Call for Entries: ING Discerning Eye 2024

I've been covering the ever popular and unusual ING Discerning Eye 2024 exhibition for years. 

In 2024, the exhibition will be 

• at the Mall Galleries from Friday 15 to Sunday 24 November 2024 and 
• unsold work will remain online until the 1 January 2024 - making it available for all those looking for small artwork presents for Christmas!

ING Discerning Eye 2023
small 2D artworks on the wall and small 3D artworks on the plinths

About the ING Discerning Eye

Like most decent art competitions, it has 

• a reputable backer 
• The Discerning Eye is a visual arts focused educational charity. Its principal activity is to hold a rather unique annual exhibition 
• the exhibition is sponsored by ING Bank. Hence it is known as the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition.
• offers prizes - including the ING Purchase Prize, worth £5,000. Awards will be given out to the winners in a prize giving at the start of the exhibition.
• been running since 1999.

I've been covering it since 2007. (You can find blog posts - and sketches - on this blog going back to 2007 - see below!) In that time, I've also seen artists who have done well in this exhibition do well subsequently e.g. gallery representation! It's a really great way of getting noticed.

Visual language 
(some may recognise the model - at the 2007 ING Discerning Eye exhibition)
8" x 11", pencil and coloured pencil in sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

So what makes it different?

What's different about the ING Discerning Eye Competition and Exhibition?

The three key differences are:

• ALL the artwork is small
• the six selectors change every year AND each selector curates their own exhibition. In effect, there are six small exhibitions across the three galleries at the Mall Galleries by:
• two artists
• two curators
• two collectors

The selectors are solely responsible for their own selection; selection is not by committee.

• Selectors can also invite artists to exhibit as well as selecting artwork via the open entry BUT the selectors must choose at least 33% of their section from the open submission.

The exhibition comprises both publicly submitted works and works independently selected by six prominent figures from different areas of the art world: two artists, two collectors and two critics. Each section is hung separately to give each its own distinctive identity. The impression emerges of six small exhibitions within the whole.

I'd add a fourth difference. The implication of artwork being small is one might expect it to be also more affordable.  Artists who price high, for no good reason (eg having sold at that price regularly in the past being the best one) will just incur costs and are unlikely to sell.

You can see the standard of the artwork included in last year's exhibition in albums on my Facebook Page

ING Discerning Eye 2023

• Artwork chosen by: Eliza Gluckman Chris Levine Ian 'H' Watkins
• Artwork chosen by: Julian Wild, Tony Adams

Who can enter?

The ING Discerning Eye Exhibition is open to artists resident in the UK only.

What can you enter?

All works must be 

• an original creation by the artist
• within the maximum size limit of 50cm including frame.
• for sale.

Acceptable artwork/media includes paintings, drawings prints (including prints from i-pad drawings), photographs, and sculptures.

Work previously submitted is inadmissible. 

How to enter

These are the links to find out more about

• the competition and how it works 
• the rules, terms and conditions (i.e. the "must read" contractual bit)

The deadline for entries is Friday 30 August 2024.

You can ONLY enter if you submit a digital image(s) plus complete a digital entry form.  
There is no scope to send artwork in for judging. ONLY if you are selected are you asked to submit art.

• images MUST be under 5MB
• file types you can upload are jpg, jpeg and PNG

One of the downsides of this approach for the Judges is they may have selected artwork which the artist has put in a **** frame. 

• So do they hang it or do they ignore it? 
• I'd ignore it if it were down to me. For me there is absolutely no excuse for not presenting your work well in a decent frame - which need not be expensive.

All works on paper must be securely framed. Frames should be strong enough to accept a small screw or nail in the back for hanging purposes.

The submission form must include: Title, Medium, Year, Dimensions and Price.

Anything else you need to know?

You need to present the work ready for fixing to the wall. The gallery will use appropriate fixings. It MUST NOT have any fixings on the back of the artwork as all artworks are stacked.

You need to:

• make provision for delivery (if selected) and collection (if not sold)
• insurance for the artwork while in the galleries and being transported.

Do not submit artwork if you don't like it being photographed. 

The artist accepts and agrees that all works in the exhibition may be photographed and/or reproduced for: the press, publicity, promotion and advertising of The Discerning Eye and/or its activities and/or its exhibitions in all territories in perpetuity.

Sales

ALL WORKS MUST BE FOR SALE.  A commission of 40% + VAT will be charged by The Discerning Eye on: 

• either the price paid for work 
• or artwork commissioned at the exhibition 
• or as a result of introductions arranged by The Discerning Eye.

All works in the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition will be included in The Discerning Eye’s online sales platform. Work not sold at the exhibition will remain for sale on the website until 1 January 2024.