The competition is organized by the National Portrait Gallery in London.
“ The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award celebrates the very best in contemporary portraiture and is one of the most important platforms for portrait painters today. The artworks explore the variety of approaches to portraiture, from the classic to the contemporary, and encourage viewers to reflect on the creativity of the artists’ processes.
The work entered should be a painting based on a sitting or study from life and the human figure must predominate.
The work must be predominantly painted in oil, tempera or acrylic. No watercolours, works on paper or pastels will be considered.
The competition is open to all artists from around the world. Artists must be aged 18 years or over.
Entry fee
Entry into the competition costs £40.
Prizes
• First Prize: £35,000
• Second Prize: £12,000
• Third Prize: £10,000
• Young Artist Award: £9,000
Deadline: 6 January 2026