The International Watercolour Masters 2026 Contest

Hang with the Masters at IWM2026

Follow IWM for results

Information

• You may enter up to 5 paintings
• Your 5 paintings may ALL be winners and feature LIVE in the IWM2026 Exhibition
• Your 5 paintings may ALL be winners and appear in the arena projected gallery at IWM2026
• Thousands of visitors will see your work live at IWM 2026 Lilleshall Hall
• Anticipated online viewing audience 3.5 million
• Jury: The IWM contest jury will consist of 24 masters and Industry professionals

Prize Awards

• TOP 200 Winners will Hang their paintings with the Masters in the IWM Arena at the IWM2026 Exhibition
• TOP 200 Winners will receive a certified Individual Award Certificate by email
• 200 IWM Rising Star Award certificates
• The 200 Rising Star winners will be projected on to giant screens at IWM 2026 Lilleshall Hall Arena during the exhibition
• Worldwide press and promotion for all winners
• All winners will receive information and special discount codes for booking Accommodation in the NEW IWM2026 Artist Village situated in the IWM2026 Festival site at Lilleshall
• Results will be published on the IWM website in September

Rules

• The contest is open to all watercolour artists of any age worldwide.
• MEDIUM Watercolour works on paper only.
• Pencil + WC ink allowed.
• Acrylic, collage, crayon, pastel no more than 10% allowed
• No Print, photographs, reproductions
• No AI generated work allowed
• Theme unrestricted
• Painting may have been made at any time
• If you are a first place top 200 winner your painting needs to be available to send for the Live Exhibition at Lilleshall Hall, England. All information about sending your work for the show will be sent to you in your winners email in September 2025.
• All paintings at IWM2026 must be available for sale. A commission will be charged for sold paintings of 40%.
• If you do not want to sell your painting, you must put "NFS" instead of the price in the image title.
• Painting sizes - you can submit paintings in either of the following 2 sizes. You may enter a variety of the following 2 sizes. ; 380mm x 280mm (15" x 11") and 380mm x 560 mm (15" x 22"). Your paintings can cover the whole paper - or you may leave a white margin no bigger than 2 cm around the painting image. Your paintings can be landscape or portrait format.
• Original work only – no copies or workshop class work.
• If using photographic reference to make your painting, you must have permission from the owner
• No cash alternatives to the Awards
• A participation hanging fee will be payable by all top 200 prize winners who exhibit in the live show. Information will be in your winners email.
• Judging will be undertaken by a select group of 24 Masters and Industry professionals who will see your work. The IWM Judging and scoring system has been developed to provide absolute fairness with no risk of Judging bias. It is the most honest and complete system ever devised for any art contest. Judge’s decisions are final, no correspondence will be entered into, no refunds
• IWM will not be held responsible for any circumstances beyond their control
• By entering the competition you agree to be bound by the rules and conditions of entry
• If your paintings win Awards you understand and agree to reproduction of your work for press and promotion in any media
• Copyright remains the property of you the Artist
• Data collected during the entry process will only be retained and used by IWM for the purpose of show promotion, administering the Competition, and the IWM Exhibition
• Contest Opens 1st August 2025. Contest Closes 28th August 2025 at 12.midnight GMT.

Entry Fees

• 1 Painting £15
• 2 Paintings £25
• 3 Paintings £35
• 4 Paintings £45
• 5 Paintings £50
• Each artist can win 1 to 5 places in the IWM2026 live exhibition and Virtual exhibition at Lilleshall Hall in May 2026

How To Enter

Enter Your Paintings

• 1 Painting £15
• 2 Paintings £25
• 3 Paintings £35
• 4 Paintings £45
• 5 Paintings £50
• Each artist can win 1 to 5 places at IWM2024 Exhibition & Virtual Exhibition at Lilleshall Hall in May 2024

Upload your images
JPG Files only
Crop your photo (no frames or mats)