Contemporary Printmaking Prize 2026
Frequently asked questions

Entries to the prize must be made via the submissions page. The link will go live on Wednesday 1st April when submissions open. Entries made by any other way won’t be counted.

The Contemporary Printmaking Prize is free to enter.

The winner of the Contemporary Printmaking Prize 2026 will be awarded £500 and be featured across the Fen Ditton Gallery website and networks. They will also be interviewed by Hannah for the podcast.

Submissions are open from Wednesday 1st April - Wednesday 22nd April 2026.

You are only allowed to submit one artwork into the prize. If you submit more than one artwork, only the first will be considered for the prize.

You must upload a primary image showing the work in its entirety including border. If you think it would help the judges, you can also enter up to two further images showing details of your work.

The photographs titles should include your name and the name of the artwork you are submitting. Photographs must be in JPEG, JPG or PNG format and must be no larger than 4mb. Please upload high resolution images, low quality images may hinder your chances of success. The artwork must be photographed straight on in good, even light and the colours must be true to life. Make sure the work is the right way round before you upload it.

Absolutely, we encourage printmakers of all backgrounds and abilities to enter the prize.

The prize is open to UK artists working in the field of printmaking.

Only original prints can be submitted. Digital prints can be accepted, providing the work was conceived and produced as a digital print. Printed reproductions of original works that exist in another medium are not eligible.

New and existing works are eligible for entry to the prize, however, to ensure the exhibition is representative of current printmaking practices, we cannot accept works made before 2023.

Shortlisted artists will be contacted by Monday 27th April. Due to the volume of entries, we regret that we will be unable to contact every artist that has entered the prize, so if you don’t hear from us by this date you have not been successful.

Yes, if you are shortlisted you must deliver your artwork framed to the gallery by 13/14th May as it will be exhibited in the finalists exhibition. We will notify you by Monday 27th April if you are successful, to allow you enough time to have the work framed. Works must be framed in gallery quality frames and failure to do so will result in disqualification.

If you are shortlisted, your artwork should be delivered to the gallery on the 13th/14th May. If you are unable to deliver the works in person, please arrange for a courier to deliver the work for you.

The exhibition will be open from 23rd May - 14th June. There will be a private view on 21st May. More information will follow.

The winner will be announced at the private view on 21st May.

Yes, all prints will be for sale in the exhibition and online. When submitting your work you must include the retail price, including VAT (if applicable). You must also inform us how many unframed editions of the prints are available for purchase. Any sales made of this print during the agreed timescale will be subject to a 50% commission.

The print (and all available in the edition) that is accepted into the prize must be exclusively available for Fen Ditton Gallery to sell from when it has been shortlisted, throughout the exhibition and for four weeks after the exhibition closes.

Any direct sales of the print during this time are subject to gallery commission.