Call for Entries: UKCPS 25th Annual Exhibition 2026 - at the Mall Galleries.

Next year will be the 25th Annual Exhibition of the United Kingdom Coloured Pencil Society - which will be held at the Mall Galleries in March 2026.

Below you can find out how to enter. The closing date for entries is 25th January 2025.

My post covers

• coloured pencils as a medium
• the UKCPS Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries 
• the Call for Entries
• what you can and cannot enter
• what subjects I suggest you focus on re entries (ie avoid "same old same old"!
• how to enter
• Practical matters
• images 
• framing 
• delivery
• for international artists: Regulations re VAT, Customs and money laundering 

Coloured pencils are a very contemporary art medium

In the last 25 years, the use of coloured pencils has become very sophisticated.  

There are now many professional coloured pencil artists - working on different subject matter and producing some amazing artwork using a variety of techniques and finish. I now encounter coloured pencil artwork:

• across many other exhibitions at the Mall Galleries and elsewhere 
• in art competitions - used by artists who win major art prizes eg Curtis Holder who won the Portrait Artist of the Year using coloured pencils (see Curtis Holder wins Portrait Artist of the Year (Series 7 Autumn 2020) and PAOTY Commission: Curtis Holder draws Carlos Acosta
• in the botanical artworld - all the time - CP is used extensively because of its scope for amazing control of tone and colour
• by wildlife artists - for reasons similar to the botanical artists

PAOTY Commission 2020: Carlos Acosta by Curtis Holder
(courtesy of Curis Holder)

I was once a member of UKCPS (I adore dry media and drawing) - and I used to exhibit in its annual exhibitions. This was one of my two exhibits selected for the UKCPS exhibition in 2010 (I like abstracting plants!)

Not Quite White
7.5" x 11.5", coloured pencils on Arches HP
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

The Silver 25th Anniversary Exhibition in 2026 

at the Mall Galleries

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, UKCPS has hired the Mall Galleries for their exhibition from 17 - 21 March at the Mall Galleries. 

This is a first for the society. It's been very good at holding its annual exhibition in different parts of the country. However, like a number of the more niche art societies, it wants to celebrate a very special annual exhibition by holding it where the major national art societies exhibit - at the Mall Galleries.

The entry to the Mall Galleries in The Mall

UKCPS Silver Exhibition - Call for Entries

This is an open exhibition; submission is open to all living artists, aged 18 or over. The artist must demonstrate compositional and drawing skills and the ability to use colour pencil.

There is a PDF explaining the Call for Entries and how to enter for this exhibition

This is the webpage which does the same thing.

What follows is my version of it, with notes and tips and recommendations. My version does not include all you need to know so make sure you read ALL of the Call for Entries and Terms and Conditions.

Who can Enter

Any artist working with coloured pencils - over the age of 18 years, living anywhere in the world

What you can enter

Artists may:

• submit a maximum of 5 entries 
• from which up to two works per artist may be selected.

An entry costs:

• UKCPS Members: £10 per entry (members must pay a fee for all entries) 
• Non-Members: £25 per entry

Artwork is selected via the images submitted. All submitted images will be presented to the selection panel anonymously.

The pictures to be exhibited are chosen by an independent selection panel, who will be asked to select works to produce 

• a varied exhibition 
• showing the full range of capabilities of the colour pencil medium. 

Each work submitted 

• MUST comprise at least 50% dry colour pencil (i.e. wood-cased, and wax- or oil-based colour pencil, including watercolour pencil if used dry). (Note: This definition excludes pastel pencils. See website for examples of accepted colopured pencils.  Only applied dry colour pencil counts towards the minimum percentage requirement for UKCPS exhibitions, and for pure colour pencil awards. 
• The remaining 50% of the work may be in any other medium, including any water or solvent used. 
• Solvents such as Odourless Mineral Spirits, Zest-It, Brush, alcohol and water may be used to wet blend colour pencil. This includes blending pens containing solvents. 
• Colourless wax/oil blending pencils, Brush and Pencil Blending Powder and the use of heat may be used to dry blend colour pencil.

All work must be original in concept, design, and execution, i.e. it must NOT be copied.

Only members can have an artwork which is not for sale.

I don't know how many artworks the UKCPS are planning to hang - but no more than 350 across the three galleries is a good benchmark to work to. This figure also gives lots of scope for artists to enter and the society to choose high quality work.

What you cannot enter

• All the following are NOT acceptable. 
• Work copied from any copyrighted or published materials. 
• Work in which the primary subject has been copied directly from someone else’s photograph, even with permission. This includes images from online free-reference sites. Such photos may be used only for incidental compositional elements, not as the main focus of the artwork. 
• Work created using AI-generated images for reference. 
• Reproductions such as prints or giclees of artwork. 
• Any printed or digitally produced image as part of the artwork 
• Alteration of artwork after submission of entry. 
• Collaborative works executed by more than one artist, including classroom projects and exercises. 
• You may submit artwork of your own design which was worked on in a class or critiqued by others, as long as you are the primary creative force.
• You cannot use of an individual’s image without that individual’s permission, in accordance with UK privacy laws.  (If using a reference photo taken by somebody else, you must be able to produce a document indicating that the copyright holder gives you permission to use it - plus any additional stipulations as to use)
• Any work shown in any previous UKCPS exhibition

The Society has the right to refuse to accept works not meeting all the conditions set out above. In the event of a challenge, the artist must provide evidence that their work is in full compliance. The Society may refuse to exhibit work that is considered not to meet the above entry criteria.

What will get your artwork withdrawn

The following selected artworks will be WITHDRAWN if:

• it arrives damaged, 
• it has unacceptable framing, 
• there are discrepancies in size from the original submission, or as shown online
• it conflicts with any other condition eg re copyright; use of images. 

These artworks need to be collected from Mall Galleries by the artist at their expense.

What I suggest you enter - if you want to stand out

In general I have repeatedly seen more adventurous use of coloured pencils outside UKCPS exhibitions - in the art competitions and exhibitions of other organisations.

UKCPS exhibitions in the past have been traditionally inundated with drawings of cats, dogs, other animals and babies and mechanical "things".

To be honest, UKCPS exhibitors in the past could be accused at times of being rather too niche and definitely not adventurous enough.

So this is by way of a pep talk!

Make you art about subject matter which speaks to people - and doesn't just show off what coloured pencils does well.

Subject matter that I would like to see more of includes:

• fewer animals - apart from those in a natural context. Definitely less cats and dogs!
• portraits which don't look like photographs and preferably with context
• more landscapes - both urban and rural, from anywhere in the world. Give people coming to an exhibition in London an insight into the place where you live.
• fewer shiny objects and more still life artwork which tells a story
• fewer cars and planes  - and more structures which interest a wider audience

Have a think about it. 

• Mostly have a think about how not to deliver the "same old same old" 
• Instead try to demonstrate how, after 25 years, CP artists can hold their own with the artists from other national art societies in terms of the breadth of subject matter

Ultimately what I'd like to see is artwork which surprises and interests me.

How to Enter

The Entry Form

This is the Exhibition Entry Form 

Timetable

• Closing date for entries: 25th January 2026
• Notification of selection: up to 15th February 2026
• Delivery of Artwork to Mall Galleries: 11th March 2026
• Exhibition open to the Public: 17th to 21st March 2026
• Collection of Artwork from Mall Galleries: 25th March 2026

Images

You must upload JPG or PNG files only in relation to each entry

• the minimum filesize 1MB and the maximum file size is 5MB.
• The filename for each image must include your name and title of the work - eg John_Smith_View_of_Venice.
• The quality of the image is important as this is used for both selection and marketing
• However enhancement of an artwork using software will not get your work hung.  Selectors across all art societies toss out any artwork which looks very different to the submission image. It's your job to make sure you only submit an accurate image

If photographing your work, it should be unframed and upright, make sure it is not at an angle.

You might find my advice useful. - see How to photograph art - for artists

This was my second exhibit 15 years ago.

Allium Series - Prelude

12" x 8", coloured pencils on Arches HP
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

Framing

The UKCPS says the following about framing 

• All work should be framed with a wood or wood composite frame, to a professional standard and sealed at the back.
• Frames should be plain and simple with a minimum depth of 15mm to allow for attachment of mirror plate fixings at the gallery.
• All fittings and fixings should be removed from the frame as mirror plates will fixed to the frame by technicians at the gallery.
• Metal frames, unprotected glass edges and clip frames are inadmissible.
• Work may be refused if framed incorrectly.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you use plain, simple framing - in black, white, natural wood or very neutral colours (i.e. absolutely no gilt and nothing which tries to compete with the look of other artwork hung next to it!! What tends to happen to the latter is that this sort of artwork gets hung in less desirable places. Do I need to say more?)

Artwork Delivery

Artists are responsible for the costs of delivery and collection.

Selected artwork needs to be delivered to the Mall Galleries - and ALL packaging must be taken away at the point of delivery.

UKCPS stringly recommends the use of art couriers. These are Art Couriers you can use

Artwork Delivery Date - 10am 11th March 2026

READ THE SECTION on Delivery and Collection for the rest of the instructions

Getting your work to the UK and to the Mall Galleries

If you are an international artist you need to know about various additional requirements to get your artwork into the country and through customs - see Overseas info

Artists outside the UK are welcome to enter but they must be aware of the costs involved. Overseas artists will be liable for all carrier costs, tariffs and taxes.

in addition, INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS need to pay particular attention to 

• the tariff codes and how documentation needs to be accessible to make sure artwork gets through Customs.
• see my website page about International Art Shipping: How to ship / export art to other countries. It's mostly about how to ship from the UK to other countries - but the same principles apply when sending art to the UK
• the changes in the Money Laundering Regulations. 
• anybody putting a high price on any of the artwork being imported into the UK needs to read the section about Money Laundering & the Art Market, Art Galleries /Dealers and Artists on my page about Money Laundering in the Art Market: Anti Money Laundering (AML): ​Law, Regulations and Practice

Good luck!