Organizer Information
The Alpine Fellowship is a charitable foundation based in the United Kingdom dedicated to supporting and promoting high-quality creative and intellectual work. The foundation serves as a bridge between the arts, humanities, and sciences, fostering a community of artists, writers, and thinkers. Each year, they host an annual symposium that gathers global talent to explore a central philosophical theme. Through various prizes, grants, and residency programs, the organization aims to discover and support emerging talent by providing them with the financial means and the intellectual environment to develop their practices.
Title & Description
The Alpine Fellowship Visual Art Prize 2026: "Joy" The Visual Art Prize is one of the centerpiece competitions of the Alpine Fellowship, designed to reward artists who can visually articulate complex philosophical concepts. The theme for the 2026 cycle is "Joy." The organizers are looking for artworks that explore the multifaceted nature of joy—whether as a transient emotion, a spiritual state, a form of resistance, or a biological phenomenon. This is not just a call for "happy" art; rather, it is a search for profound visual inquiries into the human condition and our capacity for bliss, contentment, and ecstasy in a challenging world.Categories
This opportunity is dedicated to Visual Art. The prize is open to all mediums within the visual arts spectrum, including:
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Painting and Drawing
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Sculpture and Installation
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Photography
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Video/Film (Maximum length of 8 minutes)
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Digital Art and Mixed Media
Eligibility
The prize is truly global and inclusive in its scope:
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International: Open to artists of all nationalities, regardless of where they are currently based.
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Age: All applicants must be aged 18 or above at the time of the application deadline.
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Experience Level: Open to emerging, mid-career, and established artists.
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Originality: Works must be original. Crucially, the Alpine Fellowship has a strict policy against AI-generated art; any work created or modified by generative AI software is strictly ineligible.
Program Benefits & Awards
The prize offers significant financial rewards and international exposure:
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First Place: A cash grant of £3,000.
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Second Place: A cash grant of £1,000.
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Third Place: A cash grant of £1,000.
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Symposium Invitation: Winners and select runners-up are typically invited to attend the Alpine Fellowship Annual Symposium. This invitation usually includes food and accommodation for the duration of the event, offering a unique opportunity to network with world-class academics and creatives.
Application Fee
There is a £10 entry fee for each submission.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit their work via the official Submittable portal, including:
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High-Quality Images: One single image that represents the work (or the collection). If submitting a video, provide a link and a single representative still.
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Artist Statement: A brief text explaining how the submitted work relates to the theme of "Joy."
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Technical Details: Title, medium, and dimensions of the work.
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Anonymity: To ensure a fair judging process, the submitted artwork and statement must not contain the artist’s name or any identifying marks.
How to Apply?
All entries must be submitted through the official Alpine Fellowship Submittable page. No email applications are accepted. Application Link: https://alpinefellowship.com/visual-art-prizeKey Dates
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Application Deadline: 1 May 2026
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Notification Date: Winners are typically notified via email by June 2026.
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Annual Symposium: Dates and specific international location for the 2026 symposium are confirmed in early spring (usually held in late summer).
Location
United Kingdom
Additional Details
The judging process is entirely anonymous to ensure that selections are based solely on artistic merit and thematic relevance. Artists may submit multiple entries, but each entry requires a separate application and fee. The foundation emphasizes that they are looking for "work that captures the spirit of the theme," encouraging a thoughtful, philosophical approach rather than a purely decorative one.