The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026 is now OPEN for entries
- from artists and drawing practitioners
- from anywhere in the world
- for a chance to be of the UK’s leading open exhibition dedicated to drawing,
- with a new first prize of £15,000.
You are
- you are invited to submit up to three drawings
- Deadline for entries: Stage 1 digital submissions online must be completed by Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 5pm.
Things you need to know
(the) exhibition has an established reputation for its commitment to championing excellence and promoting and celebrating current drawing practice in the UK.
The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize
....offering artists the opportunity to showcase their drawings in the UK’s leading open exhibition dedicated to contemporary drawing,
It's a prize which has had many names in its time - see the end for more about its background.
The selected drawings will be included in a high-profile exhibition held as follows
In 2026, there will be a new prize structure and awards with a total value of £18,000:
There is a two-stage entry process:
No names have yet been announced for the Selection Panel. Which is a bit odd. It's standard practice to get selectors nailed down before you open the call for entries.
The link on the website is to the 2025 Rules and Guidelines - and details - are WRONG for the current call for entries.
The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026 Exhibition
- VENUE: Buoy Store, Trinity Buoy Wharf, 64 Orchard Place, London E14 0JY from Thursday
- DATES: 17 September – Sunday 4 October 2026
- TIME: open daily from 11am to 6pm.
It will also tour to various venues in the UK until 2027.
- The annual open exhibition is led by its Director, artist, curator and educator, Professor Anita Taylor who has held various posts in art education.
- The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated publication and a programme of educational and engagement activities, including a symposium at Trinity Buoy Wharf.
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| View of the exhibition in 2024 |
The Prizes
- Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026 - £15,000 - open to all artists with drawings shortlisted for the prize
- Trinity Buoy Wharf Student Award - £2,000 - All students registered on a degree programme in the Academic Year 2025/26 who submit an entry
- Three Boroughs Award - £1,000 - open to all those living and/or working in the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham and Greenwich boroughs
How to Enter
Links relating to the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize
- The Entry Portal for 2026 https://artopps.co.uk/opportunities/tbw2026
- Website: trinitybuoywharfdrawingprize,org
- Instagram: @tbwdrawingprize @DrawingProjectsUK
The Entry Process
- Stage 1: an online digital submission
- Stage 2: drawings are physically submitted for review at Trinity Buoy Wharf by the selection panel.
The Selection Panel
They're saying it should happen later this month.
 |
| Another view of the exhibition in 2024 |
Who can enter
- Artists and all drawing practitioners
- from anywhere in the world
What can you enter
I changed the URL (i.e. made it relate to 2026) and gained access to the correct
Rules and Guidelines 2026
Here are they things you must take into account when considering and entry and then submitting it
Here are they things you must take into account when considering and entry and then submitting it
THE DRAWING
- Only drawings made since January 2025 are eligible for entry.
- You will be asked to confirm that each drawing is your own original work, and the date it was made, on the registration form.
- All work has to be available for all the exhibitions in 2026-2027
- Work should not exceed 2.4m on the longest side, including any frame, and must not exceed a weight limit of 33kg.
- Composite drawings should ideally be presented within one frame, or with clear instructions and rationale for why the composite is one drawing.
 |
| WINNER IN 2023 New Battersea Tube Station & Developments (2023) by Jeanette Barnes Compressed charcoal on paper, 150 x 213cm. |
THE FRAME
- Frames must be durable for handling and hanging purposes throughout the selection process, exhibition and tour.
- All fixings (mirror plates, d-rings, picture wire) must be removed from frames before submission in order to protect other works. Works
- Works that cannot be mirror-plated must be accompanied by full installation instructions and suitable fixings provided.
- Perspex frames should be submitted in a packing case for protection during transportation and storage.
- Clip-framed glass or metal frames are ineligible, as they are dangerous for our handling team.
- Any unframed works submitted for consideration by the Selection Panel must be provided with
- adequate protective packaging and
- clear handling instructions for the selection process, exhibition and tour
DELIVERY
- Any work delivered unframed MUST be in suitable packaging
- a poster tube with a removable cap,
- a portfolio or portfolio sleeve,
- or a packing case (as appropriate).
- Please note that frames protect works during handling and exhibition, and that unframed work is entered at the maker’s risk.
OTHER MATTERS
- Works entered are not insured during the Selection Process
- Entrants are strongly advised to arrange their own insurance for their entry during the Stage 2 Selection Process.
The Online Submission
- Create your account on the dedicated Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize page on ArtOpps portal.
- If you already have an ArtOpps account, login to your account or request a new password to access your account if necessary.
- Choose how many drawings to enter and pay your entry fee.
- Applicants may submit up to three drawings.
- The entry fee covers our administration costs.
- You can pay online by credit or debit card.
- Standard Entry Fee: £30 for 1 work; £40 for 2 works; £50 for 3 works
- Student Entry Fee, for those registered on an accredited programme of study with a Student ID Number as proof of their student status:£18 for 1 work; £25 for 2 works; £30 for 3 works
- Complete the details for each artwork entered (titles, dimensions, media) and upload high-quality digital images of your entries.
Once registered for entry, no refunds, part or whole will be offered
History of this Contemporary Drawing Prize
This is a prize which has many names as its founder has sought new sponsors for it over the years
Below is the history of the prize
- 1994: founded by Anita Taylor and Paul Thomas as the Rexel Derwent Open Drawing Exhibition.
- 1996-2000 known as Cheltenham Open Drawing Exhibition
- During this period, it was supported by a private benefactor, Westland Nurseries, The Summerfield Trust, CHK Charities and the Rootstein Hopkins Foundation.
- 2001-2017 known as the Jerwood Drawing Prize
- it received 17 years of significant support from Jerwood Charitable Foundation
- in 2014, it celebrated its 20th anniversary with the exhibition, Drawn Together, at Jerwood Gallery in Hastings supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Moore Foundation and HongKong Land.
- 2018-2026 another name change to the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize
- Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust became the principal funder in 2018, supporting the annual exhibition and awards selected by a changing panel of experts.
- In 2023, The project celebrated its 30th anniversary.
- Every other year, artists selected for the exhibition receive an invitation to submit an exhibition proposal for the Evelyn Williams Drawing Award which supports the recipient to research and deliver a solo exhibition as part of the host gallery programme.
- the Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026 will be the 32nd edition of the exhibition.
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