Organizer Information
Queer Britain is the UK’s national LGBTQ+ museum and registered charity located in King’s Cross, London. The organization reclaims, preserves, and inspires by collecting, celebrating, and educating the public about LGBTQ+ history through community-curated exhibitions and events.
Title & Description
Queer Britain Art Award 2026.
Returning for its fifth year, this international open call celebrates the confluence of art and LGBTQ+ culture, community, and history. The award honors individual artists and collectives whose creative output engages with this central theme. Shortlisted entries will form an exhibition of up to 80 selected works in London, opening in early December 2026.
Categories
- Visual Arts,
- Photography,
- New Media / Film & Video,
- and Craft Practices.
Eligibility
- Open to artists, designers, and makers, both amateur and professional, in the UK and internationally, aged 18 and over.
- Both individuals and collectives are eligible, alongside artist representatives like galleries and institutions.
- Works must have been produced within the past 5 years.
Awards
The panel will award three distinct cash prizes to top-performing works:
- First Prize: £1,500 cash award.
- Second Prize: £1,000 cash award.
- Third Prize: £500 cash award.
Submission Criteria
- Mediums: Admissible formats include any 2D or 3D media, such as animation, ceramics, drawings, collage, digital art, glasswork, painting, performance, sculpture, text-based prints, photography, textiles, and typography.
- Size & Runtime Limits: Physical works must not exceed 2.4 meters in any dimension. Film, video, or performance works must not exceed a maximum runtime of 10 minutes. Selected video pieces must be delivered as an MP4 file. Diptychs, triptychs, and multi-component installations are evaluated as a single artwork.
- Format: Initial judging is conducted entirely via digital format. International submissions can elect not to ship their physical pieces for the London exhibition if preferred.
Fees & Entry Rates
Artists may enter up to 3 works. Entry fees are divided by tier:
- Standard Entry: 1 artwork: £15 / 2 artworks: £27 / 3 artworks: £35
- Under 30 Entry: 1 artwork: £10 / 2 artworks: £20 / 3 artworks: £30
How to Apply?
Submit your entry online through the ArtOpps platform.
Apply to the Queer Britain Art Award 2026.
Key Dates
- Submission Deadline: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 5:00 PM BST
- Notifications: Thursday, October 22, 2026
- Physical Work Delivery: November 2026
- London Exhibition & Gala: December 2026
Location
Online / Digital Review with a physical exhibition hosted in London, United Kingdom.
Additional Details
The selection panel includes Bimini (London-based DJ, musician, and writer), Gemma Rolls-Bentley (Contemporary art curator and co-author of Art Essentials: Queer Art), Davy Pittoors (Queer independent curator and visual creative), Mark King (Head of Design and Art Director), and Alia Romagnoli (Photographer and visual artist). Unsold works from the exhibition must be collected by artists in December 2026 following the close of the show.