LONDON – The National Portrait Gallery is delighted to announce the Call for Entries for the BP Portrait Award 2012, the world’s most prestigious open competition for portrait painting. Entry forms are now available at www.npg.org.uk/bp and the closing date for entries is Feb. 13, 2012.
The Portrait Award, now in its thirty-third year at the National Portrait Gallery and twenty-third year of sponsorship by BP, is an annual event aimed at encouraging artists to focus upon and develop portraiture in their work.
The BP Portrait Award 2012 exhibition will run at the National Portrait Gallery from June 21 to Sept. 23, 2012.
The BP Portrait Award is open to all artists over the age of 18, and provides an important platform for portrait painters. In 2011, 2,372 artists submitted their work and the exhibition, featured 55 paintings. Seen by over 340,000 people, the BP Portrait Award 2011 had the highest-ever visitor figures for an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
A cash award of £25,000 will go to the First Prize winner who will receive, at the judges’ discretion, a commission worth £4,000 (to be agreed between the National Portrait Gallery and the artist).
Recent National Portrait Gallery commissions by BP Portrait Award first-prize-winning artists include novelist V. S. Naipaul by Paul Emsley (BP Portrait Award 2007 winner), and Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh by Dean Marsh (BP Portrait Award 2005 winner). Many artists who have had their work exhibited have gained commissions as a result of the considerable interest in the BP Portrait Award and the resulting exhibition.
The prize winners and exhibition will be selected by a judging panel chaired by Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery. All 2012 exhibitors will be eligible to submit a proposal for the BP Travel Award. The aim of the Award is to provide the opportunity for an artist to experience working in a different environment, in Britain or abroad, on a project related to portraiture.
Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London, said, “The quality of the entries and the range of styles in 2011 was outstanding. I look forward to the BP Portrait Award 2012, and thank BP for their continuing support.”
Des Violaris, Director, UK Arts and Culture, BP, said, “We are delighted to continue our support of the BP Portrait Award, and look forward to what we expect to be another year of fantastic entries.”
PUBLICATION:
An 80-page catalog featuring all the selected artists, including an essay by a leading author, will accompany the exhibition.
DETAILS:
This international competition is open to everyone aged 18 and over in recognition of the outstanding and innovative work currently being produced by artists of all ages working in portraiture. The competition is judged, on an equal and anonymous basis, from original paintings. An exhibition is then created from a selection of the entries.
The best way to register your entry for the BP Portrait Award 2012 is online at www.npg.org.uk/bp
To request a postal entry form please call 011 44 20 7312 6699 or write to:
BP Portrait Award
National Portrait Gallery
St Martin’s Place
London WC2H 0HE
U.K.
You can also download a postal entry form from the website.
Full competition rules, collection/delivery points and details of the exhibition tour can be found online at www.npg.org.uk/bp
Closing date for registration: Feb. 13, 2012
First Prize: A cash award of £25,000, plus, at the judges’ discretion, a commission worth £4,000, to be agreed between the National Portrait Gallery and the artist.
Second Prize: £8,000
Third Prize: £6,000
BP Travel Award 2012: £5,000
BP Young Artist Award: £5,000
• All entrants aged between 18 and 30 will automatically be considered for both the BP Young Artist Award and the BP Portrait Award, but an individual cannot win both.
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