Tune in now and watch Series 11
of Portrait Artist of the Year
Portrait Artist of the Year Series 13
Portrait Artist of the Year Series 13
For the chance of winning a £10,000 commission for a major
British institution and £500 of art materials from Cass Art,
get your self-portrait submission ready.
Deadline to apply is NOON on Friday 20th February 2026
For the chance of winning a £10,000 commission for a major
British institution and £500 of art materials from Cass Art,
get your self-portrait submission ready.
The deadline to apply is Friday 20th February 2026
Portrait Artist of the Year Series 12 – The competition has now closed
+++ AUDIENCE +++
Portrait Artist of the Year 2025:
We will be welcoming an audience to the filming of Portrait Artist of the Year.
Audience tickets will be available closer to filming via our Eventbrite page. You will receive updates regarding tickets by clicking follow on the link below.
This is a televised competition. Artists enter with a self-portrait created within the last 5 years. They are selected on merit by our panel of expert judges. At the heats they are given four hours to paint a surprise celebrity sitter. The heat winners get to compete at the Semi-Final. Three of the Semi-Finalists go through to the Final but only one is selected as the overall winner.
Filming of Portrait Artist of the Year is planned to take place at Battersea Arts Centre in April 2026.
The judges view the submissions on a screen and so we’re keen for all photos to have the maximum impact so as to do the artwork justice. Follow these simple steps to take the best photograph of your portrait artwork. Follow these simple steps to take the best photograph of your landscape artwork.
If you’d like to receive information on filming dates and updates about the series please join our mailing list and follow our Instagram, X and Facebook pages.
If you’d like to receive information on filming dates and updates about the series please join our mailing list and follow our Instagram and Facebook pages.
Meet some of our winners…
What are the judges looking for?
Eva Langret
Director of Frieze London, Eva works at the heart of the contemporary art world, with a brilliant instinct for originality, ambition and artists shaping what comes next.
Jonathan Yeo
A portrait painter whose work you almost certainly already know. Jonathan is known for both traditional and experimental portraiture and has exhibited extensively around the world. His portraits are wide ranging, from cultural icons to political figures — including his much-talked-about portrait of King Charles III, often dubbed the Red King. His work is bold, psychologically sharp, and never plays it safe.
Katy Hessel
An art historian, curator and broadcaster — and the author of the bestselling The Story of Art Without Men, How To Live An Artful Life, and a new book for kids (out this March!). She’s the voice behind The Great Women Artists Podcast, bringing insight, energy and a genuine love of artists and their stories to the panel.