Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2026
Trinity Buoy Wharf
Funding
£15,000 First Prize
Deadline
9 June 2026
Location
East London, UK, UK
Entry Fee
$63
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About
Enter the UK's leading open exhibition for contemporary drawing. Open to artists worldwide, featuring a top prize of £15,000 and a national touring exhibition.
The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize is the UK’s leading open exhibition and awards for contemporary drawing. Led by founding director Anita Taylor since 1994, the annual open exhibitions generate new insights into the nature, role, and value of drawing in creative practice today. It is open to entries from artists and everyone who draws, from anywhere in the world.
The Exhibition
Around 70 drawings will be chosen by a distinguished Selection Panel. The exhibition will launch at the Buoy Store at Trinity Buoy Wharf in London (September 17 – October 4, 2026) and will then tour to venues across the UK until July 2027. All selected drawings will be retained for the duration of the exhibition tour.
Prizes
Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize: £15,000 GBP (approx. $31,500 NZD) Trinity Buoy Wharf Student Award: £2,000 GBP (approx. $4,200 NZD) Trinity Buoy Wharf Boroughs' Award: £1,000 GBP (approx. $2,100 NZD) (Open only to those living/working in Tower Hamlets, Newham, and Greenwich).
Selection Process (Two Stages)
Stage 1 (Digital): Initial selection is made from high-quality digital images of your artworks submitted online. Stage 2 (Physical): Up to 800 entries will be invited to deliver their physical artworks to a Collection Centre in the UK for the final round of selection. The panel will review these artworks ‘in the real’ to choose the final exhibition works.
Submission Guidelines & Fees
Applicants may submit up to three drawings via the ArtOpps portal. Standard Entry Fee: £30 GBP (approx. $63 NZD) for 1 work; £40 GBP for 2 works; £50 GBP for 3 works. Student Entry Fee: £18 GBP (approx. $38 NZD) for 1 work; £25 GBP for 2 works; £30 GBP for 3 works. (Must provide a Student ID Number). You must complete the details for each artwork entered (titles, dimensions, media) and upload high-quality digital images. Late submissions are not accepted.