Organizer Information
The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London organizes the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award, with support from headline sponsor Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. The Gallery is dedicated to portraiture and has hosted the long-running competition for contemporary portrait painting. Since its inception, the Award has attracted more than 50,000 entries from over 100 countries, while its exhibitions have been viewed by more than six million people.
Title & Description
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2027
The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2027 is an international competition celebrating contemporary portrait painting. Now in its 45th edition, the Award invites artists to submit a recent painted portrait that explores the theme of portraiture through traditional or contemporary approaches.
The competition is intended for artists working with the human figure as the predominant subject. Selected works will undergo a second round of physical judging in London, with the shortlisted portraits presented in the 2027 exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Painting
- Portraiture
- Contemporary Portrait Painting
Eligible works must be predominantly painted in oil, tempera or acrylic on a stretcher or board. Watercolours, pastels and works on paper are not eligible. Self-portraits and group portraits are permitted.
Eligibility
- International: Open to artists worldwide.
- Artists must be 18 or older as of 1 January 2026.
- Artists aged 30 or under as of 1 January 2026 are automatically considered for the Young Artist Award if selected for the exhibition.
- Only one entry per artist is permitted.
- The submitted work must have been completed after 1 January 2025.
- Previously submitted works cannot be resubmitted.
- Employees of the National Portrait Gallery, the sponsor and their agents, as well as previous first-prize winners since 1980, are not eligible.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected artists have the opportunity to exhibit their work at the National Portrait Gallery in London, providing international exposure through a major contemporary portrait exhibition.
Cash awards include:
- First Prize: £35,000
- Second Prize: £12,000
- Third Prize: £10,000
- Young Artist Award: £9,000
In addition, artists selected for the 2026 and 2027 Portrait Award exhibitions will be considered for the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Artist Commission, valued at £14,000 and announced in 2027.
Application Fee
The standard entry fee is £40.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 December 2026
- Second-round selection notification: By 18 December 2026
- Physical artwork delivery: 27 January–3 February 2027
- Exhibition selection notification: By 12 February 2027
- Awards Ceremony: 22 June 2027
- Press View: 23 June 2027
- Exhibition: 24 June–3 October 2027
Location
London, United Kingdom
Additional Details
The painting must be based on a sitting or study from life, with the human figure predominating. It must measure at least 25 × 20 cm unframed and no more than 244 × 244 cm framed. Multi-part works of up to three parts are accepted.
International artists are responsible for arranging and paying all costs associated with delivering their work to London, including applicable customs charges and duties, as well as collecting the work after the judging/exhibition process. The Gallery retains limited rights to reproduce exhibited works for purposes directly connected with the Award and its exhibition/tour, while copyright remains with the artist.