Final call for artist to enter the John Moores Painting Prize 2025

Time is running out for artists across the UK to enter this year’s John Moores Painting Prize, with the deadline fast approaching at 5pm on Monday 24 March.

Now in its 68th year, the John Moores Painting Prize is one of the most prestigious competitions in contemporary painting, offering a £25,000 first prize and a solo exhibition at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery – a career-defining opportunity that has propelled some of Britain’s most celebrated artists to fame since its launch in 1957.

This year’s distinguished jury includes Louise Giovanelli, Gemma Rolls-Bentley, Michael Simpson (winner of the 2016 John Moores Painting Prize), Dr. Zoé Whitley, and Zhang Enli. Through their collective expertise, the jury will assess thousands of entries to determine both the exhibition content and prize winners.

John Moores Painting Prize 2023. ©Robin Clewley

Beyond the main prize, emerging artists should take note of the Lady Grantchester Prize – worth £5,000 plus a residency and £2,500 in art materials from Winsor & Newton. This award specifically targets artists in their final year of study or within five years of graduation.

Visitors to the exhibition, which opens in September 2025, will be invited to vote for their favourite painting to win the Visitors’ Choice Award. The winning artist will receive £2,025.

The 2023 first prize winner, Graham Crowley, is currently exhibiting at Walker Art Gallery with his solo show ‘I paint shadows‘, which runs until 13 July 2025.

Past prize winners include David Hockney (1967), Mary Martin (1969), Lisa Milroy (1989), Peter Doig (1993), Keith Coventry (2010), Rose Wylie (2014), Jacqui Hallum (2018), and Kathryn Maple (2020).

The call for entries for this year’s competition closes at 5pm on Monday 24 March 2025.