Royal Watercolour Society Open 2025

Royal Watercolour Society Open 2025 is now open for entries!

Royal Watercolour Society Open 2025 : Royal Watercolour Society Open 2025, organized by the Royal Watercolour Society, a British institution of painters working in watercolours, has been recently opened for entries inviting artists of all backgrounds, at any stage of their career to submit works on paper in any (and all) water-based-media.

Short description

Royal Watercolour Society Open 2025, organized by the Royal Watercolour Society, a British institution of painters working in watercolours, has been recently opened for entries inviting all artists worldwide to participate.

The RWS Open is one of the largest open-submission water-media exhibitions in the world, attracting thousands of submissions nationally and internationally each year.

Work made in any water-based media on a paper support is eligible: this includes gouache, acrylic, ink, pigment, watercolour or a mixed media piece containing any of this list.

To enter, artists must upload digital photograph of each submitted artwork.

Selected works chosen by the jury must be delivered to Bankside Gallery in London, where they will be displayed in the RWS Open exhibition.

Submission requirements:

➜ Any painting where a water-based medium is the main component of the work is eligible. Paintings in watercolour, acrylic, gouache, ink, any other water-based media or a combination are accepted.
➜ No prints, copies, reproductions or photographs are eligible
➜ All work should be on a paper support i.e. paper, cardboard, etc (not canvas, wood, plastic or any other surface)
➜ There are no limitations on style or subject matter
➜ Framed works must not exceed 200 x 200cm
➜ The painting must have been completed in the last 4 years from the deadline date (6th January 2025) ➜ The work must have been made by the applicant
➜ All work must be for sale

Who may enter?

For 2025 the RWS would like to invite artists of all backgrounds, at any stage of their career to submit works on paper in any (and all) water-based-media.

Prize:

➜ David Gluck Memorial Award – £1000
➜ David Benson Memorial Award – £500
➜ RWS Award – £250
➜ Sponsored prizes

Selected artwork will be included in the RWS Open exhibition at Bankside Gallery, located next to Tate Modern on the Thames Path.

Entry fees:

Entry fee is £15 per work with reductions on multiple submissions. Students in full-time higher education can submit up to 6 works for £5 per work.