Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Call for Entries: Series 12 of Portrait Artist of the Year (2025)


The competition to enter Series 12 of Portrait Artist of the Year in 2025 is now open. 

This is my guidance for you on what to expect
  • This is a prestigious art competition - televised by Sky Arts
  • It has a £10,000 commission as first prize (no such thing as inflation in this competition! Strictly speaking, if they were keeping up with inflation, the prize should now be worth £15,000)  
  • the careers of some of the winners have been very productive and fruitful as a result of winning - but it's entirely up to you what you make of it and how you benefit as a result, even if you just participate in a heat
  • The deadline for entries is NOON on Friday 7th February 2025 (the deadline has been extended in the past - but best not to assume this will happen)
This is A VERY LONG POST about:
  • The nature of this art competition
    • WHO can enter
    • HOW to enter
  • What the day of filming is like - and how long it lasts!
  • Plus TIPS about this art competition
  • AND TIPS about juried art exhibitions and art competitions generally (at the end).

About the competition


Quotations below are from the Terms and Conditions of the competition or as indicated.

This is an art competition as a television show.

The winner is awarded a commission - worth a TAXABLE fee of £10,000 - to create a portrait of a notable person for a (usually) prestigious organisation.

If you want to know why the prize money is taxable (which I think is a new word in the T&Cs) see my page on my website Art Business Info for Artists 

How it works - a summary

  • Filming of Series 12 of Portrait Artist of the Year is planned to take place at (very probably) the Battersea Arts Centre in April 2025.
  • In effect this is a 'reality' (i.e. real people/real artists) knock-out competition for portrait artists over eight heats
  • Nine artists compete in each heat
  • there are three "celebrity" sitters (some you will know/ some you won't! There's a good mix of age, sex, gender, ethnicity and background)
  • each sitter has three artists drawing / painting / printing their portrait - in various 2D media
  • you have just four hours to complete a portrait - unless you work through lunch which some do.
The Shortlisted Artists will have a maximum of 4 hours over a 5-6 hour period (or such other period as the Producer at its discretion may determine) to complete their Heat Artwork.
  • The Sitter gets to choose a portrait - and if it's your portrait this is gifted to the sitter.
  • The Heat Winner - from a shortlist of three - goes through to the semi-finals
  • Eight heat winners get to compete at the Semi-Final
  • Three people from the semi-finals are selected for the Final which involves:
    • a commission completed between semi final and final
    • four hours to complete the portrait of the celebrity sitter in the final
The dates and times that the Finalists shall be given to complete the first of the Final Artworks shall be determined by the Producer, and may be within a set time period on a single day or over a number of days, and the Producer may film any or all of this process. A space of the contributor’s choice must be provided free of charge by the contributor to film any or all of this process.
Sadly, the days of the Final being at the National Portrait Gallery seem to be over!

TIP You need to know about the conditions you work under on location!


Artists have just four hours to complete their portrait

HOWEVER:
  • you will be interrupted by presenters or Judges who will talk to you during the four hours
  • people with cameras will be filming around you ALL THE TIME and sometimes you won't be able to see the sitter - or will need to move (see below)
  • You will be at some distance from the sitter and you can't move your setup in to get any closer. (check the distance between artist and the sitter when you watch the programmes)
  • It's a really good idea to bring a digital device to take a photograph for when 
    • either you can't see the sitter properly
    • or you can't see the details of the face clearly enough.
My photo of filming during Episode 1 of series 9
those two front and centre are the film crew - filming from the perspective of the artist!

Who / how / what to enter


This is the link to the Terms and Conditions of Entry

Who can enter?


People eligible to enter the competitions have
  • been a resident for at least one year (on 9th October 2024) of the UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Channel Islands or Falkland Islands
  • hold a passport (i.e. it provides proof of residency dates plus you may need to travel!)
  • be aged 16 or over on 9th October 2024. If you're under 18 you'll also need your parent or guardian to sign your form.
  • You should be in good health and able to enter the competition AND be available on the dates stated in the T&Cs.
Artists with an affiliation with any of our partners (eg any of the judges/Sky/Cass/Storyvault) that could be deemed a conflict of interest MAY not be eligible to take part. If you have/believe you may have such an affiliation please flag this to the production team who may wish to discuss this further with you if you progress through the selection process.
Only one entry can be submitted per person. (If you're not successful you can try again in subsequent years).
Finalists and Winners of the Series 1-11 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year Series 1-10 television series (“Artist of the Year Series”) are not eligible to enter the Competition. Artists who featured in Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year Series 11 cannot apply for Series 12, but will be eligible to apply for the one after if commissioned
Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted. (You can tell it's happened in the past!)

How do I enter?


Artists enter with a self-portrait created within the last 5 years - submitted as a digital image.

MY VERY BIG TIPS FOR YOUR SUBMISSION

Consider this.
  • Your heat painting proves you painted your submission 
  • You have as much time as you like to paint you submission and only four hours to create your heat portrait
  • You need to find a way to demonstrate a clear link between the two and at the same time deliver a good quality portrait at each stage.
Lots of artists need to think long and hard about to use the submission to make up for artwork which might be delivered less well in four hours.

I highly recommend you consider the following:
  • Heat winners invariably have a close and good connection between their submission and the heat painting. 
    • The submission always gets considered alongside the heat painting in determining who wins the heat from the three artists who are shortlisted
    • i.e. apart from issues of maturity of approach and consistency of style, the comparison also confirms that this artist really painted their submission!
  • the submission can indicate what sort of commission portrait this person might be capable of i.e. the self-portrait submission can suggest evidence of what an artist can do when NOT constrained by time. You are selling "commission potential". 
  • Think long and hard about the size of your submission and what the content and quality of work in a larger portrait might say about you. There's a lot to be said for giving some very careful thought to the submission in terms of:
    • the design and composition - be clever and competent not ordinary and boring!
    • the level of finish - i.e. what you are capable of, but won't be able to demonstrate in 4 hours
    • the size of your self-portrait.  I recommend you submit something medium large if you prefer to paint small in the heat

- and keep up with my Calls for Entries posts
and get an email to your inbox every time I publish


The Digital Submission


You need to register on their website to get access to their online application form.

READ the Terms and Conditions carefully - they matter!
(except for the draft terms which have been accidentally left in as in 

The DEADLINE for Entries is 12pm (midday) on Friday, 7th February 2025

ENTRY IS FREE

You need to submit
  • the online application form
PLUS DIGITAL IMAGES of:
  • A photograph of a Self Portrait created by you. Make sure the photo is full of self portrait and NOT frame or background of the room
  • At least one ad up to two more photographs of additional painting, at least one of which should also be a Portrait. This image should NOT include the frame or surroundings.
  • An optional third photograph of your work.
  • The images of the Self Portrait Entry and the Additional Works of Art must not be manipulated in any way and must be of the work of art entered. (You can tell they've absolutely had problems with people "enhancing their work" in different ways. so DO NOT DO THIS!)
  • All photographs of artwork submitted MUST be a maximum size of 15mb (or they will not upload)
  • One headshot photo of yourself - which should be a maximum size of 5mb.
The Self Portrait Entry submitted must be a Self Portrait – i.e. a portrait of the applicant, by the applicant, and can be produced in any material excluding photography, video, sculpture and all forms of digital media. Collage and mixed media works are all allowed. The work may be abstract or expressive as long as it is recognisably a representation of a Self Portrait that has been produced within the last five years. It should be a maximum of 110cm high x 110cm wide. The Additional Work(s) of Art submitted, at least one compulsory, can be any size, and can also be in any material other than photography, video, sculpture or any form of digital media.
NOTE THE SIZE LIMITS HAVE CHANGED SINCE LAST YEAR.

All your entries will be viewed on a screen so be sure to check out what they look like on a screen!

Further details on how to photograph your work can be found here.

Disqualification

All information supplied (including personal details) in Your entry or otherwise provided must be truthful, accurate, complete and in no way misleading.
Note the reasons why you can be disqualified (see para 13)
We reserve the right to disqualify Your entry if: 
a. Your entry is incomplete; 
b. You do not meet the entry criteria; 
c. You are not eligible to enter the Competition; 
d. You cannot be contacted; 
e. You do not respond within 48 hours of being contacted by Us in relation to Your Competition entry; or 
f. You are not reasonably available to participate in the Series in accordance with the production requirements of the Series
Note VERY carefully the obligation to 
  • disclose any past or present criminal/civil actions and the fact that the Producers may conduct background checks (including but not limited to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to verify any information supplied.
  • agree that your copyright in any artwork produced during the filming will be assigned to the producer

i.e. the big "don't go there" of anybody applying to a be on a television programme is to provide the programme with unwelcome publicity that they hadn't for an inkling about! 


Selection


Nothing much is now said about how selection works except for
A panel of Judges will review the Self Portrait Entry(s) and the Additional Works of Art from all the valid Competition entries and select the artists who will be invited to attend one of the Heats.
Note it doesn't say WHICH JUDGES. I can tell you what I know about selections for some competitions that draw a lot of interest. 
  • It's not unusual to employ people to do a screening job i.e. to exclude the "no hopers" of which there can be an awful lot!
  • In general, the named paid Judges of a competition only get involved once that initial screening has been done relating to ability to enter; compliance with the terms and conditions and an initial review of artwork to remove the duds.
TIP Your job is to
  • make sure you are eligible and
  • make sure you comply with all terms and conditions
  • produce the best portrait you are capable of - and one which doesn't look like everybody else's.
Note how selected artists very often have an unusual self-portrait and NOT the "same old same old".

The Filmed Competition: Dates and Locations

HEATS: Dates

If You are chosen as a Shortlisted Artist or a Reserve Shortlisted Artist, You must be available for filming between 1st and 11th April 2025.

The first stage of the Competition will comprise eight heats (the “Heats”) intended to take place at a location to be decided on the following dates:
  • Heat 1 – Tuesday 1st April 2025 
  • Heat 2 – Wednesday 2nd April 2025 
  • Heat 3 – Thursday 3rd April 2025
  • Heat 4 – Friday 4th April 2025 
  • Heat 5 – Tuesday 8th April 2025 
  • Heat 6 – Wednesday 9th April 2025 
  • Heat 7 – Thursday 10th April 2025 
  • Heat 8 – Friday 11th April 2025
While the Producer fully intends to stage the Heats on the dates outlined above, the Producer reserves the right to alter the dates above if necessary for the needs of production. The Producer also reserves the right to add further Heats and/or remove Heats.

Semi Final

The Semi Final is intended to take place at a London location on Tuesday 15th OR Wednesday 16th OR Thursday 17th April 2025
Eight artist normally compete and three move forward to the Final. The T&C give some latitude to change how it works on the day.


The decision about who proceeds to the final will take into account 

  • the portrait produced during the semi-final 
  • AND the submission and heat painting.
TIP Let me reinforce yet again how important the submission is - way beyond getting you into the competition.

The Final

Two artworks have to be produced for the Final


The first of Final Artworks will be 

  • artwork of a Sitter chosen by the Producer 
  • to be produced within an approximately 1 day period (or such other period as the Producer at its discretion may determine)
  • at a location which can be made available to you for filming
TIP Do NOT underestimate how important this artwork is to the final result!

The second of the Final Artworks will be produced in the filmed final.


This will be filmed on either Tuesday 29th OR Wednesday 30th April 2025

The panel of Judges may take the Finalists’ previous work in the Competition into consideration during this judging process, and all of the criteria for judging and the decisions of the Judges shall be at the discretion of the Judges and the Producer and shall not be open to dispute or discussion.

Location

There's no statement as to where the heats, semi-final or Final will be held but they have previously been held at Battersea Arts Centre 

I'm assuming there would have to be a very good reason to move from there as it provides such a good space. The fact that all the heats are on dates close together also suggests it will be one location only for the Heats.

The Commission

If You are chosen as the Winner, You must be available between the Final Date and 11th August 2025 to produce the Winner’s Prize Artwork on exact dates to be determined by the Producer.

Note dates may change!

You will be told whether or you've been successful on 4th March 2024
If successful, you must get back to them within 48 hours or you may be eliminated.

So make sure you put that date in your diary and note what it says in the T&Cs.

Other things you NEED TO KNOW!


There are no expenses as such. This is the same for everybody irrespective of where you live and is only intended as a contribution towards the costs of travel and overnight accommodation costs (if required). Most people travelling from outside London will be out of pocket.

HOWEVER:
  • They do feed you when you arrive (basic) and at lunchtime, plus provide coffee and tea and refill water bottles.
  • this changes for the semi-finals and final
If You are chosen as a Semi-Finalist or Finalist and are asked to travel away from home or are invited to attend the Final, the Producer shall supply and pay for Your reasonable and pre-agreed travel and hotel costs plus a daily allowance of £25 per day, or part thereof. 
Filming days are VERY, VERY long days - as in c.12 hours
  • You are required to be there at 7.15 am - so most people stay overnight nearby.
  • The day finishes at 6.30 and you MUST stay to the end.
  • However if you want your painting back, they will wrap it for you and you might not get away before 7.30pm.
Basically, during the Heats there's a LOT of things which all have to be done with nine separate people and there's a LOT of waiting around e.g.
  • photograph you with your painting in the early morning before you start
  • interview you at the end about what you thought about the winner's painting
You also need to be
  • introduced to people working on the show,
  • get kitted out to participate
  • be briefed about how things will work and
  • shown where you will work.
This is a quote from a past participant
Before painting starts we were held in a waiting room. They came and wired us up for sound, got us to record the pronunciation of our names, got introduced to our runners and various producers came and told us what would be happening.
It's EMPHATICALLY NOT A DAY FOR:
  • people who like to "do their own thing" or
  • those who have a tendency to get uptight about being told what to do or how things will be. They have had meltdowns before now.....
  • people who don't like a lot of other people around them or need absolute quiet while they paint.
TIP If you get selected. I recommend you get some earphones and plug in to block out other noises and keep you "in the zone".


Tips if you are successful


Past heat winners, finalists and competition winners have told me they read my reviews with tips for things to think about before participating in the heats!

You can find the links to my past reviews listed
Have a game plan but not one that is so rigid you can’t change it. Plan with 3 Cs in mind: composition, colour and contrast… it helps your work stand out. Series 9 / Episode 1 participant

 

More information about Art Exhibitions, Juried Shows & Art Competitions


Why art competitions are important to artists | Art Business Info. for Artists
Why art competitions are important to artists | Art Business Info. for Artists

Reviews & Learning Points (PAOTY Series 5-11)



Series 11 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Autumn 2024)
Series 10 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Autumn 2023)

Series 9 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Autumn 2022)
Plus
Series 8 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Autumn 2021)
Series 7 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Autumn 2020)
Series 6 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Spring 2020)
Series 5 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Winter/Spring 2019)
Series 4 of PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR (Winter / Spring 2018)
PLUS if you want to find out more.....

Posted by Making A Mark on Wednesday, December 11, 2024
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