2006. No work previously submitted for the competition is eligible for resubmission.
• they have very definite preferences as to eligible media (pout!). "The work entered must be predominantly painted in oil, tempera or acrylic and must be on a stretcher or board, preferably framed and unglazed. No watercolours, works on paper or pastels will be considered."
• Working just from photographs is not really what this competition is about "The work entered should be a painting based on a sitting or study from life and the human figure must predominate. "
• works have to be bigger than 25 x 20cm (10” x 8”) unframed. Any works smaller than this will not be considered.
• Entry forms and registration fees must be returned to the National Portrait Gallery by Sunday 4 March 2007. There are also complex rules about delivery of pieces.
  

The prizes are worth taking note of - but also mean that there is stiff competition:

• The first prize is £25,000 plus a commission worth £4,000 to be agreed between the National portrait gallery and the artist. Which basically means that a work by the artist will get hung in the museum.
  
• Second prices is £8,000 and third prize is £6,000
• A new award of BP Young Artist of £5,000 will be awarded to entrants aged between 18 and 30; and
• a BP Travel Award of £5,000 will be awarded to the 2007 exhibitor (note - not applicants) the person who succeeds in presenting the best proposal for working in a different environment on a project related to portraiture.

The exhibition will take place between 14 June and 16 September 2007 at the NPG and will then tour the UK.

Links: BP portrait Award 2007