This prestigious annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London celebrates small-scale artworks by UK-based artists.
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| From call for entries by Parker Harris amended by me to highlight the small nature of the artwork! |
This is a very different sort of art exhibition - because it only contains small scale works - defined as a maximum diameter of 50cm in any direction.
In 2025, this exhibition featured
- more than 730 artworks
- by 529 artists,
- selected from an outstanding 6,500 entries.
- curated by six invited selectors
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| Parker Harris post |
Below is what you need to know to enter
Essential Details
- Deadline for Online Submissions ONLY: 5PM on Thursday, 27 August 2026 via https://artopps.co.uk/checkout/165
- Exhibition: 13 to 21 November 2026 at the Mall Galleries in London.
- Prizes: Over £9,000 available across multiple categories.
- Who can exhibit?: emerging and established artists
- Artwork Rules:
- Small-scale works - This is defined as a maximum 50cm in any direction, INCLUDING the frame
- in any medium
- all pieces must be available for sale. (a commission of 40% + VAT will be charged on all sales)
- How to Enter: You can submit your online application through ArtOpps https://artopps.co.uk/opportunities/discerningeye-26.
- This the page with the RULES
- This is the Page with answers to the FAQs
- All entries must be entered online in the form of digital images and must be accompanied by the following information: Title, Medium, Year, Dimensions and Price.
- all images must be either JPEG or PNG files, no larger than 5MB
- if the work contains offensive material it's likely to be withdrawn from the exhibition (which is a new one on me - I can only assume Parker Harris has run into this issue on another exhibition)
- Who runs/organises the competition?
- The exhibition belongs to The Discerning Eye. (Note: The ING Bank which has previously sponsored the competition no longer seems to be involved)
- It's organised by an art consultancy called Parker Harris
- who use ArtOpps as the platform for dissemination of the rules etc and all digital submissions
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| Discerning Eye exhibition in the West Gallery last year - which usually contains the exhibitions of four of the selectors |
The Selectors in 2026
As always, this year's exhibition will be curated by six prominent figures from across the art world.
Each selector works independently, bringing their own distinct perspective to create six exhibitions within the whole. You cannot rely on looking at past exhibitions to know what sort of work would be suitable.
However you might try reviewing the selectors' instagram accounts....
If you're not entering but will be visiting, your challenge is to work out which of the six exhibitions you will like the most!
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
The Artists
- portrait artist Kelvin Okafor - who is an award winning hyperrealistic artist working in pencil Dr Jasmine Pradissitto FRSA, FLIS, MMRS - an award-winning London-based British artist, scientist, academic, and speaker with a PhD in physics who has studied art at Goldsmith’s. This will be interesting because she appears to like large-scale and 3D
The Collectors
- Hugh Bonneville - actor and arts champion - best known to most people for Downton Abbey. He frequently speaks on the value of live theater, museums, and community engagement in the arts
- Jon Sharples Art & IP lawyer at @howardkennedy_law; Chair of @southwarkparkgalleries; check out his instagram to see what he likes / highlights
The Art Critics / Journalists
- art market critic and economist Mel Gerlis the art-market columnist for the Financial Times who was previously the Art Market Editor for The Art Newspaper. Author of 'Art as an Investment?' and 'The Art Fair Story'
- Martin Robinson - Head of Culture The Standard
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| Mel Gerlis on the Discerning Eye Parker Harris post |
If you're not entering but will be visiting, your challenge is to work out which of the six exhibitions you will like the most!
Postscript: I very much like the different approach to marketing both the exhibition and profiling the Selectors this year - via the Parker Harris Instagram account. I think it's a big improvement - and I've taken the liberty of borrowing some of the images for this post
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REFERENCE Discerning Eye 2007-2025
See also
I have been reviewing this exhibition every year since 2007 when I drew the sketch below while sat in the exhibition.
BELOW you can find links to my reviews of all those Discerning Eye exhibitions.
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| Visual language - at the 2007 ING Discerning Eye exhibition 8" x 11", pencil and coloured pencil in sketchbook copyright Katherine Tyrrell |
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2018
- THE MISSING LINK to ING Discerning Eye Virtual Exhibition 2020 (during Covid when it was online)
- ING Discerning Eye 2020: Selected Artists
2018
- Review: ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2018 (20th anniversary exhibition)
- One of selectors wins £5,000 ING Discerning Eye Prize!
- ING Discerning Eye Exhibition 2017 - award winners and review
- Exhibiting Artists - ING Discerning Eye 2017
2015
2011
2008
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