Sunday, March 01, 2026

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


This is about the CALL FOR ENTRIES for the NEW FORMAT for Series 12 of Landscape Artist of the Year see 

There are lots of pros and cons below. I suggest that, in my opinion, you need to be both experienced and committed to landscape art and camera happy to do well.

Given the MAJOR change in the way the programme will be delivered, you can expect that scrutiny of entries will become MUCH more intensive.

In summary, the changes are as follows:

  • 10 artists will be chosen for the whole series (rather than the 8 different artists for each heat episode - so 10 artists NOT 48 artists). Similar to number chosen for other competitions such as Throwdown or Bakeoff.
  • One artist leaves each week (similar to the format used by the BBC ten years ago for The Big Painting Challenge - but this time with a focus solely on landscape and apparently without any small challenges or learning activities)
This televised art competition gives artists four hours to paint a UK landscape. One artist is eliminated each episode, and one finalist is ultimately crowned the winner. Landscape Artist of the Year website
  • ALL the (remaining) artists create artworks at ALL the locations - which means every artist needs to be able to guarantee that they can make themselves available for filming.  (Don't forget locations far from home may involve two travel says as well either side). This of itself will rule out a lot of artists. More comments below
If you want to take part in the show, you’ll need to confirm that you are available for seven filming dates on weekdays in June and July, plus one in September.
  • More scope for:
    • showing what you can do in terms of range and consistency
    • getting used to being filmed so you perform better (that's not what they say but it is what will happen) 
  • Artists can still turn up to paint as "Wildcards" BUT there is NO Wildcard competition
  • If you apply, your work will be reviewed by prominent judges from the art world - BUT no word as yet as to who Judges will be. (I'm doubtful as to whether they are experienced landscape artists)
  • Appearance Money! If selected for the show, you will receive 
    • £500 for each episode you take part in, 
    • plus reimbursement for travel, accommodation, and meal expenses.
  • Commission: An additional £10,000 commission will be awarded to the winner.
  • The deadline for entries has been brought forward to Monday 23rd March 2026. (It was originally advertised as a date in the middle of May)
At the end of the series, the Judges will determine who becomes Landscape Artist of the Year on a MUCH larger group of paintings produced in all the different locations before the Final. i.e. 
  • three to apply
  • six in the heats
  • one in the semifinal 
  • = 10 paintings BEFORE THE FINAL!

Which can only be positive for the programme, the artists and the viewers.


More information

Frankly, I think the information provided is less than is needed. Hence why this blog post continues as it does.

What sort of artist are they trying to recruit for the PODS?


Having just ten artists for the entire series would, I expect, mean a different approach to selection.

We’re looking for artists who are passionate about landscape art and happy to share their creative process. You don’t need to be a great writer in your application— just be honest and clear. Tell us what landscapes you love to paint, what materials you love to use, and what excites you about capturing landscapes.

Please include images of your artwork that best represent you as an artist. These may be in any medium but please note we do not accept digital artworks. Storyvault Casting Website for LAOTY Series 12
What they don't say until quite a way into the verbiage is that you also have to supply a video.
To apply, complete and submit this application form and upload a recent example of your work that you feel tells us something about you and your practice. You’ll also need to provide two additional artworks, plus a short video of yourself recorded on your phone. 

In summary you need to be somebody who (in my opinion):

  • produces good landscapes (I would strongly suggest that these do NOT look like they've been copied from a photo)
  • doesn't mind a camera in their face or coming over your shoulder
  • likes talking about their art
  • is enthusiastic about landscape art - and can talk about past landscapes they've painted
  • can talk in "easy to listen to" soundbites - no umms or aahs, or gaps and no gabbling inanely
  • is not driven insane by the noise of other people around and about while trying to focus on your art - and cannot tune out (but ear defenders or earphones can help with that). Take yourself to somewhere nosiy and see if you can paint to find out if you need ear defenders.
  • enjoys good physical and mental health. (This is not a walk in the park!)
  • can get the necessary time off work.
Plus if I was on the Casting Team, and wanted artists who are going to succeed in the new format, I'd very much be looking for experienced artists used to working plein air. 

They know:
  • how to deal with different weather conditions
  • how to find and design an effective composition quickly.
  • how to paint fast
  • how to work big - on occasion.
But I'm not - and they might be looking for somebody quite different!

However, if they don't get a sufficiency of good artists, there are already lots of viewers who have already threatened NOT to watch ever again! So ratings might take a hit....

Their major problem is the extent to which the current series and judging decisions have deterred the very experienced landscape painters from taking part.....

My first thought when they announced the new change of format is that it is pragmatic because they have been struggling to fill the pods in six heats with 48 artists who can deliver effectively.

Let's see if they can win round those who they have previously deterred.... and keep the viewers who have also been previously deterred by too many not very good artists and/or bored of or irritated by silly judgements etc

The Application


Terms and Conditions are IMPORTANT


The most important thing you MUST do if thinking of applying is to read the Terms and Conditions first.

They are important, they do matter and they cannot be flexed. 
Skim reading is NOT recommended.
If you're not great at reading (and I know a lot of artists are not) then make sure you 
  • either get somebody to read them to you
  • get a trusted parent or friend to go carefully through the T&Cs in detail and highlight any issues that might apply to you.
The following highlights key matters.

Who can apply 


The application process is 
  • open to all artists – amateur, professional or hobbyists - who: 
    • (i) currently have a base in the UK, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland 
    • (ii) as of 1st October 2025, are aged 16 or over; and 
    • (iii) hold a valid passport.
Proof of documentation will be required. The passport requirement is partly about making sure you are not an illegal immigrant but also that if a location is in Ireland (or another location outside the UK) that you can get to it.

The application


The application comprises in summary
You must complete and submit the application form by Monday 23rd March 2026 via the online portal at skyartsartistoftheyear.tv and upload: 
  • a. One photograph of a landscape painting created by You (“the Landscape Entry”). This image must show the complete painting, and You must send no more than one image of the Landscape Entry. 
  • b. Photograph(s) of at least one and up to two further works of art by Yourself (the “Additional Works of Art”) one of which must be a landscape, and You must send no more than one image of each Additional Works of Art You submit. 
  • c. One passport style photo of Yourself. 
  • d. A short video of up to 60 seconds, telling us about Yourself.

Note all images/videos need to be digital and uploaded online. 

Please upload a short video (up to one minute) introducing yourself and your art. You might like to tell us about a landscape or view you’ve loved painting, a material or medium you particularly enjoy working with, or how you came to be an artist — but feel free to make it your own.

plus

The images of the Landscape Entry and the Additional Works of Art must not be manipulated in any way and must be of the work of art submitted for consideration.  

Benefits for the Participating Artists


The benefits will include
  • LOTS of publicity for you and your art
  • traffic to your website and social media sites - so long as you remember to create them AND
  • publicise them!
  • looks good on your CV
However the downside might be that if people might remember you for the paintings you did - and not necessarily in a good way.

I'd be expecting that those scrutinising entries will be looking for evidence of solid experience in producing landscape artworks.

Who I think should apply - and who should not


Who I recommend applies


If the casting people are not screening for whether an artist has worked plein air before, in my opinion they're not doing their job properly!

  • EXPERIENCE is what enables people to do well in this sort of context. I'd very much expect that experienced landscape artists who have done enough plein air work to not be phased in any way by the prospect of having to eyeball a landscape, decide what to paint and produce an artwork in 4 hours will cope well with the demands of being filmed week after week.
  • i.e. if you're used to having people watch over your shoulder, you're unlikely to be phased by cameras
  • people who are prepared to resign from their job if their boss won't give them time off. (this happens a lot in these sort of programmes).

My guess is that practising landscape artists - who can award themselves quite a lot of "time off" to paint in front of a camera all over the UK rather than paint more locally, might be more likely to apply this time.

However if I was one of those, I think I might well be more inclined to apply for series 2 of the new format rather than series 1 (i.e. check it out before making a commitment)

Who I recommend does NOT apply

  • "wannabes" people whose main aim is just to get on television. You need both experience and talent and to have produced some decent artwork too.
  • artists who don't paint landscapes on a regular basis - you could be well out of your depth very fast
  • artists who paint landscapes - but have never ever painted plein air. It's a completely different experience from painting indoors from a digital image and it's very unsettling for those who have no experience. Plus you won't know what you need to bring to cope with being outside.
  • people who apply before they ask their boss for time off work (people do this - it's very silly!). Think about the prospect you might have to resign - and then end up going home in Episode 1.
  • anybody living in a remote location - don't forget you also need to factor in the travel time - which for locations some way from your home could easily be an extra day to travel there and an extra day to travel back. Plus you will get VERY tired. (NOTE: One of the potters on Throwdown was relieved when she was sent home because she didnt think she could cope with any more travelling from the Highlands to the Potteries every week.)

Travel is a MAJOR consideration re. Filming on Weekdays


The brief for the Call for Entries indicates very clearly that all participants MUST confirm they are available for 
seven filming dates on weekdays in June and July, plus one in September.

One of the reasons why you don't hear participants in other programmes talking about time off work is because the production companies film at WEEKENDS. Plus they always go to the same location - so once they've worked out how to do that every participant knows what sort of time commitment they are making in terms of travel.

If Storyvault is only going to film during the week, I wouldn't be in the least surprised if this culls the potential applications.

For this new series 
  • location filming is on weekdays
  • locations will be in diverse locations and all over the UK (and Ireland) and consequently for some of these participants they will have to spend 
    • a day travelling there and
    •  a day travelling back
    • BEFORE and AFTER filming
    • not to mention the time it takes to work out how to do this!
  • you MUST be there by 7am. I don't recommend you drive yourself - you'll arrive knackered so that might involve getting somebody to drive you. Getting there the night before means an extra day off for travel.
  • do not underestimate: how much travelling on a regular basis will absolutely crucify you (I speak as somebody with much experience of this! I used to work as a management consultant for KPMG and my clients were located all over the UK - and for some jobs I frequently travelled back and got in late Friday night and was travelling again Sunday afternoon/evening to be there for early Monday morning. It is not fun.)
Bottom line - you might be thinking you are committing to 8 days - but could be needing to make 24 weekdays available.

For those who are still with me - and/or have read my blog posts since Series 4 in 2018 these are my further....

Themes, Learning Points and TIPS!

BELOW you can find
  • the link to my reviews in previous series
  • THEMES identified in each of my reviews are highlighted under the link for each review of the episode
  • links to blog posts written by the participants - always very helpful!

SERIES 11 (Themes to be added in)

This was filmed during a very sunny Summer 2025 and was broadcast in the early part of 2026

Reflections on what needs changing

Episodes in Series 10 

2024: SERIES 9 (Themes to be added in)

This series was filmed in Summer 2023 and broadcast in early 2024. (Themes to be added in)
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2023: SERIES 8


Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2023 - Blackpool Beach and Pier

  • Different perspectives on composition
  • ...and then the weather changes.....
  • Big structures and how to tackle them
  • The Sea as a subject
Once you know the location, if it's on the coast / tidal area, you NEED TO KNOW the tides.
  • Tracking the eye

Review: Episode 2 of Landscape Artist of the Year - Royal Ascot

  • What a ridiculous idea!
  • Is this a landscape competition?

This is a SERIOUS question. All I'm seeing are massive complicated man-made CONSTRUCTIONS e.g. Blackpool pier last week and the Grandstand at Ascot this week....Where is the land?
TIP: for people applying for next year
Given the programme makers love for complex buildings, it might be a good idea to spend some time studying architectural drawing and painting complex buildings and mastering perspective construction!
  • Why perspective in landscapes is important
  • Painting Horses and Movement
  • Painting lots and lots of very small people
The interesting thing is that very many people who paint plein air never ever paint people!
  • Planning a big picture - and delivering within time allowed

Review: Episode 3 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2023 - Castle Ward

  • Why didn't they turn the pods round?
  • This is a "landscape artist" competition
A competition to find the landscape artist of the year has got to find an artist who has both:
  • experience of landscape art and
  • the calibre to produce the required commission.Otherwise you won't attract entries from good landscape artists. Simple as....
  • How small to make the building
  • How to paint windows
  • The temptation to do too much

Review: Episode 4 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2023 - Blackpool Rollercoasters
  • Dress appropriately - bad weather can be really bad news
TIP for wildcards: There is no such thing as bad weather - only inappropriate clothing!
  • Verticals and Horizontals - lots of straight lines
  • Getting the format right for the view

Review: Episode 5 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2023 - Ascot

  • A very BAD location/programme for a country in economic crisis
  • Get a pair of binoculars and take them with you
"It's very undone"
  • Very hot days and media don't mix!
  • For those not used to plein air painting, it's worth remembering that ALL art media behaves differently when it's blisteringly hot.

Review: Episode 6 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2023: Strangford Lough
  • Skies are important: what to do about a grey sky which keeps on changing
Being good at skies gives you a head start on everybody else. One can expect at any venue, wherever that might be, you will get a sky. - and that this sky might well be challenging.
  • Painting next to water
  • Unless the water is landlocked, there is one absolute dead cert - it will have a tide. Persevere or Start Again?
  • Things to avoid
  • We need to see more than before
  • Where were the skies?
  • When gritted determination is sometimes not the right answer
TIP Your first thought is not always your best
There are various other ways to tackle a composition and avoid making mistakes.
Great artists make loads of mistakes. The clever ones know when it's time to stop - and start again!

Review: £10,000 Commission for Landscape Artist of the Year 2023 (9 March 2023)

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2022: SERIES 7

Review: Episode 1 Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 - Eden Project Biomes

  • Playing around at the beginning
  • Orientation
  • Formats and Multiple Panels
  • Amateurs and Professionals - and a defined amount of time
The ones who do best are those who plan their use of time well - and know very well how long it takes to do things.Your usual focus - You need to work out a strategy for how you will deal with a subject you may not like and a view or location you don't want to be in.
  • The Challenge of the Biomes
  • Printmakers should enter!

Review: Episode 2 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 - Compton Verney Grounds

  • Different ways to identify who will win
  • Constructed landscapes
almost all the landscapes selected for this competition are "constructed" i.e. they are not 'proper landscape' as determined by nature.
  • Drawing / painting bridges and arches
  • Drawing / painting trees
TIPS: Think about how you're going to treat the trees and don't just jump in.
  • Coming equipped for the Weather

Review: Episode 3 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 - Whitstable Harbour

  • Which view?
those who were shortlisted were those who made some intelligent decisions and made the most of what was on offer.

  • The challenge of indecision
  • You need to get the drawing / proportions / colour right at the beginning
  • Painting places with people
  • Painting Boats
  • Equipment needed for painting on a sunny hot day
One of the interesting things about looking at wildcard artists painting in the heats is you can always tell those who know what weather can do to you and your artwork!


Review: Episode 4 Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 - Eden Project Gardens

  • The "green wall is pure landscape"
  • A wall of green - different ways of treating / painting green
  • Literal versus Selective
There are two different ways of painting landscapes when working plein air
  • EITHER painting what's there in front of you - with some careful editing for detail and certain objects
  • OR selecting items within the landscape and choosing where you want them to be - so judicious moving them around
  • JUST the way the artist lays paint down / makes marks?
  • A Sense of Place 
One of my tests of a good landscape is whether you can hang a landscape on a wall - and, if you knew the place, would you be able to recognise it as "of the place"? For me it's an absolute given. Otherwise one may as well stay at home in a studio and make it all up.

Review: Episode 5 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 - Compton Verney House and Grounds

  • Bring your own Studio / Pod etc!
  • Fantastical images
  • Finding "the right view"
The major challenge - for every pod artist and wildcard artist in every episode - is to find "the right view".The Long View
  • How to apply and remove paint
  • Things that can trip you up

Review: Semi Finals of Landscape Artist of the Year 2022 - Forth Bridge

  • Choice of the Wildcard Artist
  • The challenge for the Composition
  • What was missing? Accurate Reflections!
One issue was more or less common across the artists - which reflected either a lack of knowledge, observation or experience of plein air painting.
  • Spot the Finalists

Elisha Enfield wins Landscape Artist of the Year 2022

Review: Elisha Enfield LAOTY 2022 - The Winner's Commission

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2021: SERIES 6


Filmed in 2020 after the first lockdown - and the production company were not travelling far from London!

EPISODE 1: Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2021 at Chartwell + themes

  • Artist profiles
  • Composition and completion
  • Simplification and what to leave in and what to leave out
  • The importance of shadows
  • Highly Coloured Grounds
PLUS participant blog posts:

EPISODE 2: Review: Episode 2 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2021 at West Wycombe Park + themes

  • Interpretation - producing something different
  • Things Tai-Shan Schierenberg does not like
  • Shifting conditions / "The water keeps changing"
  • Practice beforehand
PLUS Participants blog posts:

EPISODE 3: Review: Episode 3 Landscape Artist of the Year at West Reservoir Hackney

  • How best to combine nature and urban landscapes
  • More of what Tai-Shan does not like
  • No scope for walking away to work out what to do next
  • Young painters
  • Sometimes the second paintings are better

EPISODE 4: Review: Episode 4 of Landscape Artist of the Year at Chartwell (the gardens)

  • Green, green and more green
  • A blue sky with nothing happening
  • VERY big views with a lot in the distance
  • Golden ratio and rule of thirds
  • Knowing how big to go for the time allotted
  • More about Tai's phobias

EPISODE 5: Review: Episode 5 of Landscape Artist of the Year at West Wycombe House

  • Working in different media - silkscreen printing and marker pens
  • Give the artists a proper chance to do well (one for the production team!)
  • How to use a frame to find a picture
  • Coping with the weather
  • What the artist likes to paint - and what happens if you avoid aspects you don't like
  • The darkest darks and the lightest lights

EPISODE 6: Review: Episode 6 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2021 at West Reservoir, Stoke Newington (again!)

  • What is a landscape?
  • Location: Do your research before the day
  • Why you need a hat and umbrella to cope with extreme heat
  • Having a strong base colour
  • How to capture time as well as a landscape
  • UPDATE: The need to train to generate your best result
“I had been called by the production company at the end of June to tell me that I had been selected. I knew I would only have four hours to paint something on the day, so set about training myself on days in July to create something acceptable in my style in four hours, I took some days off work and went off on my bike to paint for four hours in the open, so that on the day I would be used to sitting and painting for that time. It meant that on the day I was able to focus and not panic. In the end I think I did the best I could, but everyone can judge when they watch the programme." Stephen Jordan - Lecturer displays artistic talent on Sky Arts - who produced one of my favourite landscape entries for the competition (which had taken a while to paint).

SEMI-FINAL: Review: Semi Finals of Landscape Artist of the Year 2021 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

  • What the Judges want to see
  • Who is most likely to do well?
  • Consistency versus Experimentation
  • Coping with changing light and challenging weather
  • Saying what you're painting
In my view those most likely to do well put very simply are
  • those who have a well developed method for painting i.e. they know what they're doing and they've done it lots of time before
  • those well used to painting plein air - and coping with all sorts of weather and variation of weather and light during the time you are painting
  • artists who focus on composition and how best to represent the view
  • those who produce the best paintings. It's not about style - it's about quality

FINAL: Ophelia Redpath wins Landscape Artist of the Year 2021 at Trinity Buoy Wharf

  • analysis of pod paintings and commission paintings

Commission and pod paintings respectively by:
(left to right) Shelagh Casebourne, Ophelia Redpath and Clare Lord

COMMISSION: The £10,000 Landscape Artist of the Year Commission

______________________________________________________________

2020: SERIES 5


Below you can find the link to
  • my review THEMES arising from each of my episode reviews are highlighted under the link for each review of the episode
  • links to blog posts written by the participants - always very helpful!
  • A dominant vertical and a strong horizontal and an awful lot of water
  • Being flexible with your formats
  • No game plan
  • Finding the beauty on the day - and avoiding the twee
  • and finally - don't arrive with a gimmick to market your normal artwork

Review: Episode 2 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Herstmonceux Observatory

  • Finding clothing / kit solutions for extremely challenging weather
  • Skies are important: what to do about a grey sky which keeps on changing
  • The value of a coloured support
  • Don't dodge the complexity (What to do when you don't like the subject)
  • Where have the tablets all gone?

Review: Episode 3 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 - Millenium Bridge Gateshead

  • How to crop a complicated view
  • Sketching as preparation
  • How to work out the wildcard winner before the announcement
  • Tools: masking tape and sharp edges
  • Game Plans and time management
  • Use the Heats to enhance your preparation
Plus posts by participating artists

Review: Episode 4 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Herstmonceux Castle

  • What to do when it's a grey day with bad lighting
  • Buildings versus nature
  • What to do about a very BIG building which is very full on?
  • Practical tips from a pod artist
PLUS

Review: Episode 5 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at the Tyne Bridge


Review: Episode 6 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 - Drake's Island

  • Submission paintings reflecting last year's venues
  • Which view to choose in bad weather?
  • Which medium to use in changing weather?
  • Lush oil and interesting brushwork
  • Hold back on the kitsch
  • Not a lot of tablets
Review: Semi-Final of Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 at Cromarty Firth
FINAL: Fujiko Rose won Landscape Artist of the Year 2019 in Final at Battersea Power Station
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2018: SERIES 4


HEAT 1: Review: Episode 1 of Landscape Artist of the Year (Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire)

  • the importance of the submission piece to the outcome
  • why experienced plein air painters can paint to a deadline
Learning points included:
  • Save yourself some guesswork and research the location
  • Practice painting plein air
  • Practice completing a painting in four hours - in changing weather
  • Have a PLAN!

HEAT 3: Review: Episode 3 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 at Loch Fyne (Loch Fyne, Scotland)

The themes which jumped out for me were
  • Dealing with a lot of landscape and changing weather
  • Knowing what format works best
  • Knowing what to leave out and when to stop
  • The importance of a sense of place

HEAT 4: Review: Episode 4 of Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 at Studley Royal Water Garden

Learning Points and themes were
  • be different
  • get out of your pod
  • what to do when you don't know what to do
  • visual trickery
  • when is a landscape a landscape
PLUS

The themes this week are:
  • People in a landscape
  • Editing a complex scene / landscape
  • Of the now or of the past?
  • What you submit might be what you get
  • The importance of being true to YOU! 

PLUS

The themes this week are:
  • Disney versus Dreich: a Scottish colour palette and flat light (a.k.a. or what to do when you can only see grey like Tai!)
  • How to stand out from the crowd - and avoid painting the obvious
  • Atmosphere versus Detail
  • The interesting technique tip 
PLUS

SEMI-FINAL: Review: Semi-Finals of Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 - Felixstowe Docks
  • the heat; the view; the wind;
  • the interruptions from the camera crew, judges and presenters
  • - and moving ships which obliterate the scene!

The main learning point for me were
  • how demanding the location can be for a final
  • the importance of the Challenge Paintings (i.e. it's not just about the Heat Painting)
  • the fact that the Judges went back over ALL the paintings produced by the contestants during the ENTIRE COMPETITION in reaching their decision
Posted by Making A Mark on Sunday, March 01, 2026
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