Submission guidelines
Selection process
Open
The call for the VIII Edition is open. The closing date will be announced in due course.
For an initial period, each submission fee of £36 allows two works to be entered for selection. This provision applies only while the call is in its opening period, and may close without further notice.
Why submit
London is one of the great capitals of the art world. Each edition brings around 300 artists from more than 60 nations before an international audience: galleries and art professionals attend, and works find their way to collectors from around the world.
For many artists, the Biennale is the beginning of new opportunities and attention that continue long after the exhibition closes. To be selected is to join a family of artists that has grown with every edition since 2013.
Who can apply?
To ensure fairness, the selection process does not consider an artist’s previous exposure or career – only the merits of the submitted artwork.
There are no geographical nor thematic restrictions on the artworks or artists.
Artists who have exhibited in previous editions are welcome to submit again.
What can I submit?
Accepted artistic disciplines are not restricted and include works on canvas/ board/ paper/ other supports, mediums such as oil/ acrylic/ collage/ watercolours/ mixed medias, mosaic, photography, digital art (including AI assisted art), video art, sculpture, fibre/textile art and installation.
Submitted artworks can have been previously exhibited or published and can have been created at any year of an artist’s career.
Who will be selected?
At least 300 artists will be selected from the submissions made for the 2027 London Art Biennale, with the selection made based on the quality of the artwork submitted.
Are artworks for sale?
While the majority of artworks displayed at the London Art Biennale are available for purchase, the decision to sell remains entirely at the artist’s discretion.
For artworks that are sold during the Biennale, we retain a 35% commission plus VAT on that commission — on a £1,000 sale, the artist receives £580 — and professional sales staff will be present throughout the exhibition to assist with sales inquiries. To see insights and the kind of work that sold in the 2023 edition, please click here [external link].
What are the artist prizes?
The London Art Biennale celebrates artistic excellence with multiple cash prizes, alongside additional prestigious accolades – at the 2025 edition, a total of £13,000 was awarded. This is a unique opportunity for artists to gain recognition and reward for their outstanding creativity and talent. All prizes and awards.
If selected, can artworks be transported in a tube?
Artworks can be sent already mounted/framed OR rolled in a tube. To minimise logistical costs for artists who choose to send artworks rolled in a tube, we provide complimentary professional stretching for canvases (including the bars) up to 100×100 cm completely for FREE (we use 38mm bars that do not require additional framing; please leave at least 7cm of extra canvas on every side, and preferably paint the edges, as the canvas is shown unframed). This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting the arts and reducing transportation costs for artists. We can also provide mounting and framing in collaboration with our partners.
For full details, please click here.
Can I attend and when?
Selected artists will be invited to attend the Biennale inauguration with a guest. However, there is no requirement for artists to be personally present during the Biennale—it is entirely optional and free for the artist.
Additionally, the Biennale will be open to the public during its official opening hours, and entry is free for all visitors. This ensures that the event remains inclusive and accessible to everyone.
When are the results announced?
The selected artists for the 2027 London Art Biennale will be announced on our website and social media channels. Only selected artists will be contacted directly by email with the result.
Stay connected with us online for updates and announcements!
How can I submit a complex work such as diptych, triptych or installation?
If a single artwork has numerous elements that are integral parts of the same artwork (such as a diptych, triptych, quadriptych, installation, etc.) then it is considered as one artwork submission.
Please make sure to submit the total size of the artwork with all the elements together, including any intended gaps. Furthermore, submissions should include an image of the entire artwork, as intended to be exhibited, as well as additional images of some or all of the elements separately. You can also provide additional close up details if you wish.
Is there a size limit for submissions?
There is no specific size limit, but if a prospective artwork submission is more than 250cm on any side, please contact us and request specific guidance prior to submitting.
Is there a printed catalogue?
Yes, there is a hardback catalogue curated by the International Confederation of Art Critics.
What are the file requirements for submissions?
The exhibition is physical but the selection process is conducted digitally. We will evaluate the exact file you submit, so if you are satisfied with how your artwork appears and can be assessed on your screen, that is exactly how it will be viewed during the selection process.
We accept all common file formats.
Works may be photographed, and their sizes given, with or without the frame.
Where to submit and what are the fees?
The submission fee is £36 GBP per artwork submission and there are no other fees even if an artist is selected. During the opening period, each submission covers two works. The fee is paid on this website; the works are then uploaded on Artemisia, quoting the submission number you are given. Click here to sign up and submit your work.
If you are selected: the essentials
How long does the exhibition run?
Previous editions have run for five days: a private view followed by four days open to the public. The dates of the VIII Edition will be announced in due course.
Do I need to be there to install my work?
No. Our team unpacks, installs and takes down every work, including freestanding sculpture, without the artist needing to be present. Only complex works, or three-dimensional works in several elements, are installed by the artist.
Are there any other costs if I am selected?
There are no other fees. The only costs are ones you choose or arrange yourself: transport to and from the exhibition, insurance for your work, and optional services such as stretching, framing or repacking for return, quoted on request. Shipping and framing prices.
How is the commission on sales calculated?
We retain 35% of the selling price, plus VAT at 20% on that commission. On a £1,000 sale, the commission is £350 and the VAT on it £70: you receive £580. Private sales after the Biennale carry no commission.
Can I withdraw if I am selected?
Yes. You may decline before confirming delivery of your work, with no further charges. The submission fee itself is non-refundable.
Is there an agreement I can read before applying?
Yes: our terms of submission set out everything that applies, from the fee and selection to delivery, sales and collection.
Awards & Prizes
- £5,000 London Art Biennale Award
- £2,000 London Art Biennale Award for Painting
- £2,000 London Art Biennale Award for Sculpture/Installation
- £2,000 London Art Biennale Award for Works on Paper
- £2,000 London Art Biennale Award for Digital Work/Video
- 25 artists selected and pre-approved for the following Chianciano Art Biennale, organised by the Chianciano Art Museum, Tuscany, Italy
- An art critique by the International Confederation of Art Critics for 5 artists
Sales
Exhibited artworks do not need to be for sale — it is the artist’s choice, and work can be exhibited as “not for sale”. For artworks that are for sale, prices and information are available with our professional and experienced sales staff.
On works sold during the exhibition, the Biennale retains a commission of 35% of the selling price, plus VAT on that commission. It covers payment processing, delivery to the buyer and our sales team’s assistance. Any private sale after the Biennale is not subject to commission.
For artworks sold by our staff during the show, the Biennale takes full responsibility for delivery to the client; no further action is required from the artist.
Printed & Online Catalogue
Each participating artist is given one A4 page in the official hardback catalogue, with their selected work reproduced alongside their name and artist information. The catalogue is produced by the International Confederation of Art Critics and serves as the permanent printed record of each edition.
Participating artists and their selected works are also published on the London Art Biennale website, where the record of the exhibition remains available indefinitely.
Artists taking part in the Biennale may purchase hardback copies at a 10% discount. The catalogue is also available during the Biennale and through the online shop.
Copyright & Social Media Permission
The London Art Biennale exists to promote art and artists. By submitting a work, artists grant permission for images of that work to be reproduced on the Biennale website, social media channels and in press or promotional material connected with the exhibition.
Works may be selected for publication during the submission and selection period. Publication at this stage does not indicate that a work has been selected for the Biennale, and only a proportion of submitted works will be featured.
Artists whose work is subsequently selected for exhibition also agree to its reproduction in the official hardback catalogue for that edition.
Submission Fee
The submission fee is £36 for each artwork entered. It contributes to the administration of the selection process and, ultimately, to the production and printing of the official Biennale catalogue.
For an initial period, each submission fee allows two works to be entered for selection. This provision applies only while the call is in its opening period, and may close without further notice.
The fee is non-refundable, regardless of the outcome of the selection process.
No further participation or exhibition fee is charged to artists who are selected. The submission fee is the only fee payable to enter and, if selected, exhibit at the London Art Biennale.
Curatorial Study: Requirements
- All artworks are hung and curated by the Biennale team.
- Stretching, mounting or framing is not required to take part in the selection — only if an artwork is approved and will be exhibited. Artworks sent by tube are prepared for exhibition by our team and partners.
- Stretched canvases 30 mm deep or more can be exhibited unframed; shallower canvases should be delivered framed, or can be framed by the Biennale.
- Other two-dimensional work — on board, on paper — must be appropriately framed or mounted, by the artist or by the Biennale.
- Works on paper are mounted under glass or acrylic; exposed paper is not exhibited unless the work is specifically and genuinely envisioned in a way that is incompatible with glazing.
- Work genuinely conceived in a way that is incompatible with stretching or framing is of course exempt — contact the team if clarification is needed.
- Two-dimensional work should be ready to hang with string, hooks or other fixtures that are not visible from the front; for artworks sent rolled, all hanging fixtures are provided.
- Plinths are provided free, up to 50 × 50 × 100 cm; artists may provide their own.
- Screens are provided for video art, so the digital file is all that is needed; artists with specific screens or display equipment are of course welcome to provide them.
Artwork Transport
Artworks ready to be exhibited can be delivered by hand to the venue or shipped to our designated address. Either way, our team unpacks, installs and takes down every work at no charge. Complex works, or three-dimensional works in several elements, are installed by the artist.
To reduce transportation costs, artworks can be sent rolled in a tube: the Biennale offers free stretching, bars included, for canvases up to 100 × 100 cm, on 38 mm bars for a gallery-quality finish. Please leave at least 7 cm of extra canvas on every side, and preferably paint the edges, as stretched canvases are shown unframed. Shipping and framing, in full.
The designated shipping address and detailed guidance are sent in due course. Transportation is the responsibility of the artist.
Artwork Return
Unsold work can be collected by hand, or by a shipper of the artist’s choosing, who packs it for the journey. Alternatively, repacking and return shipping is a paid service, which we can quote for on request. We assist at every step, but the cost of transport back to the artist is not covered.
Collection must be made, or arranged, within 8 weeks of an artist being told the work is ready. Work not collected within those 8 weeks is donated by the artist, unless other arrangements have been agreed with the team.
How to Apply
There is a submission fee of £36 for each artwork submitted, and there are no other participation fees. The fee is to submit an artwork: it does not guarantee a place in the Biennale, and it is not refundable if the work is not selected.
The fee is paid on this website. Applicants are given a submission number at once, and receive it by email in a Submission Certificate. The works themselves are then uploaded on Artemisia, quoting that number. If the certificate has not arrived within a few minutes, check spam, then call or write to us.
Until the call closes, any submitted work may be replaced on Artemisia at no further cost.
Artists who sign up before the deadline have a 24-hour grace period to complete their submissions.
Questions about the exhibition itself — dates, venue, admission — are answered here. Anything else, ask us through the contact form.