Write on Art Prize
Write on Art is a national writing competition for students aged 15 to 18 studying in the UK, sponsored by Art UK and the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art.
Our 2020/2021 cycle is now open!
The judges this year are Emma Dabiri (Author of the best-selling book "Don't Touch My Hair', Academic, and Broadcaster), Alaistair Sooke (Broadcaster and Chief Art Critic for The Telegraph), Lubaina Himid (Artist, Academic, and winner of the 2017 Turner Prize), and Iwona Blazwick (Director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery).
The Challenge
Choose one artwork from artuk.org that fascinates you and write about it. Persuade your readers to share your interest and take a closer look at the artwork. See full guidelines in the apply links below.
Apply now
Deadline 30 April 2021
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School year |
Word count |
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Years 10 and 11 (England and Wales) Years 11 and 12 (Northern Ireland) (More information when you click the above links to apply) |
400 words maximum.
Focus on describing what you see in your chosen artwork.
Check out our tips and advice for more information on how to get started. |
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Years 12 and 13 (England and Wales) Years 13 and 14 (Northern Ireland) (More information when you click the above links to apply) |
600 words maximum (excluding footnotes).
Include citations to books or articles you have read that helped to inform your essay as either as footnotes at the end of the essay or as hyperlinked words and phrases in the text of your essay.
Check out our tips and advice for more information on how to get started.
Demonstrate you’ve done some research about the work you have chosen. |
Prize
The winners will win a cash prize and have their essays featured on the Art UK and Paul Mellon Centre websites. Prizes for the 2020-2021 prize will be awarded at a ceremony.
1st place – £500
2nd place – £200
Runners up – three of £100 each
Background
Write on Art was set up by Art UK and the Paul Mellon Centre in November 2017. It’s mission is to encourage an interest in art history among young people.
“Art History is the study of power, politics, identity and humanity and we should be doing all we can – with projects like this – to get as many young people as possible excited by art history and involved in it,” Jeremy Deller, Turner prize-winning artist.