Deadline: December 1, 2026
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2027
Organizer
The National Portrait Gallery, London, with headline sponsor Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
Location
London, UK; open to artists worldwide, with selected works exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Deadline
Entry deadline: December 1, 2026. Results announcement: June 22, 2027. The exhibition of winning and selected works runs at the National Portrait Gallery from June 24 to October 10, 2027.
Competition Category
Single discipline — portrait painting. Entrants submit new portrait works completed after January 1, 2025. A dedicated Young Artist Award is open to entrants aged 18–30.
Eligibility
Open to all artists aged 18 and over from around the world. Young Artist Award candidates must be aged between 18 and 30. Submitted works must be new pieces completed after January 1, 2025.
Entry Fee
Paid — £40 entry fee.
- First Prize: £35,000
- Second Prize: £12,000
- Third Prize: £10,000
- Young Artist Award: £9,000 (for an entrant aged 18–30, profiling their talent and supporting the development of their practice)
- All artists selected for the 2026 and 2027 Portrait Award exhibitions will be considered for the bi-annual Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Artist Commission, valued at £14,000, to be announced in 2027.
- Winning and selected works will be exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, London (June 24 – October 10, 2027).
Core Introduction
The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award, organized by the National Portrait Gallery in London, is one of the world's most important platforms for portrait painters, and the 2027 edition marks its 45th year. The competition aims to encourage artists over 18 to focus on and develop the theme of portraiture. Since its inception it has attracted over 50,000 entries from more than 100 countries, and its exhibitions have been seen by more than 6 million visitors. Entrants must submit new portraits completed after January 1, 2025; selected works are exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Prize winners receive £35,000, £12,000, and £10,000 respectively, while artists aged 18–30 compete for the £9,000 Young Artist Award. All selected artists are also considered for the bi-annual £14,000 HSF Kramer Artist Commission. The 2027 exhibition runs from June 24 to October 10.
