Competitions

Derwent Art Prize: Coming Soon

The Derwent Art Prize is one of the world’s top art competitions, celebrating excellence in contemporary pencil art.

Created in 2012 by Derwent, the Prize invites artists worldwide to submit their finest 2D and 3D artworks crafted in any pencil—including colour, water-soluble, pastel, graphite, and charcoal pencils.

The 8th edition of the Derwent Art Prize is launching soon!

Stay tuned for the official call for entries by following us on Facebook and Instagram. Be the first to hear when submissions open and get exclusive updates.

About the Prize

Dedicated to showcasing the very best in pencil art, the Derwent Art Prize offers a prize fund totaling £13,000 and culminates in an international exhibition at gallery@OXO on London’s vibrant South Bank.

In total, the Prize has received over 25,000 entries from 75 countries over the years, solidifying its status as a leading platform for artists working in pencil.

Each year, an expert panel of selectors curates an exhibition of approximately 70 outstanding artworks, providing artists with a unique opportunity to have their work seen by thousands of visitors.

Highlights from the 2024 Edition

The 2024 Derwent Art Prize received over 6,000 submissions from 2,324 artists. The final selection featured 68 artworks by 67 artists, chosen by an esteemed judging panel:

Sergio Gomez – Miami-based artist and curator
Curtis Holder – London-based artist
Valérie Sonnier – Professor at the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris
Helen Waters – Director of Cristea Roberts Gallery

Selector Sergio Gomez commented: "It's inspiring to think about how many things can be done with a pencil. You can work with a pencil for the rest of your life and every day come up with something new."

2024 Prize Winners

First Prize: June Collier for Hetty in Hospital 1, a touching portrait by the London-based artist.
Second Prize: Polly Townsend for Ice, Antarctica, a black-and-white landscape inspired by her Antarctic residency.
Young Artist First Prize: George Metu-Onyeka for his hyper-realistic self-portrait Untitled, a piece created over 150 hours.
Young Artist Second Prize: Bethan Harris for Low Branches, a vibrant coloured pencil drawing.
New Artist Prize: Melissa Ling for her delicate landscape in sanguine pencil, marking her debut in the competition.