The Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2027 is the 45th edition of the National Portrait Gallery’s long-running competition celebrating contemporary portrait painting. Supported by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, the Award has attracted more than 50,000 entries from over 100 countries since its inception.
The competition encourages artists to explore and develop the theme of portraiture, showcasing approaches ranging from traditional techniques to innovative contemporary practices. Works are judged anonymously, with the Award designed to highlight the range, complexity and continuing relevance of painted portraiture.
Works selected for the Award will feature in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London from June 24, 2027. For participating artists, the competition provides an opportunity for their portraiture to be presented as part of a major international exhibition devoted to contemporary portrait painting.
Entry fee: £40 per entry; free for artists receiving Universal Credit or Pension Credit; a 50% discount applies to artists receiving Disability Benefits, students, and artists aged 18–25.
Eligibility
Open to artists worldwide aged 18 or over as of January 1, 2026, with one entry per artist completed after January 1, 2025; works must be predominantly painted in oil, tempera or acrylic on a stretcher or board, based on a sitting or study from life with the human figure predominant, while watercolours, works on paper, pastels, previously submitted works, employees or agents of the National Portrait Gallery or sponsor, and previous first-prize winners since 1980 are ineligible.
Prize
First Prize is £35,000, Second Prize £12,000 and Third Prize £10,000, while the Young Artist Award is worth £9,000. All artists chosen to exhibit in the 2026 and 2027 Portrait Award exhibitions will also be considered for the biennial Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Artist Commission, valued at £14,000 and due to be announced in 2027.