Organizer Information
The John Moores Painting Prize was founded in 1957 in Liverpool, UK, by businessman and amateur painter Sir John Moores, who created the prize to judge submissions solely on the merit of the work itself, through anonymous selection, after experiencing what he saw as bias in existing competitions. Now in its 33rd edition, the UK prize is hosted by the Walker Art Gallery, part of National Museums Liverpool, in partnership with the John Moores Painting Prize Trust, and its winning and shortlisted works are exhibited as part of the Liverpool Biennale. Past winners include David Hockney, Peter Doig, and Richard Hamilton.
The John Moores Painting Prize (China) was launched in 2010 through a partnership between the Trust and the Fine Arts College at Shanghai University, and has run biennially since, completing eight editions by 2024. In China, the competition is administered by Shanghai Shuangpu (Double Pool) Culture Development Co., Ltd., the sole authorized representative of the John Moores Painting Prize Trust in China.
Title & Description
2026 John Moores Painting Prize (China)
This is the ninth edition of the biennial painting competition open to artists living and working in China. Submissions are judged anonymously by a five-person jury — typically three UK-based and two China-based art professionals — with selection based only on the quality of the work. The competition is conducted in two rounds: an initial digital-photo review, followed by a second round in which shortlisted artists submit their original paintings for final judging and exhibition. Winning and shortlisted works are exhibited in China, and the prize-winning works travel to the UK to be shown at National Museums Liverpool alongside the UK edition's winners.
Categories
- Painting
- Visual Arts
- Culture
Eligibility
- Applicants must be 16 years of age or older
- Applicants must live and create their submitted work within China
- Open to artists regardless of age or professional status
Program Benefits & Awards
- First Prize (1 winner): a one- to two-week solo exhibition in the UK
- First Prize (1 winner): a one-month residency in the UK plus participation in a group exhibition
- Excellence Award (4 winners): a one-month residency in the UK plus participation in a group exhibition
- Contemporary Ink Painting Award (1 winner): a one-month residency in the UK plus participation in a group exhibition
- All six winning works (plus shortlisted works from the second round) exhibited in Shanghai
- All prize-winning works displayed at National Museums Liverpool during the 2027 Liverpool Biennale, alongside the UK edition's winning works
- Note: the source describes this as an opportunity-based prize; no cash award is stated for the China edition
Application Fee
RMB 200 (approx. USD/EUR equivalent not stated), paid at registration during the first-round submission window. Non-refundable.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 22 September 2026
- Exhibition dates (Liverpool Biennale): 2027 (specific dates not stated on this page)
Location
Shanghai, China
Additional Details
- Submitted work must be recently completed (finished after 2024), must use the medium of painting at least in part, and must be suitable for wall-hanging
- Maximum dimensions: 3m x 3m when hung (including multi-panel works such as diptychs or triptychs); maximum surface protrusion 0.5m
- The work submitted for round one must be the same work carried through to round two and the final exhibition — substitutions are not accepted
- Judging is anonymous throughout both rounds
- Shortlisted works not selected for the final exhibition are returned to the artist within one month of the jury's decision; selected works are retained by the organizer through the end of the exhibition, then returned
- The organizer is not responsible for loss or damage during transport, packing, or unpacking; artists are advised to purchase transport insurance
- By submitting, artists grant the organizer rights to use images of the work in publications, marketing, and online promotion without additional payment; artists retain underlying copyright
- Submitting false information on the registration form results in disqualification
- Editorial note — discrepancy flagged for review: the English-language "Terms and Conditions" page on this site still displays the 2024-cycle text (e.g., a 2024 registration deadline). This article uses the dates and figures from the current Chinese-language 2026 pages, which appear to be the updated version.