All competitions · Prize / award
The Kingston Prize 2026 – Canadian Portrait Competition
The Kingston Prize · Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Biennial Canadian portrait competition for paintings or drawings of Canadians by Canadian artists; $25,000 grand prize, thirty finalists exhibited in the Greater Toronto Area in November 2026. Entries closed 1 September 2026.
Your eligibility
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Who can enter
- Location
- Canada (by residence or nationality)
- Age
- 18 and over
- Career stage
- Any
- Mediums
- Painting, Drawing
- Theme
- portraiture
- Submission
- Online submission
- Also
- Canadian artists aged 18+; the sitter must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and the portrait must be based on a real meeting between artist and subject.
About
The Kingston Prize is Canada's national portrait competition, founded in Kingston, Ontario in 2005 and held every two years. It is open to Canadian artists aged 18 and over who submit a portrait in painting or drawing (or a combination) of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, based on a real-life encounter between artist and subject. Contemporary and experimental approaches are welcome.
For the 2026 edition, submissions opened 15 April 2026 and closed 1 September 2026. Thirty finalists are selected for an exhibition at a Greater Toronto Area venue in November 2026. Entry is online only, with one image (JPG, 1-4 MB) and a one-page PDF statement/CV, for a non-refundable fee of $40.
The Grand Prize is $25,000, with two Honourable Mentions of $3,000 each and a $1,000 People's Choice award. The next edition is expected in 2028.