Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours

Overview

The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours invites artists to submit contemporary watercolour and water-based media paintings for the RI 214th Exhibition in spring 2026. The show features over 400 works and offers prizes and awards worth over £10,000. Works will be seen by thousands of visitors to Mall Galleries, London.

Key Dates

• Submissions open: Monday 13 October 2025, 12 noon
• Submissions close: Friday 23 January 2026, 2pm
• Notification of selection: Friday 6 February, 12 noon
• Receiving Day (if selected): Saturday 14 March, 10am to 5pm
• Exhibition opens: Wednesday 25 March, 10am to 5pm
• Exhibition closes: Saturday 11 April, 5pm

Prizes & Awards

• The Winsor & Newton Award: £3,000
• The David Barker Award: Two prizes of £1,000 each (one for RI member, one for non-member)
• President's Choice Award: £750
• RI Young Artist Award (ages 18-25): £1,000 plus art materials worth £1,000 RRP
• James Fletcher-Watson RI Award: £500
• Richard Plincke RI Prize for Colour: £250
• Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle Prize: Two prizes of £250 each (for works using watercolour pencil)
• Baohong Artists' Watercolour Paper Prizes: Two prizes of £250 worth of paper
• Chaoshan Watercolour Award: £250
• Cass Art Colour Award: £200 of art supplies
• The Winsor & Newton Product Prize: £1,000 worth of materials
• West Dean Prize: A residential course with food and accommodation
• West Dean Bloomsbury Prize: A two-day course
• Escoda Barcelona Award: Set of brushes for outstanding landscape
• John Purcell Paper Prize: £100 of paper
• Frank Herring Easel Award: An easel
• Debra Manifold RI Memorial Award: Award for most innovative work
• Dry Red Press Award: Work published as greeting card with royalties to artist
• Megan Fitzoliver Brush Award: Trophy and bespoke brush
• Michael Harding Award: Watercolour sets
• Schmincke Prize: Horadam Aquarell Artists' Watercolours set
• Trevor C Hart Memorial Award: 3–5 night artist's retreat in Scotland (RI members)

How to Submit

Register or log in to the Open Exhibition Submission System (OESS) to submit between Monday 13 October 2025 and Friday 23 January 2026. Upload your image(s) in JPEG or PNG format, under 5MB each. One image per submission must show the complete work; optional additional images may show details. Include title, medium, size (cm), year of completion, price per work, and optional artwork description. Log in to OESS from 12 noon on Friday 6 February to see if selected. If selected, deliver work on Saturday 14 March, 10am to 5pm, to Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD, unwrapped with relevant forms and labels.

Exhibition Details

• Private View (invite only): Tuesday 24 March, 5pm to 9pm (official opening 6:30pm)
• Closed on Easter Sunday 5 April and Easter Monday 6 April
• Collection of unsold work: Thursday 16 April, 10am to 5pm

About the RI

The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours showcases the creativity and diversity of watercolour in all its forms. The exhibition features over 400 of the finest works from around the world, alongside works by elected members and leading figures in contemporary watercolour. The RI welcomes both emerging and established artists who push the boundaries of the medium through traditional and experimental approaches.