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ROI Annual Exhibition

About > ROI Annual Exhibtion

ROI Annual exhibition 2024

Artists are invited to submit work for exhibition alongside members of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters at the ROI Annual Exhibition 2024.

The Royal Institute of Oil Painters was founded in 1882 and is the only major British art society that promotes and exhibits work of the highest standard exclusively in oil paint. (From this year, work in acrylic is no longer accepted).

The ROI Annual Exhibition features work by many exciting emerging painters alongside the work of more established names.

This year’s special theme is ‘EAT’ – for which The ROI Themed Painting Prize is on offer to the best interpretation. However the theme is optional, one aspect of a larger exhibition, to which oil paintings of all subjects are welcome.

Successful applicants can expect:

  • To have their selected work included in the ROI Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries, in the gallery, and online
  • Eligibility to win prizes and awards
  • An invitation to the Private View
  • The chance to sell their work
  • To be part of a network of exhibiting artists dating back to 1882 when the ROI was founded
  • The possibility of election to membership (for more information about becoming a member, please visit the ROI website)

Submissions are ONLINE ONLY and open until 12 noon Friday 11 October (extended from 4 October 2024).

We recommend that artists submit early to allow for assistance with their application if required.


How to Submit

A single-stage online judging of all submitted works will take place, after which selected works should be delivered to Mall Galleries, London, for inclusion in the exhibition:

  • Upload your work to our Open Exhibition Submission System (OESS) between Friday 5 July and 12 noon Friday 11 October (now extended from 4 October 2024)
    Images must be in JPEG or PNG format and under 5MB. The judges will make their decision based on these images, so please submit good quality photographs.
  • Log in to the OESS from 12 noon on Friday 25 October to see if your work has been selected
  • If selected, deliver your work on Saturday 16 November, 10am to 5pm, to Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD

Works should be delivered unwrapped with the relevant form and labels, which are downloadable from the OESS upon notification of selection.


Important Dates

Submissions open: Friday 5 July 2024, 12 noon

Submissions close: 12 noon next Friday 11 October (now extended from Friday 4 October)

Notification of selection: Friday 25 October, 12 noon

Receiving Day (if selected): Saturday 16 November, 10am to 5pm

Private View (invite only): Wednesday 27 November, 2pm to 8pm, official opening at 3pm

Exhibition opens: Thursday 28 November, 10am to 5pm daily

Exhibition closes: Saturday 14 December, 5pm

Collection of unsold work: Tuesday 17 December, 10am to 5pm


Conditions

Eligibility

Who may enter?

Any artist aged 18 or over may enter, from anywhere in the world.

How many works may I enter?

Artists may enter a maximum of six works each, from which up to three works per artist may be selected.

The combined total of the longest dimension of each painting accepted will not exceed 8 feet maximum per artist.

What type of work is eligible?

Artists must submit work that has been completed within the last three years and must not have been previously exhibited at Mall Galleries.

Works should be no larger than 2.4m along the longest dimension.

All works must be an original creation by the artist.

Subject matter:

Artists may submit work on any subject matter.

There is a special theme each year, which can be interpreted widely. For 2024, artists are encouraged to contribute a work on the theme ‘EAT’ – however it is not compulsory. If a work is on the theme, please say so in the artwork description box when applying.

Acceptable media:

Oils. The ROI promotes and exhibits work of the highest standard in oil paint.

Water-soluble oil paint is acceptable if framed as an oil, so as not to spoil the general appearance of the exhibition.

Acrylic is no longer accepted

Entry Fee

How much does it cost to enter?

There is a non-refundable submission fee of £20 per work, or £14 per work for artists aged 35 or under.

The submission fee includes free admission to the exhibition (normally £5).

Presentation

How should I present my work?

Artists are encouraged to frame their work. Unframed work may be accepted if on a well-presented box canvas.

Wide mounts between the painting and frame, as in watercolours, are not acceptable.

Picture glass is not encouraged.

Frames or stretchers should be sufficiently substantial to withstand mirror plating with 12mm (size 6) screws.

Artists are advised to use plain, simple framing in a light or medium colour.

Metal frames, unprotected glass edges and clip frames are inadmissible.

Please remove all fittings and fixings from the back of frames, for example D-rings and picture wire. This is to prevent damage to other works, and because we will mirror-plate works for hanging.

Delivery & Collection

Works should be delivered and collected on the specified receiving and collection days via the gallery’s rear entrance at Mall Galleries, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5BD.

If you are unable to deliver or collect your work, you may send another person on your behalf – this may include an art courier (see below).

Artists are responsible for the costs of delivery and collection.

Delivery

Paintings should be completely dry at the time of delivery.

Works should be delivered unwrapped with the relevant form and labels, which are downloadable upon notification of selection.

All packaging must be taken away at the point of delivery.

Collection

We are unable to wrap works or provide wrapping for works being returned.

Any uncollected works will be removed from the gallery after the collection day and stored by an independent courier company at the artist’s expense.

If works are not collected within 12 months of the collection day, the gallery will be entitled to destroy, sell, or otherwise dispose of the works without consent, prior notification, or compensation to the artist.

Art Couriers

Below is a list of art couriers by region:

International Artists

Many international artists use Picture Post Art to transport their work to and from Mall Galleries.

Picture Post Art arrange for the shipping of work from the artist’s country to the UK, help artists to correctly fill out paperwork from customs, and store packaging for reuse if required.

Picture Post Art
info@picturepostcompany.co.uk
+ 44 7833 450788

Please note that we do not accept liability for the services of any art courier.

Selection

How are works selected for exhibition?

The works for exhibition are selected by a committee formed of members of the Institute.

If selected works arrive damaged, with unacceptable framing, size discrepancies from the original submission, or not as shown online, these will be withdrawn and work will need to be collected from Mall Galleries by the artist at their expense.

May I ask for feedback?

The decision of the Selection Committee is final and we are unable to offer feedback.

How are the prize winners selected?

Prize winning works are selected in time for the awards ceremony during the Private View, prior to the exhibition opening to the public.

Sales

Does my work have to be for sale?

All work must be for sale, except portraits.

Once work has been submitted, any sale made by the gallery before or during the course of the exhibition up to and including the collection day shall take precedence and supersede one made privately. Any private sale made in this period will incur the normal commission.

How should I price my work?

There is a minimum price per work of £500.

Unless otherwise advised, the gallery will charge a commission on the total price paid for works, including commissioned works, before, during, or as a result of the exhibition.

The price submitted should be the selling price, which should include commission, and is the price at which the work will be sold.

The price of works must include commission of 45% +VAT. If an artist is registered for VAT, then the VAT due on the selling price of works should be included in the price submitted.

Mall Galleries reserves the right to query the price of works.

May I change the price of my work once submitted?

The price of works may only be changed by written agreement between the artist and Mall Galleries.

How will I know if my work has sold?

You will be notified by Mall Galleries if your work sells.

I am an international artist, do I need to register for a UK VAT number to sell my work?

Artists who are not resident in the UK but are resident in the EU or elsewhere are welcome to submit work. If your work is selected for the exhibition, you have a responsibility to register and account for UK VAT with H.M. Revenue & Customs.

Artists without a UK residence, known as ‘NETPs’ (non-established taxable persons) can find further details on ‘NETP’ status and how to register for VAT at www.hmrc.gov.uk (HM Revenues & Customs Reference: Notice 700/1, Mar 2014) under the heading ‘Should I be registered for VAT?’

Please note: the registration process can take up to 4 weeks. Please address any questions you may have to the VAT Helpline on tel. no. 0300 200 3700 or Outside UK: +44 2920 501 261.

Intellectual Property Rights

  • All works must be an original creation by the artist.
  • The copyright and all other intellectual property rights will remain with the artist. If any rights are owned by a third party, that third party will remain the owner.
  • The gallery has the right to reproduce works in connection with the exhibition.

Personal Data

The gallery will hold personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, the gallery may provide third parties with an artist’s contact details in the course of administering exhibitions, commissions and prizes.

The gallery has the right to reproduce works in connection with the exhibition.

The copyright and all other intellectual property rights will remain with the artist. If any rights are owned by a third party, that third party will remain the owner.

By submitting your contact details, you agree to be contacted about similar activities, such as artist opportunities and open calls organised by Mall Galleries / Federation of British Artists.

Liability

The gallery is not responsible for any loss of, or any damage to, works entrusted to them. All goods are at the artist owner’s risk absolutely and the gallery and/or their agents exclude all liability to the maximum extent permitted by law. The galleries are used for various purposes and so artists are advised to insure their works against all risks.

The gallery endeavours to take good care of works sent for exhibition, but in the event of a work sent being lost, destroyed or damaged, the gallery’s liability (if any) shall not exceed the value of the work as stated at the time of submission (less 45% plus VAT) or any altered price subsequently.

In the event of any dispute regarding loss or damage, the dispute shall be referred for final arbitration to an independent expert valuer to be chosen by agreement between the parties, provided that the arbitrator’s award shall not exceed the gallery’s maximum liability as above.

Artists shall indemnify and keep indemnified the gallery against any actions between the artist and any third party.

Help

If you require support with your application, please contact exhibitions@mallgalleries.com


Prizes & Awards

There are three new awards:

The Roger Remington Award
£4,000 for an outstanding painting

The Peter Wileman Award
£500 for an imaginative work

The Rosemary Brushes Award
For expressive brushwork, a voucher for £250 worth of Rosemary & Co Artist Brushes

Plus other prizes:

Winsor & Newton Young Artist Award | First Prize
£1,000 Winsor & Newton Fine Art Materials for an artist aged 30 or under

Winsor & Newton Young Artist Award | Second Prize
£600 Winsor & Newton Fine Art Materials for an artist aged 30 or under

Winsor & Newton Young Artist Award | Third Prize
£400 Winsor & Newton Fine Art Materials for an artist aged 30 or under

The ROI Themed Painting Prize
£500 for the standout painting on the theme of ‘EAT’

The Stanley Grimm Prize
Two awards totalling £700 (first prize £400, second prize £300), to the painters whose works receive the most votes from visitors to the exhibition

The Menena Joy Schwabe Memorial Award
An award of £250 for an outstanding oil painter

The ROI Emerging Artist Prize
A prize of £250 and the opportunity to spend a day with one of the Institute’s members, for an artist aged 30 or under

The Small Painting Prize
An award of £250 for the best small painting on display (maximum dimension of 30.5 cm, excluding frame)

The Tony Merrick Memorial Prize
An award of £250 in memory of Tony Merrick ROI (1948-2018)

Winsor & Newton Non-member Award
£150 Winsor & Newton Fine Art Materials

Art Academy London Award
A prize of a term’s worth of life drawing classes (worth £125) for an outstanding emerging painter

The Artist Magazine Award
The winning artist will be featured in a forthcoming issue of The Artist magazine, print and digital editions

The Dry Red Press Award
The winning work will be published as a greetings card by Dry Red Press in their ‘Prize Winners’ range

Frank Herring Easel Award
An award of a versatile easel

The Le Clerc Fowle Medal
In memory of Anne Le Clerc Fowle, presented annually for an outstanding group of paintings


Events Programme

We are excited to present a series of special events to complement the ROI Annual Exhibition 2024. The events are listed below and bookings can be made via the Mall Galleries.

Book Signing & Portrait Demonstration by Rob Pointon

Thursday 28 November, 10:30am to 12:30pm

Rob Pointon ROI will paint a soldier in ceremonial uniform, a Major of the Irish Guards, inside Mall Galleries.

Rob will sign copies of his new hardback book, ‘All the Queen’s Horses & All the King’s Men’, chronicling his artist residencies with the Household Cavalry and Household Division.

Free with gallery admission, no booking required. 

Guided Tour by Peter Graham

Friday 29 November, 12 noon to 1pm

Peter Graham ROI will lead a guided tour of the ROI Annual Exhibition 2024, taking a closer look at some of the finest oil paintings produced in the UK and around the world.

The tour will cover style of approach, subject, and the most exciting new and emerging artists of the year. Peter will highlight prize winners, the best of the “small paintings wall”, and the most influential painters of the ROI.

Free with gallery admission, no booking required. 

ROI Paint Live Challenge

Saturday 30 November, 10am to 5pm

Come and take part in the Royal Institute of Oil Painters’ annual Paint Live competition, a friendly and engaging event where you will have the day to create a painting within a half mile of Mall Galleries.

This area includes some of London’s most iconic places: Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, Leicester Square, St James’s Park and Piccadilly Circus, as well as many smaller streets, squares, parks and views of The Thames.

Prizes to be announced!

The Judges

  • Adebanji Alade PROI, President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
  • Natalia Avdeeva ROI, Member of the ROI
  • Ian Cryer FROI, Fellow of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters

The Rules

  • Meet at Mall Galleries for 10am to register your arrival
  • You will be provided with a canvas board
  • You may bring a support of your own choosing if you wish but it will need to be marked so as to confirm that the work is produced during the competition period
  • You may wish to bring acrylic colours for toning your ground ahead of starting work
  • Your subject must be within a half mile radius of Mall Galleries
  • The competition is for work produced during the competition period and although we expect many to work on location this is not a rule and references may be used
  • A lunch break may be taken between 12:30pm and 1:30pm in the gallery’s café or elsewhere if you choose to bring your own packed lunch
  • You are welcome to speak to the judges and ask their advice during the break
  • Working resumes at 1:30pm and the work must be completed by 4pm
  • You may ask for a second canvas board for the second session if you wish
  • Judging commences at approximately 4:20pm with the prizes presented on completion before 5pm

Tickets £18, £13 for Friends of the ROI.

Booking is required, please book now.

Portrait Demonstration by Ruth Fitton

Saturday 30 November, 2:30pm to 4:30pm

Ruth Fitton ROI will paint a portrait from life, live in the gallery.

Ruth is a portrait and figurative painter based in Yorkshire. Ruth has been fascinated by portraiture since her mid-teens. She taught herself to paint in oils while also studying for a BA in Music, and on graduating began painting full-time.

She says, “My work is almost always figurative; it is humanity, facial expression, and body language which spark my imagination.”

Free with gallery admission, no booking required.

Painting Demonstration by Roger Dellar

Tuesday 3 December, 2:30pm to 4:30pm

Roger Dellar PS RI ROI RSMA will paint live in the gallery.

Roger Dellar’s enjoyment of painting is the process rather than the end result. It is about finding the subject and letting it emerge. He enjoys the surface created, the brushwork and the differences between lean and fat paint.

Free with gallery admission, no booking required.

ROI Art Event Evening

Tuesday 3 December, 6pm to 8:30pm

Paint alongside ROI members ‘after hours’ with portrait models, wine, and mince pies.

The Art Event Evening Award, a prize of £150 worth of Winsor & Newton art materials, will be presented to the (non-member) artist that produces the best painting on the night.

To complement the theme of this year’s ROI Annual Exhibition, ‘EAT’, expect a focus on food from the models.

Tickets £12, or spectate for £10.

Booking required, please book now. 

Painting Demonstration by Natalia Avdeeva

Wednesday 4 December, 2pm to 4pm

Natalia Avdeeva ROI will paint live in the gallery, sharing tips and techniques.

Natalia is a London-based Siberian British artist. She is a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and the recipient of many awards and prizes including the Winsor and Newton Young Artist Award (2011), the Royal Society of Marine Artists Young Artist Award (2016) and The Artist Magazine Award (2017). She was shortlisted in the BBC series ‘Show Me the Monet’ in 2013.

Free with gallery admission, no booking required. 

Painting Demonstration by Amanda Coleman

Wednesday 11 December, 12 noon to 4pm 

Amanda Coleman ROI will be painting in the gallery and talking to visitors.

Amanda says, “My paintings are as much about paint as they are about subject – a curiosity as to what you can make paint do – capturing the shine on a pair of shoes, nailing the new colours of a place never visited before, or capturing the intricacies of patterned tiles surrounding a fireplace. I am passionate about directness and momentum where thick, present brush marks have purpose and energy. I love to see this intensified in small work. It drives what I do.”

Free with gallery admission, no booking required.

 

Previous Annual Exhibitions

Our annual show is a proud and long held tradition for the ROI, going right back to its beginnnings in 1882. Below you can see some of the more recently archived exhibitions from the Mall Galleries in London.