National Portrait Gallery - Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award

The Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award makes a welcome return to the National Portrait Gallery for 2024. The prestigious competition showcases the very best in contemporary portrait painting and is open to everyone aged eighteen and over. Since its inception over 40 years ago, the competition has attracted over 40,000 entries from more than 100 countries and the exhibition has been seen by over 6 million people.

The work entered must be predominantly painted in oil, tempera or acrylic and must be on a stretcher or board, preferably framed and unglazed. No watercolours, works on paper or pastels will be considered. The work entered should be a painting based on a sitting or study from life and the human figure must predominate. Self-portraits and group portraits are permitted. Eligible works must have been completed from 1 January 2020 – 16 January 2024.