National Portrait Gallery - Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2026

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.

Since its inception, the long-standing competition has attracted over 40,000 entries from more than 100 countries and has been seen by over 6 million people. The highly competitive Award encourages artists over the age of 18 to focus upon, and develop, the theme of portraiture in their work. Using an impressive range and complexity of skill, artists explore both classical and innovative techniques that show the enduring relevance of portraiture today.